After a long hiatus we are very happy to bring back this weekly segment where you, the readers, get to ask the ladies any questions you may have about any topic you might be interested in getting our feedback on. Our question this week comes from ShortHairedOffender:
It's kind of all the same. I think the female characters are quite funny. They seem to be very stereotypical of all different types: you have the ghetto girls, the Latino's, the high maintenance girls and the gold diggers. Rockstar sometimes can be like South Park, they make fun of all types of people, different types of guys, different types of girls and they make fun of different types of religions and different sexual preferences. It's all in fun: people take things too seriously nowadays and need to lighten up if they find anything offensive with the way females are portrayed in GTA 4...or in any game for that matter. All in all, the game is a lot of fun and the dialog and the characters are some of the best parts!
It's all in the name of entertainment. We see it in movies, we see it on television. It's present in many video games. If I were to take it all seriously, I'd have to take Grand Theft Auto seriously. Which wouldn't be very good, at all, would it? It's been said a million and one times: Sex sells. It's unfortunate, but true. There is a good reason why that cover of GTA IV has a pretty little 'M' smacked on the corner of it. If a scantly clad hooker in a video game bothers you, don't play it!
I think first and foremost, it's a game, not to be taken too seriously. That being said, yes there are hookers you can beat, kill. and light on fire, but there are blatant stereotypes of all kinds of people you can do the same to. There aren't that many female main characters in this game. Michelle, who I won't give too many details about to avoid spoilers, is arguably a strong, positive female character. I really find nothing wrong with the women of GTA actually, nor do I have problem with driving up on the sidewalk solely to plow through a crowd of people, or stealing a cop car to run down cops, or shooting at drug dealers, all in game of course. I think that's where people get all hot and bothered when they think what happens in game will translate to real life. Obviously very little you do in GTA is socially acceptable or even legal to do IRL. As long as everyone can keep the distinction between in game and IRL, then bring on the RPGs and let's aim them at some hookers. How females are portrayed in gaming as a whole bothers me a little more. I have no problem with their being these amazingly beautiful women in games I'd just like to see more relatable, less extreme women in games. Also, I'd like to see me in a game, with a cape, and possibly a toy poodle sidekick that could fly, sans cape.
I personally don't think this game portrays women in a bad way at all. Yes you can go get yourself a hooker, get laid, beat her up, kill her and steal her money but that isn't the only type of woman in the game. There are many different types of women from the latinas, to the druggies, the stuck up white chicks and the badass women: the stereotypes may be over exaggerated in the game but they aren't any different then how these women act in real life. Plus I haven't had a customer at work call me any derogatory names yet so I don't think society has gone down the shit hole because of this game lol.
It's something that doesn't bother me. Sure, the vast majority of women are not like those portrayed in GTA4, but admittedly there are some. GTA is and always has been a game of exaggerated stereotypes, and just like all Russians are not murdering mob men, all women aren't vapid whores. The game is rated M/18 for a reason, because by that age people can discern make-believe from reality and be able to see the satirical side of comedic, one dimensional characters. My REAL problem with it goes to the parents who buy the game for their kids and then aren't around to explain to their developing minds that they are, in fact, stereotypes.
I personally don't care for any negative or "girlie" portrayal of women because so many of us kick ass without being overtly sexual or becoming a femi-nazi. Women always have to fight to be portrayed in a more realistic light in movies and video games. As a woman who loves music, movies, video games and more it isn't easy to deal with the negativity the entertainment industry allows when it comes to our portrayal. With all that said, maybe if some women would stop giving people reasons and stop giving art a reality to imitate, maybe just maybe, then it will all stop. Until then, I will fight by not being 'that' girl all while playing my games, like GTA IV.
To me GTA IV doesn't really give women a bad reputation or anything, due to the fact that it is a story based on a guy. The women he encounters are women you would encounter in your everyday life. Although it would depend on where you live if you would encounter the prostitutes. Every woman is different, and I don't expect a game to be able to portray every woman in the world's personalities. So to me GTA IV is a great game.
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