[RESEARCH] Gender in Music, and Representation of Women

Music, a worldwide phenomenon that everyone has heard of at any point of their lifetime. It’s a think which gets us pumped up and ready for anything, may that be dancing or just burst in song. But, times like these, you really realise how music has changed from being just a musical and inspirational piece, to just plain disgusting and horrible habits that musicians and celebrities have gotten themselves into.
There are many artists, however, which want to break the wall and say “This is all wrong.” Here are some of the few examples which I feel are very good videos and pieces of music which can really show some of the ugly parts of today’s culture.

P!nk – Stupid Girl

P!nk, the most iconic woman in pop music to this day; everyone knows one of her songs, she’s known for not caring about what other people people think of her and bringing out pieces like Stupid Girl. Many of her songs are pretty based around her own lifestyle, but at some points, she really takes things to a new level, to flesh out and bring out some of the worst forms of realistic culture.
As the video begins, you can see a little girl perched onto a sofa, watching the TV. On both of the little girl’s shoulders is a ‘Devil’ and an ‘Angel’ that is trying to tell her what she should watch and learn from. Each channel the girl goes through, it’s showing how females should act in certain situations and in every day life, how they should look, and how they should be in the eyes of the man. The video actually takes snippets of what other music videos are like, how other celebrities and ‘showy’ women are like in the world, and how THEY get more attention then the normal, ‘unfortunate’ girls.
This is a great video for everyone to watch; you realise by the end that you are fortunate with what you already have, and how you already are. You don’t need to prove or become another to gain what you need in life. Everyone is equal  both male and female, and even if you don’t have the most perfect body, you will possibly have a better personality or better well being instead. Everyone has their own flaws and problems, and that is something worth learning.

Frank Turner – The Way I Tend To Be

Frank Turner is a great composer, and sings ever so beautifully to the songs he writes. It’s an inspirational song, more then something which represents gender, but it also brings out some of the truth in himself, and in others as well.
As the video starts, you can see a man walking towards nothing with a shovel on his shoulder, as if he is lost or unaware of life, of living. As he progresses, he feels the need to do something, to ‘dig’ his fears away of the way he is. Maybe this is to show that he doesn’t like himself for what he has become by looking at beautiful women and wishing (‘each time with each beautiful woman but somehow it never works out.‘ – Lyrics), or what he believes in to be right when others feel like it’s wrong. This being is almost like shining light on how that all men can be, how they can act towards other people and pretend that nothing is wrong. However, the woman, so pure and able to get through anything, he is taking lessons from, and learning from ‘her’ as if it will make him a much more better person. This could mean that Turner is changing the way the roles carry out, and that the woman knows what she’s doing, and the man is lost without her.
The video doesn’t really show the whole meaning of the song, but the lyrics give you a clear understanding of what Turner really wants to show to the listener.

Clutch – Cyborg Bette

Much known for their very descriptive lyrics and songs; Clutch is a an American band whom aren’t very popular, but have some of the most gruesome and imaginative songs from them.
Unfortunately there is no music video for this track, but Cyborg Bette is basically a song based around a robot woman that a man is using as his own wife. Then he goes on to say that the ‘robot woman’ has been created specifically for himself, and for no one else. As the song progresses, Cyber Bette then becomes a little more unresponsive, and almost unlike herself, which the man doesn’t like the way she’s now acting. From here, he then starts to brag to her, after he found out that she was cheating on him, and has been treating him wrong the whole time, that she has easily bought a new model, and she’s ‘Mine, oh mine!‘ This is quite a horrible thought, the concept of actually throwing away women and finding it so easy to grab another. Robots to represent women is a great way to show how women are sometimes represented in general, robots are distributed easily and are created and give them commands to keep in check of what their creators want them to do.
This song is pretty brutal to how women should be represented, but however, maybe the lyrics are trying to teach the listeners just how badly they’re treated in the wide run.

[RESEARCH] The Gender Issues in World of Warcraft?

World of Warcraft is a very great MMO that many gamers and non-gamers alike have played over the passing years. With a staggering 9 to 10 million players still playing the game since 2004. There is no wonder that it is still one of the biggest MMO’s out in the big wide world of crucial gaming. But, is there still some gender issues, even with the glorious expansion Mists of Pandaria released just months ago?

With a world as big as any other, World of Warcraft has so much to offer to players who recently started or have been playing for many, many years before the new expansions time. High rulers, both male and female, look down at their land and feel proud of how far that they have become, even through the current war between Alliance and Horde. May these high rulers be Alexstrasza the Queen of Dragons, Sylvanas Windrunner the Queen of the Forsaken, Vereesa Windrunner the Leader of the Silver Covenant, I don’t feel there is an imbalance in sexuality, as these women have quite a lot to offer in terms of story, as well as fighting abilities (Male rulers consist of Garrosh Hellscream the Leader of the Horde, Varian Wrynn the King of the Alliance, and Farseer Nobundo the Leader of the Alliance Broken of Azeroth. These leaders bring backstory also, giving their own piece of ‘warcraft’ to the game with their different backgrounds and traits which really make these games a very special experience for all lore lovers.) Yet, if you compare both male and female ruler clothing, you can certainly tell that there is some imbalance. High cut armor and very revealing clothing for the female characters, and for the males, whom may have ‘revealing’ clothing, but they are shown in power, with muscles and weapons that are considered really intimidating.

The advertisement for the new race, Blood Elf, in Burning Crusade

But, if you compare the ‘nakedness’ of the women to the ‘impurity’ of the women, you would then have to think of story. Story (or Lore) is also crucial to really sink your claws into, if you really want to know a character. The Horde are full of corrupt beasts, which pretty much makes up their own faction, with many of the races giving themselves away to magical lust or the need for power and land, it a very messy faction, full of impurities and disillusion which draws them out as the Horde. The name Horde can also be compared by the term ‘hoard’. The name in itself has a slight impact on what exactly these creatures are: they are hoarders of the world, they take from everything and fight for what they believe in to get what they desire.
So, what does this have to do with their feminine outfit? Character design can go from making some one ‘sexy’ to just ‘corrupt’ in the matter of tweaks and changes to the way the character is presented to the player/viewer. Lets take Sylvanas Windrunner (one of the Horde) and compare her to her dear sister, Vereesa Windrunner (one of the Alliance). Sylvanas doesn’t have as much clothing as her sister, yet Sylvanas isn’t really treated the same Vereesa. Her own sister, being a High Elf, has to look professional in a way, as that is what the Alliance is all about. The Alliance is full of characters which are built to be powerful, built to not be changed by the addictions which they could find themselves taking aboard. Veressa has lost so much, and has come to the point that she cannot trust any one but the people who are close to her, who are as collective as her. Sylvanas, however, has died, brought to life again and was then corrupted by another to do an others bidding. Her own feelings had been changed for the worse, the thoughts which went through her own head were not her own, making Vereesa not trust Sylvanas at all. Sylvanas is agile, she fights her own wars and doesn’t sit back and wait. As she rules the Undead race, she will also be at the front lines, protecting what she feels is right to stay in power. Being agile and always engaged, but also corrupted and uncollective, makes it feel like the outfit chosen for her is really the best. Seductive, yet fitting for the personality and character, intentionally I don’t think it was meant to appeal as being one of the Horde, corruption and indecency is pretty much the norm. Vereesa, collective and content, her outfit matches her personality and position in the Alliance quarter.

Sylvanas Windrunner on the left and her sister, Vereesa Windrunner on the right.

Being a High Elf (basically the original elven species that evolved from Night Elves), an Elf which has not given into the magic lust that the Blood Elves have unfortunately fallen into, she is not dressed in a corruptive manner. Neither is she surrounded by the deep darkness that the Horde thrive in, as the species around her are pure humanoids that haven’t given in, as stated before. Yet, there are many times in which Vereesa could have become a Blood Elf, because of the loss of her whole entire family, she has tried desperately to not turn into what she believes is a ‘disgusting’ race. She is experienced, she has made a truce with herself that she won’t become some one that no one can trust, and therefore, her chosen outfit makes her seem powerful and beautiful, just like the Elf wearing it.

Pulling away from the high rulers in World of Warcraft, there is also many other races which really don’t fit the appeal of a ‘sexual’ appearance.

Some examples: Tauren, Pandaran, Worgen, and Undead Races

Possibly because some are anthropomorphic then regular characters which are ‘Human’ looking species, but even if there is a low cut top, or high cut trousers which are used for armor, the game doesn’t stop you using it for the male characters. Armor isn’t cut specifically for a certain gender, so you will get different types of people wearing different types of gear that could have been built for either male or female. Having that multiple choice is always nice, especially if you want to make a great character (whom is female) that has exceptional armor that is just mind blowing.
Then you think of advertisement. Advertisement is there to get a consumer caught on something you want to sell, and WoW really does have quite a variety of different advertisements. However, each video which is brought out, each advert which has been seen by the public, have only animated male characters fighting and the female characters playing their own part in beauty and exotic acts, coyly looking away from the viewer and commencing the things that they are currently doing. Then there was the commercials that contained very well known male actors and musicians, showing how manly, how glorious their male characters are, and how ‘YOU’ should start playing to become one like them. Comparing the feminine acts to that brutish male battling really doesn’t help the balance at all, making it impossible to not see the difference in the two sides. So, there is arguments, there is ways in which you can feel that World of Warcraft is still a mans game, and warcraft being a mans sport, but when you take in mind the stories in which it beholds, then you start to realise that it isn’t all a male dominated world after all.

[RESEARCH] Gender Representation in Video Games

Many games have half naked characters on the boxes, in game, or just purely through advertisements. However, this can cause quite an offence to some of the consumers and creates uproar. So, have games these days learned to take these representations by the hand? Or have things become worse through high demand?
I want to compare two games (for each gender) which I have grown up with and how I have seen them develop over time into the games which they are today.

Female Representation

Tomb Raider Series (Lara Croft)

Lara Croft is a great example of gender representation, as she has changed over the years because of the decline of acceptance for her previous body. Though she is still represented as a sex symbol, she is also a role model for females which grow up believing that acting and being involved in quite masculine events is quite natural. Which leaves you wondering whether it is all right to look up to Ms. Croft, because of her over feminine features which drives her likes into the arms of masculine needs.
Tomb Raider is all about adventure: finding items, breaking through tombs, and finding out the mythological past. You are quite involved and intrigued from time to time from things you find around the areas you explore, which makes you want to explore more. That separation between Lara and the environments is extraordinary, because it’s strange to compare both ‘raiding tombs’ to a beautiful ‘exotic’ woman.

Half-Life 2 (Alyx Vance)

Alyx Vance however, who has the exactly same qualities as Lara Croft (completes masculine objectives and explores environments) isn’t exposing herself to be looked at. Maybe because of her own upbringing, Alyx finds herself in a world where she has no choice but to take up masculine roles to get by. It’s a post-apocalyptic world which has experienced trauma and domination from alien races, which everyone has to fight through to survive, so there is no room for being a role model. I find this quite interesting, because the game puts you in a realistic perspective of how people would be represented if something like this ever arose.
However, it doesn’t stop the need to remodel her to become something to be looked at, rather then ‘just some woman’. There are a lot of modifications out there for the PC platform which basically gives Alyx a remake. A game being too realistic can drive people to create things like this to pull them away from reality and bring them back to fantasy.

Male Representation

Assassins Creed 2 Series (Ezio Auditore)

Ezio is a great example of an over masculine figure which can complete any mission without fail. He fights for his country, woo’s women, and can do anything he wants. The time period that Ezio lives in, however, it was perfectly acceptable to be quite a lady’s man and grab any woman he pleases. The missions Ezio completes are quite action packed, filled with excitement and despair but the game doesn’t let you forget about the desires that Ezio wants during the game. This could be a call out to the player to say that he is still fulfilling his duties as a male character/male role model.
During the later series, Ezio then learns that he has wasted his life being an Assassin which he grew up to be, and wants to rest himself and pass away like a normal person. He wants to have a family, feel accepted and not taken seriously by any man. This goes to show, through a male’s childhood/adulthood, they are very immature and have not grown up to fully understand the feelings of others.

Hitman Series (Agent 47)

Hitman is all about figuring out puzzles and watching human nature which can help you manipulate the surrounding areas. Because the game has this quality, Agent 47 (the main character) has quite a tight nature and doesn’t show much emotion as he is an assassin on a mission. That is quite the change from Assassins Creed, as the main character has taken on a professional nature which Ezio lacked in the first few games.
Agent 47 is a clone amongst many others, but purely surpassed them all by having certain qualities the others clearly didn’t have. But 47 never managed to find out he was a clone until many contacts later when he had to kill his own creator. Because he was a born and bred assassin, with all the qualities of a perfect killer, 47 takes on a professional state which he never seems to snap out of until the newest game, Hitman: Absolution, where he shows affection for Diana Burnwood. This is a great turning point, because coming from a stone cold killer to a slight affectionate male, it shows you a balance between love and desire.

[RESEARCH] Relationships and Sexuality in Video Gaming

(Relationships Powerpoint Document)

In the same group as we were in the Text Adventure task we were set, we were also set a research task on a topic which really struck your interest. We decided to set our mind on Relationships and Sexuality and how it is portrayed in video games today.

★ List of characters and topics that the group had chosen:
This is my own research and ideas on these Characters.

Relationships
Nathan Drake and Elaina Fisher (Uncharted Series) – We chose these two characters because they have a sort of short ‘bond’ between each other. This slightly represents how couples deal with relationships and problems which occur every day in them.

John and Abigail (Red Dead Redemption) – John, the common man who has lost his woman to the thugs of the game. However he is continually trying to fight off a woman named Bonnie MacFarlene who is quite interested in John. Despite her attempts, John says he is not interested and carries on with life and duty. This shows how strong males can be and the idea of a perfect marriage.

Dominic Santiago and Maria Santiago (Gears of War Series) – Looking for his missing wife, Dominic ‘Dom’ Santiago spends years trying to find where his wife was. He finally finds her, but because of a fatal virus she passes away in Dom’s arms. Loosing everything by the end of his travels, Dom commits suicide to be with his family once more. This really shows how Doms intentions in life was to protect his family, as a father and a lover, but did not fulfil his duty and dies to save others.

Mario and Peach (Mario/Super Mario Series) – The most famous relationship known to this day is none other then Mario and Peach. Normally at the start of a Mario story, poor Princess Peach gets stolen away by evil Bowser and it’s Mario’s job to get his ‘girl’ back safe and sound. This is a stereotypically enhanced story, suggesting women cannot save themselves from danger without a man in their life.

Homosexuality
Kanji Tatsumi (Persona 4) – Kanji is a very strict and powerful young man who adores authority and power over everyone else. It is unsure whether Kanji wants to do this to hide is Homosexuality from people, or to show that he is perfectly capable of looking after himself. This shows how it can be quite hard to be a Homosexual like Kanji because of peoples lack of understanding.

Leonardo Da Vinci (Assassins Creed 2 Series) – Not a lot is known about Leonardo’s sexuality, but there has been records of Leonardo being arrested for sodomy. Even if this is true, this would mean that being a homosexual was clearly not aloud back in the Renaissance period, and being out spoken about it meant time in jail even if no actions were made. During the game, Leonardo comes to confess the protagonist Ezio that he is ‘gay’ and Ezio deserves to know about it.

Kaiden Alenko and Steve Cortez (Mass Effect 3) – They may not be a Homosexual couple, but both Kaiden and Steve are portrayed in a way that it is not even remotely noticed whether you are homosexual, lesbian or straight, because it doesn’t matter (you are treated as an equal, which is how it should be in ‘life’). The developers of Mass Effect wanted to have a Homosexual relationship with Kaiden in the first game but was turned down.

Anders and Zevran (Dragon Age) – Unlike Mass Effect, Dragon Age was quite open with relationships and you could choose who ever you wanted, as long as you met with the right requirements. However, I feel this is quite a change from regular ‘homosexuality’ in real life because of the species of people (such as elf and dwarf) doesn’t exactly appeal to many players. The availability of having a relationship with the same gender, it seems, it is just part of the ‘funny aspect’ of the game and isn’t really taken seriously (Anders and Zevran are part of this laugh factor).

Gender Confusion
Naoto Shirogane (Persona 4) – Naoto is a sweet girl who really wanted to be in a male dominated occupation (detective). The dialogue of Naoto really explains that it’s hard being a woman in Japan because of jobs being so male dominated. Because of this, Naoto decides to have a sex change from female to male so that she will be accepted and appreciated in the department. However, she is very unsure to whether she would like to be a male or no because she finds both sides have their happiness points and down falls. This is extremely unfair but Naoto sees no other alternative because of who she wants to be.

Birdo (Mario/Super Mario Series) – Birdo, one of the first ever gender confused characters, is quite a lovely example of how some one can mistake a male for a female. Because of the colour, the clothing, and the style of Birdo people originally believed Birdo to be a female as the stereotypical examples are all around him. Even though Birdo was made to make people believe that he was female, the developers decided it was a ‘mistranslation’ and Birdo is in fact a girl, despite Birdo still having a low tone voice.

Erica (Catherine) – Erica is a waitress, with beautiful curves and a perfect face. After ogling her through the entire game, you are then told by the end that she was indeed a male. If you were told at the beginning that she was a ‘male’ at one point, people would have sighed away and believe it was wrong to be attracted. It all goes to show that you can be what ever you want to be if you really want to because you deserve freedom female or male.

★ Why, as a Group, we wanted to approach these matters:
We thought it was quite important that we touch on these issues and realise that games do express their own opinions of Relationships or Sexuality, but developers are just too scared that it may shock the player and make them feel uncomfortable or uninterested. This could be true, but I think it’s very silly to shy away from being true and face the facts that making a different kind of game that includes relationships and sexuality is going to be a bit iffy and people won’t like it at first, but it sure beats having to play the same sort of game over and over again. It also gives tension in a story, which is what some gamers really strive for. That ‘edge of the seat’ story when something bad is going to happen to your favourite character, or couple even. Just as long as it is done right, you can achieve anything with these concepts in them, because the examples above have done it greatly.