[ SECRET POST #2637 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2637 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 070 secrets from Secret Submission Post #377.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 - broken links ], [ 1 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 - too big ], [ 1 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[ludwigvonkoopa]

As a woman who plays video games, myself, and has ever since I was about two years old, I don't understand this.

It's no harder for a female to relate to a male character, than it would be for a male to relate to a female one.

And I guarantee you that people would (or already do) completely lose their shit if a guy was to make the same statement about a female lead. I don't particularly like the double standard.

[nan]

I don't mind playing games where the protag is a dude but if given the choice (and I really like being given the choice!) I always play as a woman.

Okay, my main playthrough is as a woman. Sometimes I'll go back and replay as a dude.

[dethtoll]

I'm very much the same way -- given a gender option I'll always pick the girl. And I'm a dude!

(The exception is Fallout 1 and 2, for canon reasons.)

[ludwigvonkoopa]

I'm not saying that I don't like having the option. I do.
I just don't feel it should be an absolute requirement for the capability of relating to a character and their personal struggles.

[inevitableentresol]

Yes, this.

It's not every game you get to play as a woman, so I can't resist it when there's the option. Usually by the 3rd playthrough I'm leaning towards being a man.

I have to go with the commenters and say that a girl character wouldn't work in this specific game.

[poisonenvy]

And I guarantee you that people would (or already do) completely lose their shit if a guy was to make the same statement about a female lead. I don't particularly like the double standard.

What? Guys are constantly making the statement about a female lead. Always. All the time.

[(Anonymous)]

no kidding, I hear this constantly. especially if she's "not hot enough"

[ludwigvonkoopa]

They do, but people still complain about these men and this mentality, do they not?

I hardly see how it's acceptable and not at all highly hypocritical if it does not also apply in reverse.

[(Anonymous)]

Except that they're not? People might complain, but it's not a 'mainstream' complaint. Men leveling this against female characters is absolutely the norm and what complaints there are tend to be dismissed immediately.

[(Anonymous)]

Except that, you know, men refuse to relate to female leads all the time? It's kind of a thing.

But the opposite doesn't exist for all practical intents and purposes, so it's really hardly a double standard. Men who made that statement would be resenting the tiny share of female playable characters that already exists.

Personally, I don't always play the female option, but if there's not a female option and there are options for the playable character... it's a pretty big let down. It feels like the game world is slamming its door in my face. Why should I relate to it, if it has no interest in relating to me?

[ludwigvonkoopa]

I'll repeat what I said before.

People complain about these guys. I see it all the time.
It's still hypocritical to think that "I can't relate to a man" is any more acceptable and less sexist than "I can't relate to a woman."

I like having the option, but I don't see how it should be a requirement to relate to a character's personal struggles.

[(Anonymous)]

One sex feeling like they can't relate to another sex is not sexist. Wanting a playable character option for both sexes isn't sexist either. Saying, "As a man, the protagonist should be male and there shouldn't even be a female character to choose from" is sexist. Saying "As a man, this game is more immersive if I can play a character of the sex and/or gender I identify with in real life" is not sexist, it's simply wanting an option.

And just because YOU can relate to a male character and don't mind playing one, doesn't mean everyone who feels differently is wrong. I can't help that as a woman I can immerse myself in the game world more if I play someone who looks like me. Saying I am sexist for wanting to be included, not the only option, is ridiculous.

[(Anonymous)]

And just because YOU can relate to a male character and don't mind playing one, doesn't mean everyone who feels differently is wrong.

So basically you agree with all the guys saying they can't relate to a female character. You're endorsing the idea that it's a valid and acceptable thing to be unable to relate to characters just because of their gender.

Saying "Well I'm for BOTH options so it's not bad/sexist!!!" doesn't work because there are some games that are not based around generic insert-your-own characters. They're based around specific characters and their narrative.

[(Anonymous)]

Late, but yes. I agree that things like sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. cause people to experience life differently than each other and if you don't think that's true, you are a moron.

[inevitableentresol]

It's not quite the same because there are a lot more games where you can only play as a man than ones where you can only play as a woman.

And there's a difference between saying 'I find it difficult to relate to male/female characters because I'm a woman/man' and 'there should only be male/female playable characters because I'm a man/woman.' The first is a statement of personal limitations, the second is sexism.

[(Anonymous)]

And I guarantee you that people would (or already do) completely lose their shit if a guy was to make the same statement about a female lead.
No. Guys say that all the fucking time. And not just about female leads in video games but female characters in books and movies. Hell, as a middle school librarian, I wasn't allowed to "out" writers like JD Robb for being female because heaven forbid we expect a boy to read a book written by a girl.

[(Anonymous)]

Completely unrelated but you're reccing JD Robb to middle schoolers?

[(Anonymous)]

oh noes it's gamer gurrl defending dudes' right to dickfests in video games, quick, hide your tampons and girly feelings!

[ludwigvonkoopa]

I'll take your opinion seriously when it isn't trying so hard to be "lololol lewk @ how troll I is."

Until then,
shh. The adults are talking.

[(Anonymous)]

the horror, she's not taking me seriously!

[(Anonymous)]

You showed them!

[(Anonymous)]

This. I honestly don't understand why people get so hung up on things like the gender of main characters in things. It's not like I'm going to automatically be able to relate to a female character just because I also happen to be female.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a woman who has been playing video games since I was two as well, and I totally understand it. It's not even about being able to relate to the protagonist (I can do that just fine either way) but it's about the constant awareness that either female gamers don't exist, or female gamers aren't important enough to market to, and usually this feeling is most apparent when you realize there's no option to be female when it really could be easy to have one. It's reinforced when a female option is finally provided, but it only comes after female players support previous titles enough to be recognized as relevant.