Naked and Terrified: a Dialogue
December 2007 Issue
Features
- From the Editors
- Craft Check: Gamer Cake
- Gaming in the Media: Cyber-Stupidity: Jade Raymond Edition
- Market to Me: Female Protagonists
Interviews
Articles
- Gender & Live-Action Role Play: Identity Crisis
Author: Samara Hayley Steele
- Naked and Terrified
Author: Elizabeth McDonald and Karen Healey
- “My Mom Likes Your Game”
Author: Mara Poulsen
- Speaking from Authority
Author: Richard Pilbeam
In this ongoing series, Samara shares her experiences as a female LARPer in a male-dominated LARP Organization.
Elizabeth and Karen dialogue on a set of miniatures called “Hot Chicks 3.1: Naked Distress”.
Mara looks at the casual gaming industry and what it means for female gamers.
Richard discusses the default "he" and what it says about sexism in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Gamer Stories
Reviews
One of the things that keeps some women out of gaming is the sense that gaming culture is not only unwelcoming but potentially hostile to them. Where do women get this sense? One source is products, from both large gaming companies and more indie designers, which seem to objectify women in often violently sexualized ways. Below is a dialogue between two women, Elizabeth McDonald and Karen Healey, reacting to one such product, “Hot Chicks 3.1: Naked Distress” miniatures.
Betty: One of the things which gets me, and you know, I suppose I ought to be above/beyond it, is the fact that although they’re described as “hot,” they don’t really look attractive. And I don’t mean they’re not sexy, I mean they look sort of like a semi-depilated Barbie doll that you can’t get the left arm back on. Well, except for the canted hips; Barbies don’t articulate that way.
Karen: But they do look “naked” and “scared.” I’m sorry - terrified! Which implies something is terrorising them. I think we must conclude that the nudity and terror are actually the defining characteristics of “hot” here.
Betty: “Hot” for very particular values of “hot.” And at two and a half centimeters, I doubt you can really make out many of the details. It’s probably more the thrill of knowing that you’ve got a naked, scared, inch-high picture than any aesthetic consideration.
Karen: God, this copy is disgusting: “women of beauty and strength in helplessness and distress.”
Betty: It isn’t just that they’re helpless, it’s that it’s a strong woman who’s helpless.
Karen: And they really emphasise the distress as realistic: “Positions and facial expressions have been lovingly adjusted to reflect true distress.” It’s not fictional distress, it’s “true”; it’s really real. This is what real strong women look like naked and helpless.
Betty: They’ve been lovingly adjusted to reflect “real” distress. I suppose if you’re the target market, that wouldn’t bother you, but don’t they have other customers who are put off by the fact that this company considers wannabe rapists their potential customers?
Karen: And they’re for gamemasters, purportedly to keep their players’ eyes focused on the map. These terrified, naked women are for looking at as a source of pleasure. How appealing. Oh, look, there’s a customer review.
This product is exactly what it says it is, a bunch of naked women in various poses of distress. These are just right for those times when you need dozens of naked women in vulnerable situations. But the usefulness will depend on your taste and the maturity of your gaming group.
Betty: “Depend on your taste and the maturity of your gaming group.” I can’t help hoping it’s backhanded, although I suppose the four stars argue against a sarcastic reading.
Karen: Sadly, yes. And did you see that they’re all modeled on the “Hot Chicks 3: Dangerous Curves” set?
Betty: Yes, it’s a big selling point that these aren’t just any hot, naked, distressed chicks; they’re specific characters in distress!
Karen: There, they are wearing clothes, are smiling, and have weapons.
Betty: We can’t have that! Clothes on women? They might start getting ideas!
Karen: Now, you can look at them naked and defenceless and think about the rapey rapey possibilities!
Betty: Can these really be the same women about whom they said: “these beauties can represent the pinnacle of danger and the essence of grace all at once.”?
Karen: Apparently! And I love the suggested use of them to depict a female PC “having a very, very bad day.”
Betty: I keep going back to the bit about– yes, exactly!
Karen: I know exactly how I would react to a GM using a naked rapedoll to depict my character having a bad day, and it would not be with giggles and blushing.
Betty: I somehow assume anyone who uses these paper-dolls plays in all male groups. Must be fun to be the one designated to play the rapedoll, though.
