Video Games and Feminist Frequency (IR)

One of the things that caught my attention early on in this unit was when we looked at one of the tropes. Specifically, it was the damsel in distress trope and how it made video games appear a little gender biased. So I decided to read the IGN article about Tropes VS. Women in Videogames

Link to Site: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/31/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games-why-it-matters

While I don't really think much into it, I do believe something like the Damsel in Distress Trope is a little sexist. However, completely some people might completely disregard videogames due to this trope and I think that's just wrong. Videogames don't always use the damsel in distress trope, and some videogames have women as the main protagonists like the Metroid and Portal Series. However, I can understand why this trope is used a lot in games.

The Damsel In Distress is mainly used in games like Mario or Zelda. However, one of the main reasons as to why this trope hasn't disappeared is that the trope is crucial to the series. Take Mario for example: the game was created back in the eighties and it has become a tradition that he tries to rescue Princess Peach. The same can be said for Zelda and Link. I'm not saying that it makes the trope right, but it is one of the main reasons as to why the trope is still in use today.

Another reason why videogames focus a lot of their time on these kinds of tropes is to appeal to their target audience; males. I'm not saying that women don't play video games, I know a couple that do. But the main videogame consumers are generally young men. Its impossible to create a game that everyone can agree on, so videogame companies go for the biggest demographic.

However, to say that videogames have gotten progressively more gender biased is completely wrong. Videogames aren't gender biased at all, they are just perceived as that by people who look at very specific games. Videogames are meant to simply be something to enjoy and something to ease the stress off of someone. I realize that there may be some gender bias in some games. However, to me they are just a fun way to relax.

My Reaction to the Bechdel Test(CC)

About a couple of weeks ago, we learned about a famous test known as the Bechdel Test which tests the gender bias of movies. Basically, the test asks for a movie where two female characters have a conversation about something other than an man. At first I didn't think a lot of my favorite movies were that gender biased. But as I applied the Bechdel Test to some of my favorite movies, I began to see almost all of them fail at the Bechdel Test. There was really only one movie that passed the test that is recently came out; Bridesmaids.

After applying the test to many movies, both modern and old, I began to think that almost all of Hollywood is biased and is a little offensive to women (in that specific area). However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this test is not perfect and just because a movie fails it doesn't mean that it is offensive. Take the movie Gravity; it fails the Bechdel Test, but only because there is literally three characters in the film. It is solely made up of Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, and some other guy who wasn't around long enough for me to learn his name. Because that movie fails the test, does that make it offensive to women and gender biased? Is it fair to test this movie where it only focuses on one character who is lost in space and has no contact with the world below? I'm not saying that the test doesn't point out some flaws in movies. However, movies like Gravity and 127 Hours are given an automatic fail because there isn't two female characters in it. With something like 127 Hours, the whole story was focused on one man trying to get free from a chasm. Is it fair that it should be failed on this test when it only focused on a guy trying to get free?

What I'm really trying to say is the test itself is somewhat flawed. Yes, it does point out some gender bias in movies, but it's not okay to say that this movie fails only because it focused on a single person the whole film. Even if a film does fail this test, it doesn't make it a bad movie. One of my favorite movies (and one of the greatest films of all time) The Godfather fails this test, yet it still changed the way I thought and provided amazing acting and drama. Although it does point out some flaws, I personally don't agree with the Bechdel Test and even if a movie fails it, I doubt that it will affect me greatly.

Louis CK and his Great Knowledge (TA)

I have had an interest in comedy for a long time, and I especially love watching clips from great comedians like Chris Rock and Sam Kinison. However, I recently watched a little stand up from Louis CK. I've never really heard any of his stand up bits, but I have to say, so far I'm impressed. I watched his idea that the greatest threat to women is men.

The interesting thing is that he doesn't play off stereotypes like most comedians do. Other comedians talk about the downside of women or make fun of them. However, Louis challenges this and actually insults all men, saying how they are the worst thing to happen to women. He even points out how men are responsible for some of the worst things to happen to women. He insults his own gender in a way that people both laugh and agree with what he has to say. Male comedians are always thought of being a little sexist. The unique thing with Louis is that he is sexist in this bit, but instead of having women the target, he attacks men, reversing the role and showing that not all great comedy comes from making fun of women.