So I don't play tons of video games, but as an outsider looking in to the video game world what I take from it is that it is really homophobic and misogynist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btn55_Lf5vI&feature=sub
It takes a while to get to the point in this video, but there are two parts that stick out the most as homophobic. The character Daryl describes himself as not being a n00b bitch cause he had a bad game. Then they do their role playing activity. Billy lays on the ground as Harry T-bags him. This is their idea of a punishment (or uber pwnage). Another guys balls in their face, something gay. So gay activity is a punishment? Lastly the support group leader trys to convince the scared girl that not all gamers are homophobes until his point is proven wrong when Daryl hits him over the head with a chair and yells "I dish out pwnage, I don't take it like you homos. Suck my dick, suck my dick"
If you thought that was offensive in anyway the other one is longer and much worse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCYPGnJdO1U
Although this one is long it hits a lot of homophobic and misogynist issues. It's pretty self exlanitory if you watch it. essencially a gamer is forced by his girlfriend to play a board game with another couple and he plays it like he's playing a video game. He lables the game, the guy other guy or even instances that make him loose "gay" or "homo"
He goes on about how he hates playing with girls, he talks about "butt fucking" the other players.
Both of the videos are self explanitory about how the gaming world can be homophobic and misogynist. Is that an accurate portrayal or am I way off?
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As a person who does play video games I can say that what this should reflect on is not necessarily the games themselves but the manner in which they are played. Due to the sense of anonymity people seem to believe that anything they say is without repercussion. However, despite my opinions against this the origin of "trash talking" exists outside of the online gaming realm. Many claim that it is a strategy to dissuade your opponent from continuing the match or to annoy them in an attempt to force mistakes. In any case the claimed goals of trash talking could be achieved without this sense of misogyny or homophobia however due the image of masculinity these are, unsurprisingly, the first things attacked in an online realm.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this speaks directly to the nature of competitiveness within the male gender when an actual competition of masculinity is impossible. Regardless of one’s ability to actually fight or ones actual masculinity there is no proof or physical interactions between the parties. And in this unique environment a raw sense of competition is cultivated; unfortunately, in our society this is the end result.