Feminism

[tegan]

I actually had the same theory about Quiet.

 

Certainly, but Kojima's stated that there is a 'reason' the character is wearing skimpy clothing instead of appropriate battle attire.

 

This statement right here in particular reminds me more than anything of Kainé from Nier, who I'm still kind of divided on.

[Bjorn]

It doesn't seem fair to prejudge an attempt to represent a minority character based on the artist's race or location. I don't see how grouping all Japanese developers together in their efforts and abilities is useful to anyone.

 

Unfair, probably.  But I could also just broaden the statement to say that I cringe at thinking of any AAA developer writing a transgender character.  We don't yet have a history of any mainstream developer dealing well (or at all, really) with a transgender character, and that's reasonable cause for concern. 

[clyde]

I don't even know what a respectful representation of a character's transgender experience would look like. 

[Bjorn]

I think that Orange is the New Black does it well.  Mostly Sofia is just another character, though there are a few arcs that deal specifically with the kind of challenges and specific experiences of being a trans woman.  Those challenges include her ongoing hormone therapy and the relationships with her family.  The writers seem thoughtful about her character, and made it a point to find a trans woman to play the part.  I would assume that the actress, Laverne Cox, is helping to make sure the character is shaped in a believable way. 

 

As for how you do it in a game, that just seems like it would depend so much on the context of what the game is.  It could be as easy as having a trans character and letting them be a character, without overly dwelling on their gender.  Like Bill's sexuality in The Last of Us. 

[TychoCelchuuu]

I don't even know what a respectful representation of a character's transgender experience would look like.

Like this?

[Bjorn]

AC4's surprisingly positive female addition, Bechdel Test and all.

[Dewar]

Twitter is blocked at work, can someone let me in on what Kojima said?

[Stuart]

Twitter is blocked at work, can someone let me in on what Kojima said?

 

He posted a picture of a Quiet figurine.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeZn9X1CEAAeHb3.jpg:large

 

"'Character design.'" - Patrick Klepeck

[BusbyBerkeley]

Hooooooly fuck there's a feminism thread on here! I need to frequent these forums more. I know everyone knows this already but it's so fucking hard to talk about games without dealing with big old turds on most sites. I think I'll like it here. <3

[clyde]

I think that having threads like this one has a beneficial effect on the tone in the video-game threads. I share your appreciation.

[BigJKO]

:tup:

[Brannigan]

This possibly doesn't belong in this thread, but I found it super disturbing: http://jezebel.com/texas-will-keep-a-dead-woman-on-life-support-just-to-in-1494954930

 

There's also speculation on whether the family has to end up footing the bill. I hate this state.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/26/texas-hospital-order-brain-dead-pregnant-woman

[syntheticgerbil]

I'm glad it's over for them, but it really should not have happened in the first place. Hopefully this awful case can be referenced as the right cause of action should another hospital feel it is their work to keep a brain dead woman on life support in the off chance that a fetus may not die (let alone equal a healthy baby).

 

Hope the scars aren't too bad for the family.

[Brannigan]

Yea really. Just glad it didn't drag on even longer for them

[Dewar]

Now comes the lawsuits so that family doesn't have to pay for the wrongly provided health care. Yay!

[Mawd]

I don't even know what a respectful representation of a character's transgender experience would look like. 

You could take a look at the five minute game 'Mainichi' by Mattie Brice.

I don't really understand what 'respectful' should mean in this context. It's her honest take on what life can or is like for her.

[Zeusthecat]

http://kotaku.com/she-was-harassed-by-a-games-reporter-now-shes-speakin-1510714971 

 

That was a depressing read. And then I took a look at the comments and... what the fuck is wrong with people??? I don't know how anyone could read that and come to the conclusion that she is being oversensitive or in the wrong in any way whatsoever. I'm generally an optimist but seriously this situation is so fucked up.

[Justin Leego]

Alice Mercier isn't the real name of the games industry veteran that reporter Josh Mattingly harassed on Facebook. She isn't willing to give her real name, at least not publicly; she's afraid of the professional repercussions.

 

Strangely, the Kotaku sidebar points to an earlier story (1/20/14) about the same incident which names the industry vet and publishes the exchange in much more detail.

 

But yeah, agree with your prognosis that this is a regrettable situation in many ways.

[clyde]

http://kotaku.com/she-was-harassed-by-a-games-reporter-now-shes-speakin-1510714971 

 

That was a depressing read. And then I took a look at the comments and... what the fuck is wrong with people??? I don't know how anyone could read that and come to the conclusion that she is being oversensitive or in the wrong in any way whatsoever. I'm generally an optimist but seriously this situation is so fucked up.

Your link was broken for me 

http://kotaku.com/she-was-harassed-by-a-games-reporter-now-shes-speakin-1510714971

I learned some stuff from the comments.

[Bjorn]

Strangely, the Kotaku sidebar points to an earlier story (1/20/14) about the same incident which names the industry vet and publishes the exchange in much more detail.

But yeah, agree with your prognosis that this is a regrettable situation in many ways.

Unless I'm misremembering, the original story named the woman who originally shared and conversation, which is NOT the woman who had the conversation. The woman who shared it had asked permission, and was willing to publicly name herself.

Your link was broken for me 

http://kotaku.com/she-was-harassed-by-a-games-reporter-now-shes-speakin-1510714971

I learned some stuff from the comments.

 

 

Thanks, I had tried following it earlier and was too lazy to track it down.  The comments make me want to cry.   One guy kept posting this image as a reply to people.  And they would respond, "Well I don't see how that applies to what I said." 

 

[Gormongous]

Unless I'm misremembering, the original story named the woman who originally shared and conversation, which is NOT the woman who had the conversation. The woman who shared it had asked permission, and was willing to publicly name herself. 

 

Thanks, I had tried following it earlier and was too lazy to track it down.  The comments make me want to cry.   One guy kept posting this image as a reply to people.  And they would respond, "Well I don't see how that applies to what I said." 

 

19dymklj8lakwjpg.jpg

 

I read the inline comments and with one exception was really proud of Kotaku, especially the response to micro-aggressions (a great turn of phrase that I just learned a couple months ago). It got me overconfident, so I tried to read the whole section. One minute in, I was reading the typical "This is one incident where one black woman would not give up her seat on one bus, so systemic racism has nothing to do with it" comment. Goddammit.

 

I hate when I get so weary reading such comments. It makes me feel like a bad feminist.

[Zeusthecat]

Yeah, I kept checking back throughout the day and the comments continued to get worse. On the bright side it seems like the horrible stuff was mostly contained to a few individuals and the majority of people on there were fighting the good fight.

[syntheticgerbil]

I can't tell if this took place within Facebook's messaging system or on her actual Facebook wall. Either way, it's a pretty nasty situation, but if it's on the wall, it's downright terrible.

[Problem Machine]

The good thing about awful comments is that they're a visible manifestation of the problem. The more they happen, the more solidified this is as A Thing.

They're like some kind of blood monster!

[jmbossy]

This is repulsive. What, the absolute, fuck.