Hey Liv - so in broad terms, yes, I think what's interesting here is your argument regarding the influence on female players on the design and role of female characters in games etc. I do think, however, that there are some missed opportunities here in terms of enriching the theoretical context of your argument; while the 'Bechdel Test' represents a 'theory' - I think Mulvey's ideas of the male gaze is conspicuous in its absence here: Mulvey's ideas originate from the representation of women in cinema, but her central argument re. the imbalance of power between the character and the audience's reception of that character is central I think to the points you're making. In terms of a hierarchy of feminist theory as it relates to the representation of women in entertainment etc, Mulvey is a mother-ship and I think you need to use her in support of your existing arguments. In addition, I think you would benefit from looking at the writing ideas of John Berger on the female nude in his influential 'Ways Of Seeing':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyQ-gCTyYvQ
I guess what I'm saying is there is a more established debate around women and looking that would contextualise the 'Bechdel Test' in a more academically rigorous way: it doesn't change your argument, but it will scaffold it more satisfyingly.
I think perhaps another strand that you could pick up on more would be looking at some of the contemporary feminist movements (#metoo) etc and thus make clear that these changes to expectations of female characters isn't just being driven by the players themselves, but by the influence of changes in society more widely? It's becoming less acceptable to sexualise women for entertainment - why? What else is going on?
I think it might also be useful to look at 'Gamergate' in terms of looking at the challenges to more progressive representations of women in gaming culture...
OGR 01/03/2019
ReplyDeleteHey Liv - so in broad terms, yes, I think what's interesting here is your argument regarding the influence on female players on the design and role of female characters in games etc. I do think, however, that there are some missed opportunities here in terms of enriching the theoretical context of your argument; while the 'Bechdel Test' represents a 'theory' - I think Mulvey's ideas of the male gaze is conspicuous in its absence here: Mulvey's ideas originate from the representation of women in cinema, but her central argument re. the imbalance of power between the character and the audience's reception of that character is central I think to the points you're making. In terms of a hierarchy of feminist theory as it relates to the representation of women in entertainment etc, Mulvey is a mother-ship and I think you need to use her in support of your existing arguments. In addition, I think you would benefit from looking at the writing ideas of John Berger on the female nude in his influential 'Ways Of Seeing':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyQ-gCTyYvQ
I guess what I'm saying is there is a more established debate around women and looking that would contextualise the 'Bechdel Test' in a more academically rigorous way: it doesn't change your argument, but it will scaffold it more satisfyingly.
I think perhaps another strand that you could pick up on more would be looking at some of the contemporary feminist movements (#metoo) etc and thus make clear that these changes to expectations of female characters isn't just being driven by the players themselves, but by the influence of changes in society more widely? It's becoming less acceptable to sexualise women for entertainment - why? What else is going on?
I think it might also be useful to look at 'Gamergate' in terms of looking at the challenges to more progressive representations of women in gaming culture...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy