Women are largely used as sexual objects within video game play. Misogynistic, sexist and violent representation for women in videogames is the norm in our society. There are probably too many games to name that continue to over sexualize women and use them as decoration, instead of interesting, complex, and intelligent characters that you can use for game play. This virtual realm is an absolute depiction of our patriarchal culture and how these dominant ideologies influence and dictate how women are treated and represented within reality and games. I get frustrated at times when people say there is no need for more diverse representation in videogames, more women are playing video games than ever before and yet we’re still not fairly being represented in the proper way. Too many games fall under the dominant discourses and its hard to find a game with a leading female character that isn’t overly sexualized or manipulated in someway. This concept of women being background decoration is literally everywhere in popular media and culture. Sexual objectification happens to women all the time in advertisements and commercials to sell products, and it perpetuates the idea that women are objects instead of actual human beings with thoughts and feelings.
Nicole Connolly
