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comment by newgameplus
newgameplus  ·  4532 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Fight Against Misogyny in Gaming Enlists Some Big Names
He called her nothing more than a "glorified booth babe."

Regardless of what you think about Felicia Day, what you think about her work or whether or not she adds something to gaming culture, eschewing all of her accomplishments to claim she isn't good for anything except to look at is a wee bit sexist.





Hellsadvocate  ·  4532 days ago  ·  link  ·  
He went for the most petty insult he could find. How is that sexist either? Is the word babe sexist because it's dismissing her for being an attractive woman?
newgameplus  ·  4532 days ago  ·  link  ·  
The way it was used, yes.

Day, among other things, double majored in mathematics and music; created, currently writes and currently stars in one of the first profitable web series that has paved the way for other beloved series to be created; started a successful YouTube channel from the ground up; and has maintained a modest mainstream acting career.

"Glorified booth babe" implies that her only contributions are her looks. How is belittling an accomplished woman in such a way not sexist? The connotations are clear. There is no male equivalent to booth babes in the industry. It's an attempt to put a successful woman "in her place." It practically devalues every woman involved in gaming.

Hellsadvocate  ·  4531 days ago  ·  link  ·  
That's well and good, there are other normal girls however, that have also majored in tougher subjects than Math and Music I imagine. From better Universities. Who aren't as attractive and work in the video game industry, what's the point?

Yes, that's indeed what it does imply, but I don't understand how that's sexist? I'm still not grasping how this is dismissive to women. Is it because he's implying because she's good looking she contributes nothing? That's more of a personal insult than a sexist one. Saying something along the lines of, "All you're good for is whoring out" or something is sexist.

There might be no male equivalent to booth babes in the industry, but that's because of the audience it caters to. Have you ever been to a car show? Usually it's female models in Bikini's showing off the cars. I wonder why. And it's no attempt to put a successful woman "in her place," and "devalues every woman involved in gaming" is a massive hyperbole considering this is one guy making statements that you are reading far too deep into.

Women make up a very small audience for triple A games, yet the amount of scrutiny the industry is suddenly getting is hilarious. Whereas other forms of Media (see: Movies, TV Shows, Books, etc.) have never even been glanced at. But I suppose it's not sexist when the woman is always the intelligent one on TV and dismisses men instead.

newgameplus  ·  4531 days ago  ·  link  ·  
You're obscuring the issue.

The point is he was devaluing her. Specifically in a manner that has no male equivalent. That is sexist.

The environment that allows for such an insult to be made is irrelevant to the fact that he actually made the insult. The fact that sexism exists in other media (which by the way you are entirely wrong about, movies, tv and books have been criticized similarly for decades) is irrelevant to the fact that he made the insult.

    Saying something along the lines of, "All you're good for is whoring out" or something is sexist.
That is basically exactly what he said. "Could you be considered nothing more than a glorified booth babe? You don't seem to add anything creative to the medium." That all her accomplishments are meaningless, and that all she does is sell sex to the extent that booth babes do.
Hellsadvocate  ·  4531 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Even if the comment was sexist, how is that representative of the entire industry? Ofcourse there are no male equivalents. Sex sells, and these models are there to garner the attention of a primarily male audience. Look at commercials aimed towards women or even movies aimed towards women. Highly attractive men are usually present. Sex sells. In using it to sell, it does not make the profession sexist. You devalue an individual by judging their worth by their career choice. This is not sexist, but just a dismissive view of modeling to sell stuff. That's the insult, not that women in general have nothing to give besides looks. I don't see a single part of his rant implying anything of that likeliness.

What are her accomplishments in the medium? You listed the Guild, how has that moved gaming forward, has she created the next half life? She might have some influence and might have brought some change in the gaming medium, but has done little to actually progress it.

newgameplus  ·  4531 days ago  ·  link  ·  
You're attacking arguments I'm not making. My only point is what he said was a sexist attack.
Hellsadvocate  ·  4531 days ago  ·  link  ·  
And mine is that you are reading a connotation in his attack that doesn't exist. Mountain out of a molehill. You'd do better to attack portrayal of women in games than one idiots rant (who by the way, was fired.)