Pugnacious Priest's Warcraft Blog

This  probably has to be the most cheek I’ve seen on any gear model.  They are Elemental Rockridge leggings from Mara

She is not displaying her cloak now ( obviously) but that is an option.  I can choose to ‘hide’ her indecency untill I get different legs but I haven’t. I think she looks tarty ( a judgement)  – and I find that somewhat amusing.  It’s rather unfeministic  of me.  I know guys play female avatars so they have a “better ass” to look at, but I also don’t want to be ‘shamed’ into hiding because I am worried about the impression it makes.   

I am a liberal western woman. I want to play a character that is sexy and attractive.   My main is a Nightelf with bouncing boobs.  I love the exaggerated femininity. I play a fantasy game. I want my women to be clearly women, and my men like men. However there are lines in fantasy that must get drawn. I’m never going to get facial tattoos,  or dye my hair that colour,  or walk around city streets brandishing my sword and shield, nor will I pick a class over another because one’s boobs are bigger.  I keep my Lovely purple dress in the bank   and  I  don’t mind however that my current gear set on my main is more conservative. Long dress,   and that’s ok because she’s my more serious character..

Theres a stereotype right there.  That even I take my more conservatively dressed character more serious than my sexy fun tank. See regardless of my liberalism I still judge my own characters dress.

 I will also admit that the unattractiveness of horde side possibly steered me towards working more on my Nightelf more when I first started playing.  Sure my undead warrior I rolled on a friends realm looked cool.  But she was ugly.  I could see my kneecaps poking out of my pants. 

 I revel in the fantasy identity I can choose to be, and dress how I like without fear of being harassed by a local hoon because you can see some leg.   However  there are concerns that our perception of Female Avatars change the way we view women  – and that people, men and women exposed to suggestively dressed women in-game show a higher ” Rape Myth Acceptance – basically this is the view that Women deserved to be raped if “they wear suggestive clothing or are out alone at night”   From a study in February this year , as reviewed here   by Jesse Fox from Stanford  that showed and taken from the abstract of the actual study  ” Results suggest that gender-stereotypical virtual females enhance negative attitudes toward women”

I felt a  brief stab of guilt.  My refusal to hide my cheeks, or wear a shirt to cover any of my Avatars cleavage may contribute to the acceptance of this negative attitude, especially since I am a female, and I have found that anything that  is sexually female charged becomes more layered with intent if you’re a real girl.  I am ok with my Warrior looking like a tart ( see another judgement )  because she is not real.  I am ok with a women choosing to wear what she wants  Avatar or not.  Period.  IRL, or VR. Though  miniskirts in winter are silly!

You also may remember the Daedalus Project by Nick Yee  and he found amongst other things that

 ” Players seem to prefer avatars that reflect their own stereotypical gender traits. Female players prefer avatars that display feminine traits (e.g., grace) while male players prefer avatars that display masculine traits”

Most female gamers will pick female avatars.  I want to  play as a female.  I want my Avatar to look female. Is that so bad if its a sexy female? We already know that a Metal G is impractical and quite possibly painful. 

There has also  been some  recent discussion on the change to Wonder Womans outfit  – she has gone all conservative with a jacket and pants ( or leggings..) to as the Writer J. Michael Straczynski says ” ‘toughen her up and give her a modern sensibility'” a few writers  about this change,   don’t consider this change to be  as ‘ wank worthy’

And these are the looks that she has worn of the last 60 odd years.

Pic from Geekinthecity

What does Wonderwoman have to do with virtual game avatars? – its all still fantasy. While wearing pants instead of spandex tights doesn’t means she can’t be a superhero – or be attractive. Spandex tights make her more of a fantasy.  We don’t have to meet local club dress codes, and our avatars don’t need to worry about boobs falling out of costumes during songs.

I would be more worried about the perception of the female image  where clear lines between real world and virtual world fantasy and reality   are not available   Look to the print media and photoshop, and TV, and movies, and Models and P0rn  – before thinking that because my warrior shows a little cheek that she deserves to be a victim.

Yes I agree – there may be a little too much cheek on that pair of pants, she will get new ones I’m sure, but no matter what your,  or my avatar chooses , or happens to wear.  It will never change my belief;  no one deserves to be a victim.