Portal Creator Sees End to Industry Sexism in 20 Years

[Zachery Gaskins]

A game featuring a big-breasted character in a chain-bikini isn't sexist, it's simply catering to a certain niche. An industry where a certain niche is the only one being catered to however is sexist.

If it's the only one being catered to, then it would cease to qualify as "niche".

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

I agree with her hopes, and it would be a great thing to see. We must aim to reduce sexism in gaming.

However sexism is so endemic in other areas of life, like cinema, literature, even business that there's no way it's ever going to go away totally.

It needs to go the same way that rampant racism/homophobia are heading, in that they are stigmatized rather than tolerated (if not condoned). And yes, it needs to start with young people who aren't being brainwashed by their parents.

 

[Hagi]

A game featuring a big-breasted character in a chain-bikini isn't sexist, it's simply catering to a certain niche. An industry where a certain niche is the only one being catered to however is sexist.

If it's the only one being catered to, then it would cease to qualify as "niche".

True enough. Let me rephrase it then,

an industry mistaking a certain niche (gender-specific one of course, considering the topic) for their full audience is sexist. An individual game targeting a certain niche, realizing it's not the full audience of their medium, is not sexist.

 

[RobfromtheGulag]

Both good and bad news I guess.

Good that it's being said. Bad that it actually needs to be said.

Overall I agree but I do think sexism, bar obvious exceptions (games whose message is that either gender is inferior), isn't really a game-specific problem.

A game featuring a big-breasted character in a chain-bikini isn't sexist, it's simply catering to a certain niche. An industry where a certain niche is the only one being catered to however is sexist.

A progressive industry isn't one where all games feature unsexualized plausible characters. A progressive industry is one where a wide variety of games, including ones with hyper-sexualized ridiculous characters as well as the opposite, are being made and a wide variety of niches are being included in the hobby.

Interesting point, I seldom see new sides to this debate. I think there'd be some argument over big-breasted chain-bikinis being sexist, but the point stands.

 

[RobfromtheGulag]

It's not okay in that it continues to expose a cultural problem in that apparently there's a niche audience that can't game without an erection.

I wouldn't worry about that. At that point we might as well equate the games in question to pornography for that specific individual, and on the liberal front pornography is acceptable as long as all people are catered to, ergo Hagi's earlier post.

I might be reading it wrong, but it sounds like you're saying people who game for sexual gratification are a problem, => sexual gratification is a problem => you'll get hairy palms.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

What a boringly safe prediction. Gee, I also predict in 50 years America will see it's first female or gay president, that Tigers in the wild will be extinct, that everybody reading this post will have had sex at least ONE time, and that water will still in all probability be describable as "wet."

See? I can make amazingly bold predictions of a mundane nature as well.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Exactly right, stand up and be a role model if you want to change things, instead of complaining about them from behind your computer.

I hope things go well for her.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

As much as I love the idea of stamping out sexism, racisim, homophobia, etc etc., it's just not gonna happen. People are dicks. We can minimise it, take it out of the vast majority of our mainstream entertainment, but it'll never go away.

 

[thesilentman]

Good idea; the other way that this will work is by making games that target both genders well. Key word is well.

...I'm getting the feeling that I should introduce my cousins (who are quite traditional in these matters) to Journey and the other games by those developers. I'd like to see their reaction.

 

[Paradoxrifts]

What is the male reaction to this? Create a nudity mod and body replacer for female characters nearly within a week after the game is released. This is user content however, so in my book it's okay.

That just borders on misinformation.

The overwhelming majority of graphical mods of that nature had already been developed for Oblivion (2006), by the time Fallout 3(2008) and New Vegas(2010) were released. Each game uses the Gamesbryo graphical engine, which means that once the hard work is done and the mod is completed in most cases it takes comparatively little effort to re-task an older mod for a newer game.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

As much as I love the idea of stamping out sexism, racisim, homophobia, etc etc., it's just not gonna happen. People are dicks. We can minimise it, take it out of the vast majority of our mainstream entertainment, but it'll never go away.

I think we're doing good by increasing the volume of the dialogue, by actually sharing our mutual awareness that it IS a problem, NO it cannot ever be eliminated since it's something that is taught / failed to be taught by adult role models.

We've got to be the good people that cease to do nothing in the face of evil, rather than accept it and allow it to be normalized.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

It's not okay in that it continues to expose a cultural problem in that apparently there's a niche audience that can't game without an erection.

I wouldn't worry about that. At that point we might as well equate the games in question to pornography for that specific individual, and on the liberal front pornography is acceptable as long as all people are catered to, ergo Hagi's earlier post.

I might be reading it wrong, but it sounds like you're saying people who game for sexual gratification are a problem, => sexual gratification is a problem => you'll get hairy palms.

Not a problem at all, really. If a game is intended to be sexually gratifying, then yes. (Not wishing to tangent off into a discussion on H-games which wish-fulfill misogyny, though.)

Needing to salt every game with genitalia suggests your lizard brain is still working the controls, which might trouble some people (remember Seth's obsession with drawing dicks in "Superbad"?)

 

[roushutsu]

You will never truly end sexism, but taking 20 years to lessen it in the industry sounds pretty realistic. I just wish it wouldn't take that long.

Here's hoping we hear more from Kim and other prominent ladies in the coming years. This is the first time I've heard of her and I loved Portal!

 

[Legion]

It's kind of sad but from my personal experience almost all of the sexism in regards to video games has come from women not men, anonymous internet not included. I only know of one woman (in my life at the moment) who does not think gaming is one of those "Sad things grown men do that are meant for little boys."

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

It's kind of sad but from my personal experience almost all of the sexism in regards to video games has come from women not men, anonymous internet not included. I only know of one woman (in my life at the moment) who does not think gaming is one of those "Sad things grown men do that are meant for little boys."

This is likely a chicken or the egg fallacy.

 

[Legion]

It's kind of sad but from my personal experience almost all of the sexism in regards to video games has come from women not men, anonymous internet not included. I only know of one woman (in my life at the moment) who does not think gaming is one of those "Sad things grown men do that are meant for little boys."

This is likely a chicken or the egg fallacy.

Care to actually make a point? You know, something to discuss.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

It's kind of sad but from my personal experience almost all of the sexism in regards to video games has come from women not men, anonymous internet not included. I only know of one woman (in my life at the moment) who does not think gaming is one of those "Sad things grown men do that are meant for little boys."

This is likely a chicken or the egg fallacy.

Care to actually make a point? You know, something to discuss.

It sounds like you are implying that men are just acting that way out of spite for women belittling their hobby, which is ridiculous. "If I'm supposed to be a little boy then that's how I'm going to act!"

...or, we could all try and act like rational, mature individuals (female critics included, in your reported cases).

 

[Legion]

It's kind of sad but from my personal experience almost all of the sexism in regards to video games has come from women not men, anonymous internet not included. I only know of one woman (in my life at the moment) who does not think gaming is one of those "Sad things grown men do that are meant for little boys."

This is likely a chicken or the egg fallacy.

Care to actually make a point? You know, something to discuss.

It sounds like you are implying that men are just acting that way out of spite for women belittling their hobby, which is ridiculous. "If I'm supposed to be a little boy then that's how I'm going to act!"

...or, we could all try and act like rational, mature individuals (female critics included, in your reported cases).

That wasn't what I meant at all.

I meant that a lot of assumptions about sexism in gaming is that the sexism comes from guys. That it's all about guys not wanting girls in the gaming industry, and that a lot of girls would be interested, but are uncomfortable due to the behaviour of some guys.

I am saying that in my experience it's the girls who are more derisive of gaming, that I imagine most girls (in my area at least) would probably feel more uncomfortable about showing interest in gaming due to how other women would react rather than guys treating them like they shouldn't enjoy it.

I wasn't making the point that this is a widespread issue and is more of one than sexist guys. Just that I find it kind of sad that in my area at least, it seems to be the case.

 

[Grabehn]

Yup... I don't really know. Towards the point of "being afraid of saying what you think" there will always be people that just rage against someone else for saying something, especially over the internet. But as of the point of I "hope that there's a little girl out there" being a bit literal, no kid really thinks of the people that make the games, and those people interested in the industry do usually know that there's men and women working making games.