Dead Island Torso Statue: Misogynistic? Stupid? Both? Neither?

[ShinyCharizard]

I reckon it's pretty damn cool. Don't see what all the fuss is about.

 

[godofslack]

There is a difference between sexist and misogynistic, this is the former not the latter. It's not an accident that the bust happens to be of a woman with her limbs removed, suspiciously with her breasts completely intact, the belief that EVERY aspect of this thing isn't crafted with thought or the belief that it would be the only way to show the Union Jack are both incredibly dismissive. You HAVE to look everything that is present in this travesty as deliberate.

It's clearly and indisputably sexist, it's a statue of a woman removed of all the non-sexual body parts, all of which are intact despite the ravaged state of the rest of her, covered in copious amounts of blood and labelled ZOMBIE BAIT. Just wow, I can not believe that anyone ever would think this is something you want associated with a commercial product.

 

[The_Echo]

Here's how I look at it: if it were a male torso, nobody would be crying misandry.

That said, I think it's kind of poorly done. Look at that bellybutton. And her breasts look like bad implants. The ribs are poorly realized as well. I wouldn't want this sitting on my desk. Looks like something I could get at a novelty shop for a tenner. It's gross to look at, and not because of the gore.

snnnnip

So it wouldn't be sexist were it the torso of, say, a male with chiseled abs?

Realistically, this woman's bikini top probably would have been torn off, at least partially. So leaving the breasts in tact is a measure of self-censorship.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Here's how I look at it: if it were a male torso, nobody would be crying misandry.

That said, I think it's kind of poorly done. Look at that bellybutton. And her breasts look like bad implants. The ribs are poorly realized as well. I wouldn't want this sitting on my desk. Looks like something I could get at a novelty shop for a tenner. It's gross to look at, and not because of the gore.

snnnnip

So it wouldn't be sexist were it the torso of, say, a male with chiseled abs?

Realistically, this woman's bikini top probably would have been torn off, at least partially. So leaving the breasts in tact is a measure of self-censorship.

It's the combination of violence and titillation that's the problem.

It's just kind of wrong...

It's clearly and indisputably sexist, it's a statue of a woman removed of all the non-sexual body parts, all of which are intact despite the ravaged state of the rest of her, covered in copious amounts of blood and labelled ZOMBIE BAIT. Just wow, I can not believe that anyone ever would think this is something you want associated with a commercial product.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Jeff Bowles]

As much as I enjoy laughing at feminists getting all bent out of shape over perceived slights...I have to admit, I don't think this would sell half as well if that torso happened to belong to...oh, Idunno, Ron Swanson. Or maybe it might. Probably not cause of the whole zombie thing though.

 

[Drop_D-Bombshell]

It's not misogynistic but it's in really bad taste. Seriously, who would like a plastic decapermembermentated women as a piece on art in their room? This sounds more like a publicity stunt than anything.

 

[lapan]

I'm not opposed to horror figures like these in general, but this one just looks ugly over all.

 

[Teshi]

Oh, look, sexualized violence against women. How surprising from video game marketers.

 

[havoc33]

I reckon it's pretty damn cool. Don't see what all the fuss is about.

There is no fuss, just some people who pretend there is. There's nothing wrong with this figure, it's for the dedicated zombie fans out there. Not my cup of tea, but to each his own I guess.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

I am less offended by the fact that it is misogynistic and more offended by how stupid it looks.

 

[Random berk]

What a fucking ridiculous concept. Deep Silver should be ashamed of themselves. Releasing DLC for Dead Island? I'd have thought they learned their lesson from the core game!

Oh what? The statue? Yeah, that's pretty ugly too. Not misogynistic though. I mean, if they're going to try and sell replicas of hacked up torsos to people, they have to be a torso from someone, right? And honestly, if the torso was of a ripped/ripped up lifeguard or a fat guy with half his guts outside his beer belly, then even the few people stupid enough to buy this thing in the first place might not be as interested. They sell what people buy, not what their own sexual preudices demnd.

 

[maninahat]

The CE edition is called Zombie BAIT. What's a good bait to lure away zombies from a location you don't really want them to be in? Usually some dead body parts, or, like in this case, a dismembered torso. It does make sense - the name and the game the sculpture is sold with is about zombies, dismembering them and gore. Them apologizing just means they're saving face cause' they didn't expect such an outcry from non-fans/anyone that haven't played the game (cause' if you had you'd know the context of it).

You don't think it's convenient then that they happen to use a pair of luscious tits as bait, instead of, say, a foot? And if we're playing zombie fishing, shouldn't there be a hook or a wire going through the body to suspend it?

The original complaint by RPS was made by a video game reviewer. He has almost certainly played the game and reviewed it.

It is misogynistic, however unintentional it was on the part of the devs. These are the same guys who had that "feminist whore" [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-08-dead-island-developer-techland-disturbed-by-feminist-whore-skill] issue further back, suggesting they aren't the most conscientious team of people. Specifically, the design is a woman who has had every part chopped off, until she is nothing more than a pair of poorly concealed tits. It's objectifying taken to it's most extreme, and could only have happened in the first place if someone somewhere said to the department "I know what will sell to our gaming audience - a bust bust." The only thing more ridiculous than this incredibly tacky product (aimed at a mainstream audience), is the fact that this comes after 1012's constant hammering on the issue of sexism in the medium. Are these guys fucking idiots?

 

[maninahat]

So, thoughts? Do you find this misogynistic? Do you think it was deliberately misogynistic, in an attempt to gather some attention via shock? Do you think a hacked up female torso with a pneumatic bosom is just a tried and true horror convention, and they're just playing to their audience? Do you think the statue is neat? Do you think it's ugly? Would you buy this thing?

Frankly, I think it's absurd that if it's a female brutalized torso it's considered shock value but if it's a male brutalized torso it's no big deal. It should be shocking and disgusting either way.

There never was going to be a man's torso though, was there? That would be too gay, or too much of a concession to the fact that women might be playing the game. The devs wondered what statue would sell best to their audience, and someone chipped in from the back and shouted "a statue of some tits".

 

[White_Lama]

Hah, that's awesome.

If I could afford it I'd buy it.
Don't see what the fuss is about, it's a dismembered torso for a game in which you can dismember zombies.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I do not see any sexism or such conceits in this. It's a torso, that's what they look like. Is every picture of a woman (or part thereof) now considered sexist? I wish people would grow up and stop being "offended" on other people's behalf all the bloody time.

 

[Subscriptism]

It can be boiled down to this,
What's the target audience?
Men
What do men like?
Boobs
How can we tie that in with zombies?
Make a tasteless statuette!

I think that cry baby radical feminists need to seriously reconsider what a misogynist is. It's someone who hates women, much like a racist hates black people.
Oh no! A scantily clad female torso statuette! Shock and horror that means deep silver hates women! Wait...Surely it's not just me that sees the non-sequitur here? You can complain about objectification all you like but no-one will listen because radfems are all morons who think you can change a social attitude held by a tiny minority by moaning at the ones who DON'T hold the attitude.

Is it indicative of the misogyny in gaming today? No it's indicative of the fact that most gamers are men and men like boobs. Is it tasteless? Damn right.

 

[havoc33]

I seriously wish people would stop complaining. It's a freakin throw-in figure in a videogame box for chrissakes! If you don't like it, don't buy it, don't look at it... and make sure you hide from everything else that might insult you in everyday life. Why don't you try accepting that people are different and like different things. So what if the developers figured a pair of tits would appeal to their audience? If that is what their audience wants, then so be it. By no means should Deep Silver be apologizing and letting a small group of people that are freaking out influence their commercial and creative decisions like this.

The internet has made it waaay to easy for people to ***** and moan about stuff like this. It's almost like there is this group of people hawking the news for stuff to complain about. Back in the day you had to make an effort to make your voice heard, which made you focus on the things that REALLY mattered.

I could choose to be offended when I take a walk in the park as well, surely the size of the penis on that statue is not representative of us mere mortals

 

[IamQ]

That is just downright disgraceful.

That is the most disturbing thing i've ever seen.

I mean, what woman in her right mind would wear a Union Jack bikini?

I know us English folk usually feel like tits but come on.

I tells you, it's part of the americans master plan. I mean, no arms and no head? It's threat towards the queen! They want all brittish dead!

 

[Phasmal]

Sexist and stupid. To be honest, they probably did it on purpose to draw attention to the game with controversy.
Doesn't make it not sexist and stupid though.

And it's pretty piss-poor designed too.
Clearly they just went TITTAYS! and went with that.
Badly made tittays.

 

[D Moness]

And it's pretty piss-poor designed too.
Clearly they just went TITTAYS! and went with that.
Badly made tittays.

That is what offends me the most.

Heck i love horror movies can not pass up a good slasher or zombie movie. If it was thrown in with a zombie movie (male or female torso) I would buy it in an instant(i also think there would be so much less outcry from the movie community). Though although i do not care about dead island at all i would almost buy it just to annoy all the complainers out there. To bad my regular webshop doesn´t have it in pre/order >.<