Sexism in Video Games
Video Games as a Study of Male Entitlement and Rape Culture
Its easy to label video games as mindless pastimes for children, and just as easy to dismiss the imaginative culture its bred. The world has entered a digital age, and for better or for worse, technology has become an integrated part of everyday life. Life online makes it easy to create ties with people across the globe, and communicate with friends, family, co workers; practically anyone. That’s not to say the digital world isn’t as toxic as the real one. Cyber bullying runs rampant through social networking sites and online forums, as well as sexual harassment, misogyny, and racism. Under the guise of anonymity anyone can take on a role to feel powerful, a bully, a villain, a lecturer, and occasionally a hero. Words are just as powerful as actions in a world where everything must relayed through a keyboard. Video games take the idea of a digital world even further. Through Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online games (MMO), and by extension, Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG’s) players can step into the shoes of practically any character available, or character they create. From the most popular MMO of today, Leauge of Legends, to the famous classic MMORPG World of Warcraft, players create communities full of players from across the U.S., and sometimes the globe. As much potential games have to be new social media platforms, as well as more interactive ways to communicate, most video games harbor social issues that mirror those of the real world. Sexism runs rampant through online forums and MMORPG chat services. (Taylor, 2014) In the same way catcalling has very little repercussions, online sexual harassment is very rarely addressed by game makers and community administration. Sexism specifically needs to be addressed because of the misogyny, male entitlement, and rape culture it fosters within gaming culture and how that culture affects players in and outside the virtual world.
Its easy to label video games as mindless pastimes for children, and just as easy to dismiss the imaginative culture its bred. The world has entered a digital age, and for better or for worse, technology has become an integrated part of everyday life. Life online makes it easy to create ties with people across the globe, and communicate with friends, family, co workers; practically anyone. That’s not to say the digital world isn’t as toxic as the real one. Cyber bullying runs rampant through social networking sites and online forums, as well as sexual harassment, misogyny, and racism. Under the guise of anonymity anyone can take on a role to feel powerful, a bully, a villain, a lecturer, and occasionally a hero. Words are just as powerful as actions in a world where everything must relayed through a keyboard. Video games take the idea of a digital world even further. Through Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online games (MMO), and by extension, Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG’s) players can step into the shoes of practically any character available, or character they create. From the most popular MMO of today, Leauge of Legends, to the famous classic MMORPG World of Warcraft, players create communities full of players from across the U.S., and sometimes the globe. As much potential games have to be new social media platforms, as well as more interactive ways to communicate, most video games harbor social issues that mirror those of the real world. Sexism runs rampant through online forums and MMORPG chat services. (Taylor, 2014) In the same way catcalling has very little repercussions, online sexual harassment is very rarely addressed by game makers and community administration. Sexism specifically needs to be addressed because of the misogyny, male entitlement, and rape culture it fosters within gaming culture and how that culture affects players in and outside the virtual world.