Tropes vs Women in Video Games

Content Warning: This educational episode contains graphic sexual and violent game footage.


In this episode we explore the Women as Background Decoration trope which is the subset of largely insignificant non-playable female characters whose sexuality or victimhood is exploited as a way to infuse edgy, gritty or racy flavoring into game worlds. These sexually objectified female bodies are designed to function as environmental texture while titillating presumed straight male players. Sometimes they're created to be glorified furniture but they are frequently programmed as minimally interactive sex objects to be used and abused.

Women as Background Decoration: Part 2 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games
This is the second episode exploring the Women as Background Decoration trope in video games. In this installment we expand our discussion to examine how sexualized female bodies often occupy a dual role as both sexual playthings and the perpetual victims of male violence.

 The Women as Background Decoration trope which is the subset of largely insignificant non-playable female characters whose sexuality or victimhood is exploited as a way to infuse edgy, gritty or racy flavoring into game worlds. These sexually objectified female bodies are designed to function as environmental texture while titillating presumed straight male players. Sometimes they're created to be glorified furniture but they are frequently programmed as minimally interactive sex objects to be used and abused.

Female Game Developer's response to Tropes vs Women
As a female game developer, I give my take on Anita Sarkeesian's Tropes vs. Women video series.

I noticed a lot of response videos pick apart Anita's research or take issue with her raising a lot of money and blocking comments. I don't have a problem with any of those things... but I think that the things she's implying about game developers can be hurtful and offensive. The videos don't get to the root of the problem, which is the gender imbalance in game development. I give my thoughts on that and my own experiences.