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Monday, June 2, 2008
Exploring androgyny in video games.
 The word "androgyny" comes from a combination of the Greek words "andros" and "gynaika," man and woman. "Androgynous" refers to the blending of male and female characteristics in a person, often to the point of indeterminate sex. In video games, many character designs achieve androgyny through the removal, concealment, or even a combination of sex signifiers, such as rounded hips or a lack of typical body fat. The degree of androgyny varies on a wide scale, and each stage as such achieves different goals.The most common form of physical gender-blending I've observed is what I'll call Minor Androgyny. In this class are the Pretty Boys of many a Japanese RPG and action heroes such as Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 4, or Devil May Cry's Dante. It's fairly obvious that there's quite a smattering of feminine-looking men right across the boards in gaming, with silver-haired villains taking the lead (Ghaleon or Sephiroth, anyone?). The popularity of androgyny in Japanese culture has no doubt influenced many of these character design decisions, as seen in the gender-neutral aesthetics of Visual Kei (Japanese glam rock) and pretty boys in anime and manga. However, this form of Minor Androgyny isn't always accepted. Metal Gear Solid 2's Raiden is probably one of the most notorious pretty boy leads. Metal Gear fans were crushed to discover that the protagonist of the game was not, in fact, the much-beloved and super macho Solid Snake, but that they were stuck playing the role of a stranger: the lithe and fair-haired Raiden. The series's creater, Hideo Kojima, intended for gamers both female and male to identify with Raiden's feminine and masculine appearance. However, the backlash against this feminine intruder was so great that Metal Gear Solid 3 parodied the fiasco with the flamingly gay Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov, whose identical appearance and similar name leave little to question about Kojima's intentions. My next stage of androgyny is Major Androgyny. These characters effectively exhibit both male and female characteristics in a design that leaves sex indeterminate. Unfortunately, despite their convincing appearances, many Major Androgynes in video games are given sex-specific pronouns. Observe Lunar 2's main villain, Zophar:  Quite clearly lady on the bottom, with a more-or-less masculine face and a male chest (as seen in other states of, er, dress). However, Zophar is always a "he," and no character ever bats an eye at his androgynous appearance. Final Fantasy IX's Kuja (pictured at the top) is another great example. His features are arranged in much the same fashion: rounded hips, a flat chest, and flowing hair. Still, as always, this tiger-tailed Genome is forever a "he."Curiously enough, the only character I've found whose sex has never been determined or assigned -- even by the game developers themselves -- is FFIX's Quina, who is referred to in-game as s/he.  Finally, we've come to our last stage: Neutrois. While Neutrois isn't actually a category of androgyny, it refers to a complete sexual neutrality in appearance and identity. Characters such as Homunculus in the 2001 Konami adventure game Shadow of Destiny or the titular NiGHTS from the popular Sega franchise exhibit zero sex signifiers in either the male or female direction. Takashi Iizuka of Sonic Team USA stated in a 2007 interview that NiGHTS "is a mirror of the child's personality, so when the children dream, they become him. So from a boy's point of view, NiGHTS will be a boy, from a girl's point of view, NiGHTS will be a girl." This view, that the player should be able to identify with the protagonist of the game no matter their gender identification, is similar to Hideo Kojima's but differs in some fundamental ways. NiGHTS's fantasy-oriented context allows for a true fluidity of gender in a way that the more (but admittedly not much more) realistic approach of Metal Gear Solid cannot. However, Kojima's self-parody with Major Raikov puts a sour spin on what should have been an admirable attempt at breaking social conventions. NiGHTS's appeal and popularity shows that video game protagonists don't have to be macho and male to appeal to gamers.In the end, androgyny is truly no stranger to video games old and new. However, I'm sure that many of you have noticed a marked lack of "female-leaning" androgynes in this post. "Male" androgynes are far, far more common, and I can only wonder as to the reason why. My best hypothesis is that a long history of the sexualization and objectification of the female form has lended feminine characteristics with more aesthetic appeal than masculine, justifying more feminine men with soft beauty than your more masculine woman with strong features. Readers, are there any "female" androgynes out there that you can think of? Why do you feel that they're largely absent when their male counterparts are so popular? Labels: BomberGirl, LGBT, Sexuality
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
An Experiment with Censorship
My Mission for Persona 3: FES I was recently directed to PortlyDyke’s article “Take My Arm, Love” thanks to Feministe. I was struck by her paragraph: [The adjustments queers make to public displays of affection] are part of the enculturated self- censoring that most queers learn in order to assure their own safety in the world (and sometimes, their very survival). In fact, I had to "unlearn" many other, more rigid, tendencies to automatic hiding when I finally made the decision to be completely "out" as a lesbian. It was a fascinating article that made me evaluate my own behaviors and the ways in which I regrettably closet myself in order to “pass” for my safety. As the day continued, I was watching television when I saw a commercial for memory foam mattresses or some nonsense. The commercial portrayed a few white males and females and heterosexual white couples enjoying the best sleep they’ve ever had in their fabulous new beds. I was first intrigued that the commercial didn’t show any people of color, and I also wondered why a gay or lesbian couple couldn’t have been slipped in somewhere. I commented to a friend, “What do you think it would be like if we never saw couples like that on TV and in commercials?” She responded, “I guess it would be pretty weird, you know?” “Yeah. That’s how I often see television and stuff. Lots of straight people and no gay couples,” I said. Always overthinking things, I began to wonder how different forms of media would change if we simply removed heterosexual romantic pairings from the equation—that is, to make them as absent as queer relationships. Without any other options readily available, I want to see how this experiment will play out in the PS2 RPG Persona 3: FES. I’m a little late playing it, yes, so don’t spoil it for me! I want to see how fully I can develop my Social Links—a system in which interpersonal relationships strengthen the party—without developing a romantic relationship with a woman. As is often the case in the Shin Megami Tensei series, the protagonist is a nameless, voiceless male. With the inability to choose a female avatar aside, this empty hero is meant to serve as the perfect vehicle for the player’s choices and goals. Unfortunately, the production company Atlus assumed that my intentions included hooking up with a girl. Is it part of the “full gaming experience” for my boy to get with one of the girls? Or are their multiple roads to success, potentially ending in a platonic relationship and an S. Link rank of ten? I’ll have to wait a while to share my results, but I’ll post my findings as they’re revealed. Author's Note, Saturday, May 10 @ 10:45PM: This post originally contained an image of Yukari that I had included in jest without considering its offensiveness. In hindsight I now see that it wouldn't really be appropriate for any intellectual discourse, and so I would like to apologize to our readers who were the victims of my poor taste.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Linkfest: The Good, the Bad and teh Awesome
Hello, all! There's been interesting bits of info floating around the 'net, and when a bunch of them crop up, Linkfests are due. This week I've found links that can be easily placed in The Good, The Bad, and Teh Awesome categories. So while you're not busy with preparing for finals or spending time out in the blessed sun, give these links a click. The Good: Crafty Rock Band Etsy's a great place to go if you're shopping for any unique handmade items. Being a crafty gamer myself, I was delighted to see someone selling crocheted drum kit cozies for X-Box 360's Rock Band. Unfortunately, these in particular have been sold, but it's a great idea in itself: you can keep you drum kit in top quality and still play to your heart's content without driving your partner nuts from all the plastic-on-plastic drummin'. If you're crafty and a Rock Band drummer (or know someone who is), you can make your own. Imagine the possibilities! One-up mushroom drums, neon-pink drums, Metroic drums--okay, I don't even have Rock Band, and I want some Metroid drum cozies. Sweet. The Bad: Head-Slicing or Man-Kissing? GayGamer picked up a poll from WhatTheyPlay.com asking the question "As a parent, which would you find the most offensive in a video game?" The choices were "A graphically severed human head," "A man and woman having sex," "Multiple use of the F-word," and "Two men kissing." The most offensive was the man and woman sex with 37%, but guess which choice came next? Would it be the severed human head with the emphasis that said head was severed graphically? Sadly, no: 27% of parents answering the poll said "Two men kissing" was most offensive to them, while 26% chose the severed head. Really? Most of these parents would rather let their child watch someone's head get graphically cut off than the sight of two men kissing? They'd rather let their child watch and act of violence and hatred over and act of love and compassion (even if it's seen as immoral)? The mind, it boggles. Teh Awesome: Frag Dolls Make World Record Frag Dolls Kitt, Sarin, and Jam made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Longest continuous play of a single FPS." They played Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 for 24 hours straight, and others who participated in the marathon donated money to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Gaming marathon? World records? Money to charity? Breaking stereotypes? Smells like awesome to me. Plasma out. Labels: LGBT, Linkfest, PlasmaRit
Friday, February 22, 2008
Turok's Gay Agenda
 The simply-named Turok, released at the end of January, is the latest in the first person shooter series of the same name. The game itself has nothing to do with the plot of any of the past Turok games (or the comic book, for that matter) except for the protagonist's name, Joseph Turok, but nevertheless has been seen as a worthy addition to the series. That, and the whole shooting dinosaurs thing. Looking at the cover of this game, one thing comes to mind: macho man shoot 'em up. Turok's standing in the shadows of a dark jungle, packing some major heat, ready to take down whatever's going to come at him next. The typical targeted demographic for Turok games is thus fairly obvious--guys who wanna shoot shit. Like dinosaurs, as I've previously mentioned. Imagine my surprise when I got a load of this via Gay Gamer:  Yes, that would be Turok laying one on his man partner before racing off to battle. What could this mean? It's an official story board from the game, after all, of a scene that didn't quite make it to the final product. Several theories are running rampant online: First, some believe this was a legitimate story plot that was taken out of the game last minute. If this is true, it was either included simply for shock value or as another facet of Turok's character. The more cynical of us consider this a joke the creators put in the story board for shits and giggles--a sort of "Wouldn't it be hilarious if he did THIS" kind of deal. They refer to the "Panel omitted from game" comment below the panel in question as evidence. My thoughts go two ways. First, I would like to believe this was considered a legitimate side story in the game. Turok is the perfect candidate to help dispel the stereotype that all gay men are fruity and femme-y, which is still a common misconception. I think it'd be awesome for this super-tough shoot 'em up manly man to love the cock, too. I don't think the comment below the panel is sufficient evidence against this because to me, it looks like someone else could have added it in, although I can't say for sure. However, I can't deny that using Turok's potential homosexuality as a joke wouldn't be below some game developers of macho FPSs such as this. And if it was put in as a joke, it's not in very good taste to imply the thought of Turok being gay is so far-fetched that it's funny. I suppose all we can do is play the game and imagine what could have been. Sure, the man love didn't make it in this game, but perhaps this is one step closer to macho gay FPSs in the near future. Yes, one can dream. Labels: FPS, LGBT, PlasmaRit, Turok
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Coming Out of the Gaming Closet
A Brief Look at the Past [Editor’s Note: October is LGBT History Month, and so I have decided to spotlight a series of LGBT characters.] Even though we can see gender and sexual orientation inequity in video games today, things have improved by leaps and bounds over the last twenty years. When I sat down to do research on queer characters from the earlier days of gaming, I didn’t come up with much. While society and “the times” play a significant role, the lack of diversity is largely due to the actions of the game publishers themselves.  For example, Nintendo has always been a “family friendly” company and remains so to this day. In the past, however, it had a strict code for monitoring the content of its games. Anything from drugs and tobacco to religious imagery to sexually explicit content was banned from their games. It was this very same code that resulted in Super Mario Bros. 2’s Birdo, the first transsexual video game character, becoming censored into a female in 1988. Nintendo’s main competitor of the era, Sega, also had a video game censorship policy. While Sega’s policy was decidedly more liberal—such as allowing blood and female enemies—homosexuality remained off limits.Early depictions of homosexuality were either highly feminized and comedic or lecherous and predatory. We haven’t fully escaped such stereotypes today, but it often appears as though there are more positive models in today’s games than before. Shadow Hearts: Covenant’s Joachim can be over the top, but he’s nothing compared to the Cho Aniki brothers. If nothing else, games like The Sims and Fable that allow characters to choose their character’s orientation are a major step, especially since it results in no significant change to the game play. All I can hope is that in the next twenty years, people look back at the games we’re playing now and wonder, “Why are there so few queer characters? How strange!” Labels: Calabar, LGBT, Sexuality
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Ultimate Test, the Cruelest of All Trials
Joachim and the Man Festival in Shadow Hearts: Covenant [Editor’s Note: October is LGBT History Month, and so I have decided to spotlight a series of LGBT characters.] Joachim is one of your supporting members inShadow Hearts: Covenant, and from the very beginning he comes off as a little odd. His flamboyant gestures, unusual catchphrases, bear-like physic, and butterfly mask may lead the ignorant to pin him with some stereotypes. . . but in this case it isn’t far from the truth. In fact, Joachim holds the third highest position on GayGamer.net’s Top 20 Gayest Video Game Characters. Each character in Shadow Hearts: Covenant has a sidequest or two at the end of the game, and Joachim’s revolves around the Man Festival. The video below includes all of the relevant scenes from that event. The Man Festival is one of the few instances I can recall in which a gay video game character's sexuality is so explicitly addressed. It's also one of two or three moments in the game where Joachim's sexuality is completely transparent. I appreciate that, much like Brad Evans in last week’s article, Joachim’s homosexuality doesn’t take center stage throughout the entire game. It’s just as well--an entire game revolving around Joachim’s sexuality would be too campy for words. Just as when I first played this game, I am delighted by Joachim's gayness. I always had my suspicions about him, even after the bondage scene with Veronica, but the Man Festival left no room for doubt. I forgive his stereotypes and flaws within the context of the game, as the Shadow Hearts series isn't known for its historical and cultural accuracy. Consider, for example, the fact that Joachim, a German vampire over four-hundred years old, seeks the tutelage of the Great Gama, perhaps from India. The Man Festival of 1913 is held in Tokyo, Japan, in a one-hundred stories tall wrestling ring. On your way to the top, you fight scrawny men wearing curried dishes on their heads as mini-bosses. Your companions in this endeavor include (among others) a wolf, a female German officer, and most startlingly of all, the Russian princess Anastasia. Clearly, this is not a game to be taken seriously. While I am inclined to say that stereotypes should always be analyzed and understood, I consider the Shadow Hearts series exempt from that rule. It’s absurd to the point of satire. I'd like to believe that on some level Joachim's role is to point out the ridiculousness of those preconceived notions about the gay community that he embodies. Either way, Joachim comes off to me as a fun and interesting character. He's by no means a model for the ages, but he does demonstrate that homosexual characters have come a long way--he's a sort of stepping stone on the road to unbiased representation. Next week, we'll talk more about early representations of gay and lesbian characters and see just how far we've come. Labels: Calabar, Character Spotlight, LGBT, Shadow Hearts, Stereotypes
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
To Be a Hero
 Retro Spotlight: Brad Evans from Wild Arms 2 [Editor’s Note: October is LGBT History Month, and so I have decided to spotlight a series of LGBT characters.] One of the first three characters players meet in Wild Arms 2, Brad is a wartime hero who was imprisoned for his involvement in the Slayheim Liberation Army. Despite his incredible battle skills and fighting abilities, Brad is a truly compassionate man who looks forward to the day the world no longer needs heroes like him.  When I first played Wild Arms 2, I took notice to the relationship between Brad and a friend of his from the war, Billy. The two of them are very close; in fact, Billy is Brad’s only friend left from the war. Unfortunately, Billy suffered several injuries during the liberation war and has since endured significant brain damage. Brad sticks with him through it all, and many fans believe that the two were/are romantically involved.I find all of the talk surrounding Brad Evans to be fascinating. Many hardcore fans violently protest the possibility that he could be gay. They ask, “Why is Brad gay just because he’s close friends with Billy?” In response, I ask, “Does being gay make Brad less of a hero?”  I prefer to think that Brad is gay. It’s a nice departure from games that indulge in stereotypes. In a way, I almost think that it’s good that his homosexuality was underplayed because it demonstrates how being gay is only one part of a person’s larger identity. I mean, let’s face it—the whole relationship with Billy is merely a side-story in the grand scheme of things. The truth of the matter is that we don’t have conclusive proof one way or the other. In the English version, at least, players have to read between the lines to catch Brad and Billy’s relationship. Supposedly, their relationship is more open and apparent in the Japanese version, but I honestly can’t say that I have the linguistic ability to verify this claim. But what’s all that matter? The fact remains that, gay or not, Brad has some of the highest hit points, defense, and strength in the game. Go Brad! Bust some skulls! Wild Arms 2 is probably third on my list of favorite Wild Arms titles, but that’s not as low as it sounds. The characters are memorable and the music is amazing. I’d definitely recommend checking it out—if you can get past the graphics (which really aren’t that bad for the PSOne), the gameplay is awesome and the storyline is top notch. For that genuine retro feel, dust off your good ol’ Playstation One and get to gamin’! Labels: Calabar, Character Spotlight, Getting it Right, LGBT, RPG, Sexuality
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Quest for Humanity
 Retro Spotlight: Asellus from Saga Frontier [Editor’s Note: October is LGBT History Month, and so I have decided to spotlight a series of LGBT characters. I didn’t realize BomberGirl was also doing a focus this month, but I’m so excited about this topic that I can’t back down. Enjoy!] In the game Saga Frontier, players can choose one of seven characters in a large, open-ended adventure. The world remains the same no matter which character you pick, but the stories are vastly different. In all honesty, I find many of them to be forgettable. However, one character, Asellus, has remained close to my heart since I first played the game in 1998. Her quest begins as Asellus wakes up alone in a strange castle of thorns, and after some exploration she learns that she has become a “prince” of Fascinaturu, the kingdom of the Mystic race. She was killed twelve years ago when the Charm Lord Orlouge trampled her in his carriage, but he took her back to his castle and, thanks to a transfusion of his blood, managed to revive her. Unfortunately, Asellus is no longer human; through Orlouge’s magic, she has become the world’s first and only Half-Mystic. Like all women brought to Orlouge’s castle, Asellus is destined to become his bride. Horrified by his nightmarish world, Asellus flees with the help of White Rose, the kindest of all of Orlouge’s princesses. I find Asellus simply amazing because of her delicate position in the power structures of her world. Not only is she treated as an object by Orlouge’s patriarchy, but she also suffers from the prejudice of both humans and Mystics who are unable to accept her mixed heritage. Despite this, she manages to overcome the obstacles before her and gather together a female super-team (several members of which are Orlogue’s other wives) to slay the Charm Lord and end his cruelty once and for all. One of the most compelling aspects of Asellus’s quest is her bleak search for her own place in the world. She must make choices about whether to hunt for the remaining shreds of her humanity or to embrace the powers and privilege of her newfound Mystic heritage. The game has three endings to reflect the player’s choices.  Personally, I like seeing the happy ending where she regains her human capacity or the bittersweet ending in which she finds a balance in her new life as a half-mystic. Maybe it’s the “cheese factor,” but I like to imagine that everything works out okay. In the chilling “Full Mystic” ending, Asellus takes Lord Orlouge’s place as Fascinaturu’s tyrannical despot; she has taken the human girl Gina as her first bride, and the other Mystics fear the beginning of her cruel reign. Yes, that’s right. Asellus takes Gina to be her bride. Throughout the game and regardless of the ending you receive, the local Fascinaturu dressmaker Gina always speaks of Asellus with open affection. Similarly, later in the game, we see the relationship between Asellus and Princess White Rose develop into a romance. I find Asellus to be a refreshing change from the usual straight white male protagonist and the scantily clad, big breasted female protagonist. While her costume is somewhat immodest, it was chosen for her by Orlouge (and the game designers), so I feel that it’s unfair to hold it against her. Besides, she’s actually the strongest character in the game because she combines all of the best parts of human and Mystic stat gains. Not to mention how awesome it is to play as a lesbian character who doesn't fall prey to countless stereotypes. I fully recommend giving Saga Frontier a try if you didn’t play it back in the day. Asellus’s quest alone makes the game worth it. It is a truly gripping story about a young woman desperately seeking a way to define herself. Labels: Calabar, Character Spotlight, Getting it Right, LGBT, RPG, Sexuality
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Gaming, Identity, and Sexuality
You may have heard the news already, but take a look at this: "Shanda (Nasdaq: SNDA) subsidiary Aurora Technology has frozen game accounts of male players who chose to play female in-game characters in its in-house developed MMORPG King of the World, reports 17173. Aurora stipulates that only female gamers can play female characters in the game, and it requires gamers who chose female characters to prove their biological sex with a webcam, according to the report." Article from Pacific Epoch Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited’s homepage does not include any news of the ban. The company is one of the leading online entertainment providers in China, offering everything from MMOs to casual online games. I’m not about to get involved in a discussion leagues outside of my area of expertise (particularly China’s stance on topics like transsexuality and gender bending), but I do feel comfortable enough to say that I find this simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. My fascination comes from my inability to relate to the individuals responsible for this ban. Their fear and ignorance leave me dumbfounded. I am horrified because I see this as a stepping stone to something worse—the notion that this ban could be a reflection of policies that may affect real life. Perhaps I’ve read too many dystopian novels. I'd like to focus on one particular facet of this ban, as Shanda has not publicly explained their decision for implementing the plan. Before continuing, I’d like to include a quotation from Technologies of Gender: Essays on Theory, Film, and Fiction by Teresa De Lauretis: “For since the very first time we put a check mark on the little square next to the F on the form, we have officially entered the sex-gender system, the social relations of gender, and have become en-gendered as women; that is to say, not only do other people consider us females, but from that moment on we have been representing ourselves as women. Now, I ask, isn’t that the same as saying that the F next to the little box, which we marked in filling our the form, has stuck to us like a wet silk dress? Or that while we thought that we were marking the F on the form, in fact the F was marking itself on us?” (pp 12) Lauretis was referring to a concept known as interpellation, or the process through which social representations of identity are accepted and internalized by an individual. This example extends beyond the male-female binary it initially suggests and instead suggests that all conceivable genders are limited when equating sex with gender. Shanda’s ban serves as an example of one of those imposing sources attempting to restrict our definition of self. Personally, I feel that this kind of imposed thought-filtering fetishizes the so-called “perversion.” By focusing on eliminating these desires from ourselves, we actually think about them a great deal, and they don’t simply go away. After all, we’ve invested so much time and energy into the act of renunciation. In terms of the ban, this means that if a male player wants to play as a female, he may initially go along with the rules to play as a male. As he continues to deny those desires, however, he acknowledges their presence. Eventually, he may wish so strongly to play as a female character that he has a female friend create the character for him to play. I find it absurd that the individuals responsible for this ban would attempt to limit the ways in which others could construct their identities. We don’t know gender through our bodies, but rather the stories we tell about them, even in video games. Because of the society in which we live, our sex burdens us with faulty expectations and limit our self-expression. The self is not such a simple concept, however, and it is impossible to choose a single element that contributes most to our socially constructed gender identities. The problem with this issue is that we do not know official reason that the Shanda company implemented this policy, and this is why my views on the matter may seem somewhat narrow. To broaden them, it’s important that we consider the “why” of the matter. Was it because of intolerance on the part of the company, or were players being intolerant of one another? Could it be to limit problems with sexual harassment, or does this policy amount to harassment in and of itself? Please feel free to share your thoughts or concerns in our comments section. Labels: Calabar, LGBT, MMORPG, Sexuality
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Sidetracked: Personal Outrage
Or, Oh no you didn’t, Natsuki Takaya!  Just to be fair, there’re pretty significant spoilers from Fruits Basket vol. 17 in this article. You’ve been warned. Yeah, yeah, it came out in mid-August, so this isn’t exactly hot stuff… but I just got to it! Real life has had a strangle hold on me and my free time. Alright, this isn’t about video games. But ever since I read the newest volume of Fruits Basket this week, my head has been reeling from the bomb Ms. Takaya dropped on me. I’m so devastated that I can’t even think about gaming. Get this: After sixteen volumes—that’s about four years—the male antagonist of the series is revealed to be a woman. I can already hear you asking, “So what’s the big deal?” Well, let’s look at Akito’s past… Akito: Quintessential badass and master of I-don’t-give-a-damn. To be completely honest, I don’t like hir at all. Ze’s the cruel, merciless, and unfeeling leader of the Sohma clan. As a literal god-child, ze was born to die—you see, in the story of the Zodiac, the Buddha gathered all the animals to him and promised that they would be together forever. While initially a sort of gift, the children possessed by the Zodiac animals quickly came to view it as a curse. Because ze is possessed by the Buddha-figure from the story, Akito wields tremendous power over the members of the Sohma family. The majority of the characters in Fruits Basket are exceedingly kind and compassionate, highlighting Akito’s madness. To mention just a few of hir cruel acts, Akito has pushed one character out of a window, slammed a twelve year old into a wall, hospitalized the same young girl for two weeks, blinded a family member in one eye, assaulted and terrorized the protagonist, and even attempted to strangle hir own mother. Through all this, the 5’4”, 98 lb weakling continues to assert hir right to brutalize hir family. With reckless impunity, ze victimizes the Sohmas without an ounce of regret. Why, then, when we discover that he is a she, does Akito unexpectedly become such a sympathetic character? What makes hir actions suddenly forgivable? Out of nowhere, Akito is portrayed as a woman with emotional needs, as someone with whom we as readers should identify. My concern is this: in the span of a single graphic novel, Akito’s femaleness has softened hir character. Ze hasn’t been completely watered down, but I fear for the worst. I would hate to see such a cold-blooded villain weaken simply because ze is female. For example, in the past, Akito held "court" and forced the Zodiac to attend simply because ze could. Ze enjoyed wielding power for power's sake, and ze could not pass up the opportunity to remind the Zodiac that ze was dying because of them. Now that Akito's sex has been revealed, Mrs. Takaya has changed the nature of Akito's actions. Instead, they have been linked with Akito's desire for companionship, fear of abandonment, and need to be seen. A man can experience all of these things; however, because of the way they have been presented in the manga, I feel that a clear line has been drawn between them and femaleness by linking them through Akito. I find myself hoping that the mangaka has an amazing plot twist on its way to make up for this cheap trick. I expected better of Mrs. Takaya. With her wide cast of female characters in Fruits Basket, I'm surprised to see Akito succumb to needy and oversensitive stereotypes To her credit, the construction of such a violent female misogynist presents a wide array of opportunities for drama within the story. Akito unabashedly hates women, and the ensuing tragedies may yet redeem the series. I still anticipate a vicious showdown between Akito and Tohru, the series’ protagonist. I just hope it won’t be a cat fight. I know that Fruits Basket has completed its run in Japan. It had a long haul, bringing in twenty-three volumes before it was completed. It’s still going to be a while before the last five volumes are published in America—and I’m willing to wait until that far-off day to figure out what’s going to happen. Until then, here’s to hoping that Akito still has that fiery passion in hir. Labels: Calabar, LGBT, Stereotypes
Monday, August 20, 2007
Oh Mii, Oh My.
 As much as I enjoy plot-heavy games with concrete characters and fixed events, I adore customization. MMORPGs and games similar to The Sims 2 let me inject a little bit of myself into the game, making it a much more personal experience. Much to my delight, the Mii channel of my newly-acquired Nintendo Wii has allowed me to do just this, and more.Not only can the Miis you create resemble you and your friends to a T, the Mii channel's customization options let you create a representation of almost anyone you want, even a poor sap with an upside-down head. The amount of freedom the player has allows for some great diversity amongst your Miis. I was particularly pleased to see that none of the options -- such as beauty marks or short hair -- are closed off once the player chooses her Mii's sex. In The Sims 2, it was disappointing for me to discover that I couldn't give any of my male sims long, flowing locks or full makeup without resorting to third party downloads. On my Wii, I can slap a kick-ass handlebar mustache on any female Mii or some ruby lipstick on their male counterparts. Race is given the same free-for-all treatment with all hair colors, skin colors, and facial features open to your imagination. I only wish there was something beyond the natural shades such as ice blue hair or slimy green alien skin. What the Mii channel doesn't deliver is an option beyond the binary gender system. Of course, it's not unusual to be given only two choices when it comes to picking the sex of your avatar; the concept of gender fluidity hasn't exactly penetrated popular opinion just yet. However, I find it interesting that male Miis have basic, cylinder-shaped bodies and female Miis have itty bitty skirts curling from their middles.  Now, this wasn't a problem with my Mii of Lulu from Final Fantasy X. However, it looked a little off on Zero-suit Samus. It bothers me to see that, once again, despite so many vastly differing customizations, the male sex is presented as "Default" and the female sex as "Other," with zero choice for anything otherwise. Just as with your generic restroom signs, the unadorned stick figure represents Men, Male, Humanity itself. Slap a skirt on it, and you have Woman, Female, Different.It's an oversight that affects all games that offer customization, and in truth cuts off a significant number of players. While those of us who identify strongly as one sex or the other can make an avatar twin of our very own, the genderqueer, transsexual, cross-dressing, and even tomboyish gamers are left high and dry. From World of Warcraft to the little guys running around in our Mii parades, only some of us have the opportunity to truly represent ourselves while others end up compensating, negotiating, and, in a way, passing. While I don't feel that this was done on purpose, I do see it as a clear result of heteronormative social conditioning. It may be just a game, but it's also another way, no matter how small, to alienate real, actual people in our society. The subconscious nature of these things only exacerbates such a heteronormative attitude, and even the tiniest example of more progressive thinking -- such as, say, the ability to make a Kate Bornstein Mii -- can only do a world of good. Labels: BomberGirl, LGBT, Stereotypes
Friday, July 20, 2007
Do I Hear ... Civil Union Bells?
 Once upon a time, there were two men from very different worlds: a pompous, successful businessman named Mr. Money, and scrappy, street-smart Jack. The night they met was the start of the most unlikely of loves. Theirs was a turbulent relationship, full of ups and downs, downs and ups. There was passion:  Temptation:   Awkward dancing:  They managed to survive it all. And through all their trials and tribulations, Jack and Mr. Money discovered they couldn't live without each other. So, they decided to make it "official": they wanted to get married.   Thus, the pair made plans for their special day. There was plenty to do: flowers, food, who to invite, what to wear--everything was carefully planned out, down to the tiniest detail. Finally, the big day arrived, and the happy couple exchanged rings and a kiss.  Only, according to The Sims 2, it wasn't a marriage. It was a civil union. It strikes me as odd that, although every bit of Mr. Money and Jack's wedding was exactly the same as any heterosexual couples', from the setup to the ring exchange, the game has gone out of its way to call it something different. It disappoints me that even in this day and age, a game that unapologetically includes gay relationships draws the line at actual marriage. The franchise has made progress, however: in the original Sims, it was possible to create gay couples, but it was impossible for them to achieve any kind of union, save becoming roommates. The Sims 2 has stepped up, but only to a point. Why is it, in a game where equality exists almost across the board (men can where makeup, women can look butch), gay marriage crosses the line? Wouldn't it have been easier to just call it marriage no matter what sexual preference the couple has? For family-minded sims, teens who's first kiss is with someone of their sex aspire to get a "civil union", not get "married"; gay gold-diggers wish to "union" with a rich sim, unlike their straight counterparts. The distinction is clear, obvious, and unsettling. Gay rights have come across a rocky road in America; currently, Massachusetts is the only state to officially legalize gay marriage, and it's possible that this fact may be why gay marriage is not included in the Sims franchise. However, The Sims 2 is obviously not a conservative game, so it's sad that the idea of two men or women marrying each other is too over the top for them. Even through their many expansion packs, the separate labels continue to exist. I hope that one day in the future, couples like Mr. Money and Jack will be able to present their marriage license to the Sims government and know that they're recognized as equal as any hetero couple. Then, maybe the real world can take a hint as well. Special thanks to BomberGirl for the images. Labels: LGBT, PlasmaRit, The Sims
Friday, June 29, 2007
A Tribute to Birdo
 Super Mario Bros. 2 introduced a lot of new and strange creatures to the Super Mario universe. Baddies like Snifit and Shy Guy are now firmly rooted in the melting pot of the Mario franchise, fairly unchanged; some have evolved into new characters, while others have just fallen by the wayside. Birdo was a baddie who appeared several times in SMB 2 as a mini boss who would spit huge white eggs at our brave hero. Looking like some strange powder-pink Yoshi with a huge tubular mouth and big red bow, Birdo is certainly an interesting sight to behold--and has physically remained unchanged over the years. However, Nintendo has given Birdo a change all right. Here's a description of the baddie in the original SMB 2 instruction manual:  In other words, Birdo is a big, pink tranny. He seems to be the first transgendered character in video game history, and isn't he just lovely? It's something that makes Birdo just a little more unique--as if he needed it, really. However, it seems that he caused a bit of a stir over at Nintendo (at least in America), and Birdo received a sex change as the years went by.  Why would they change Birdo female? There are a few possibilities. One may be that Birdo's colorful back story may have just been overlooked. Maybe he decided to go ahead and make the full change from man to woman himself, which would make sense. It's also just as likely that Nintendo felt there would be a problem with the gender-bending baddie. Nintendo is notorious for their "For the children!" attitude, so it is not surprising that Birdo would ultimately have to switch teams. But why should it even be a problem in the first place? He's not hurting anyone--well, with his lifestyle, anyway. Those eggs can be a real bitch sometimes. Now that Birdo is becoming more of a well-known character in the Mario world (such as being playable in Super Mario Tennis), it's too bad that he couldn't retain his origins. He could have added a little diversity into the cast, and who knows? Maybe he would have made some little boy trying on his sister's dress out there feel a little less alone. So here's to you, Birdo; even though Nintendo may be trying to cover up your lifestyle, you'll always be a tranny to me. Keep on parading around with your beauty mark and perfectly-mascaraed lashes, girl! Birdo is featured on Gay Gamer's Top 20 Gayest Video Game Characters -- congratulations! VG Cats also gives a nod to Birdo's little secret. Labels: Character Spotlight, LGBT, Mario Bros., PlasmaRit, Platforming
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