So while I think he article isn't 100% I think it does raise some excellent points.
Yes, the discussion points are important, and need to be talked about, but is that the proper way to say it? It may make give those already feeling persecuted some warm-and-fuzzy feelings inside because someone gets them and is speaking to their issues, but is it really conveying the issues to those who need to swayed on the issue? Don't get me wrong, I read the article and see a lot of things that I want to be said, but they're definitely not said in a way that's productive.
First, I think the example of Batman: Arkham City is poorly laid out. First-off, it ignores the fact that women villains using seduction has been a staple of
ALL media since the Greek myths and before. You'll find such characters in novels, plays, movies, myths, jokes, television, etc., etc. Knowing this, the article should have focused on the change of Harley Quinn from a character whose sexuality is incidental and not core to the character, to one who has been tarted up for the game (and the new reboot). Acknowledging that sexual female characters are a staple of media, but showing that nerd hobbies over-emphasize that one character type (while ignoring other female archetypes) is the problem. Complaining that Poison Ivy is being a sexual character is like complaining that Aphrodite/Venus is wearing too little.
Next, want to complain about how few female characters are good examples? Then how about actually naming some that are?! Being negative does not help the issue if you can't at least show that you're aware that positive examples exist and show what should be aimed for. No mention of Alyx Vance from HL2, Zoey & Rochelle from L4D/L4D2, FemShep from Mass Effect, Elaine Marley or Morgan LeFlay from ToMI, etc., etc. Yes, there is a problem, but constructive crticism is what's needed, not simply male/nerd-bashing.
Thirdly, if you want me to take you seriously about women being treated differently because they're women,
stop stereotyping me just because I'm a straight male while pretending that such stereotyping doesn't exist. Yeah, I know the stereotyping I get is just a minor annoyance compared to the serious problems faced by women and homosexuals, but it still exists. If I do
anything nice for a girl, I get accused of hitting on her. If stand up and say that women should be treated with respect, I get accused of "white knighting"; trying to gain favor with women by doing so. If I should suggest that a woman's motivations cannot be judged by her dress, I get laughed at as if I can't possibly comprehend because I post pictures of women in beautiful costumes, and therefore must be objectifying them myself. If you want guys to change, to be better about the way they treat women, stop beating down the ones who are honestly trying.
I'm not making this change in how I publicly respond to the sexual objectification of cosplayers because I want to impress a girl. To be honest there is only one girl I'm interested in right now, and as far as I know she's bothered by my maintaining this thread at all, and being more polite to the girls featured here isn't going to make her feel any better about it. I don't care what the cosplayers think of
me specifically. Not to mention I've already got a pretty good reputation with them just for making the thread and the comments I make about their photos. I've never heard it suggested that they view me any differently because of what other people say in my thread. I'm making the change to appease my own conscience, and out of some misguided idea that if enough people stand up in a similar manner eventually geek/nerd males will stop being viewed as perverts whose hobbies make them think of nothing but sex and violence.
Back to the article, though, I specifically dislike how cosplayers are singled out as being put on pillars and objectified because people enjoy the hard work they've done. There is objectification done, absolutely.
Meagan Marie's comments on this article definitely affirm that she's treated like an image more often than a person. However, I think the article really failed in stereotyping all cosplay as sexual, and I think that does a great disservice to the many cosplayers that definitely do not cosplay with a desire to be sexually objectified, and still receive great praise for their work. This type of horrible stereotyping is also prevalent in the "Don't Date Geek Girls" article from the same source. It shows not only a lack of respect for women, but also a horrible understanding of nerd culture. The author treats nerds/geeks (especially nerd/geek males) as some homogenous culture who all share the exact same interests.
Well, I've rambled enough, and spent way more time and energy on this than I can afford to, but it's a very important issue to me and I want to voice my opinion, even though it feels like I'm dismissed without consideration.
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