Dead Island Torso Statue: Misogynistic? Stupid? Both? Neither?

[Reaper195]

Like how EA paid some people to protest Dead Space 2 because there was that achievement about killing mutant babies (And the name was Bad Nanny or something along those lines).

wrong it wasn't dead space 2(that had the "your mom will hate this game" ad)

while Dante's Inferno had the fake protest over this game because it showed hell and "evangelical" christian hated the game because it was the devil's work. And nannies had the game because of killing of babies and having the achievement called "bad nanny"

Dammit! I was certain it wasn't Dead Space 2, but I kept thinking of that one scene with the baby things...so wasn't so certain.

 

[Sirtety]

I don't think it's deliberately misogynistic, but........as an art piece.......I'm not a fan.

Yea my friends might not think twice if I brought that thing home with me (possibly see it as a joke, we do have a dark sense of humor), but imagine meeting someone new and hanging out with that thing sitting on your bookcase.

It just seems tacky to me.

 

[Abomination]

It is a reflection of the setting of the game. A resort island that has become infested with a zombie plague. The combat is melee focused with frequent decapitations and severing of limbs.

It's a limb severed bikini clad torso. If it was male it would be difficult to identify it as someone from an island resort and isn't as reflective of the token zombies of Dead Island.

 

[Bostur]

I get kind of a Venus from Milo vibe from the statue. It's also quite similar to some Mannequins used by clothe stores.

A commentary on the objectification of the human body maybe? A recurring theme of the zombie genre, zombies are bodies without soul.

Calling it misogynistic is missing the point, and akin to shooting the messenger.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I reckon it's pretty damn cool. Don't see what all the fuss is about.

 

[godofslack]

There is a difference between sexist and misogynistic, this is the former not the latter. It's not an accident that the bust happens to be of a woman with her limbs removed, suspiciously with her breasts completely intact, the belief that EVERY aspect of this thing isn't crafted with thought or the belief that it would be the only way to show the Union Jack are both incredibly dismissive. You HAVE to look everything that is present in this travesty as deliberate.

It's clearly and indisputably sexist, it's a statue of a woman removed of all the non-sexual body parts, all of which are intact despite the ravaged state of the rest of her, covered in copious amounts of blood and labelled ZOMBIE BAIT. Just wow, I can not believe that anyone ever would think this is something you want associated with a commercial product.

 

[The_Echo]

Here's how I look at it: if it were a male torso, nobody would be crying misandry.

That said, I think it's kind of poorly done. Look at that bellybutton. And her breasts look like bad implants. The ribs are poorly realized as well. I wouldn't want this sitting on my desk. Looks like something I could get at a novelty shop for a tenner. It's gross to look at, and not because of the gore.

snnnnip

So it wouldn't be sexist were it the torso of, say, a male with chiseled abs?

Realistically, this woman's bikini top probably would have been torn off, at least partially. So leaving the breasts in tact is a measure of self-censorship.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Here's how I look at it: if it were a male torso, nobody would be crying misandry.

That said, I think it's kind of poorly done. Look at that bellybutton. And her breasts look like bad implants. The ribs are poorly realized as well. I wouldn't want this sitting on my desk. Looks like something I could get at a novelty shop for a tenner. It's gross to look at, and not because of the gore.

snnnnip

So it wouldn't be sexist were it the torso of, say, a male with chiseled abs?

Realistically, this woman's bikini top probably would have been torn off, at least partially. So leaving the breasts in tact is a measure of self-censorship.

It's the combination of violence and titillation that's the problem.

It's just kind of wrong...

It's clearly and indisputably sexist, it's a statue of a woman removed of all the non-sexual body parts, all of which are intact despite the ravaged state of the rest of her, covered in copious amounts of blood and labelled ZOMBIE BAIT. Just wow, I can not believe that anyone ever would think this is something you want associated with a commercial product.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Jeff Bowles]

As much as I enjoy laughing at feminists getting all bent out of shape over perceived slights...I have to admit, I don't think this would sell half as well if that torso happened to belong to...oh, Idunno, Ron Swanson. Or maybe it might. Probably not cause of the whole zombie thing though.

 

[Drop_D-Bombshell]

It's not misogynistic but it's in really bad taste. Seriously, who would like a plastic decapermembermentated women as a piece on art in their room? This sounds more like a publicity stunt than anything.

 

[lapan]

I'm not opposed to horror figures like these in general, but this one just looks ugly over all.

 

[Teshi]

Oh, look, sexualized violence against women. How surprising from video game marketers.

 

[havoc33]

I reckon it's pretty damn cool. Don't see what all the fuss is about.

There is no fuss, just some people who pretend there is. There's nothing wrong with this figure, it's for the dedicated zombie fans out there. Not my cup of tea, but to each his own I guess.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

I am less offended by the fact that it is misogynistic and more offended by how stupid it looks.

 

[Random berk]

What a fucking ridiculous concept. Deep Silver should be ashamed of themselves. Releasing DLC for Dead Island? I'd have thought they learned their lesson from the core game!

Oh what? The statue? Yeah, that's pretty ugly too. Not misogynistic though. I mean, if they're going to try and sell replicas of hacked up torsos to people, they have to be a torso from someone, right? And honestly, if the torso was of a ripped/ripped up lifeguard or a fat guy with half his guts outside his beer belly, then even the few people stupid enough to buy this thing in the first place might not be as interested. They sell what people buy, not what their own sexual preudices demnd.

 

[maninahat]

The CE edition is called Zombie BAIT. What's a good bait to lure away zombies from a location you don't really want them to be in? Usually some dead body parts, or, like in this case, a dismembered torso. It does make sense - the name and the game the sculpture is sold with is about zombies, dismembering them and gore. Them apologizing just means they're saving face cause' they didn't expect such an outcry from non-fans/anyone that haven't played the game (cause' if you had you'd know the context of it).

You don't think it's convenient then that they happen to use a pair of luscious tits as bait, instead of, say, a foot? And if we're playing zombie fishing, shouldn't there be a hook or a wire going through the body to suspend it?

The original complaint by RPS was made by a video game reviewer. He has almost certainly played the game and reviewed it.

It is misogynistic, however unintentional it was on the part of the devs. These are the same guys who had that "feminist whore" [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-08-dead-island-developer-techland-disturbed-by-feminist-whore-skill] issue further back, suggesting they aren't the most conscientious team of people. Specifically, the design is a woman who has had every part chopped off, until she is nothing more than a pair of poorly concealed tits. It's objectifying taken to it's most extreme, and could only have happened in the first place if someone somewhere said to the department "I know what will sell to our gaming audience - a bust bust." The only thing more ridiculous than this incredibly tacky product (aimed at a mainstream audience), is the fact that this comes after 1012's constant hammering on the issue of sexism in the medium. Are these guys fucking idiots?

 

[maninahat]

So, thoughts? Do you find this misogynistic? Do you think it was deliberately misogynistic, in an attempt to gather some attention via shock? Do you think a hacked up female torso with a pneumatic bosom is just a tried and true horror convention, and they're just playing to their audience? Do you think the statue is neat? Do you think it's ugly? Would you buy this thing?

Frankly, I think it's absurd that if it's a female brutalized torso it's considered shock value but if it's a male brutalized torso it's no big deal. It should be shocking and disgusting either way.

There never was going to be a man's torso though, was there? That would be too gay, or too much of a concession to the fact that women might be playing the game. The devs wondered what statue would sell best to their audience, and someone chipped in from the back and shouted "a statue of some tits".

 

[White_Lama]

Hah, that's awesome.

If I could afford it I'd buy it.
Don't see what the fuss is about, it's a dismembered torso for a game in which you can dismember zombies.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I do not see any sexism or such conceits in this. It's a torso, that's what they look like. Is every picture of a woman (or part thereof) now considered sexist? I wish people would grow up and stop being "offended" on other people's behalf all the bloody time.

 

[Subscriptism]

It can be boiled down to this,
What's the target audience?
Men
What do men like?
Boobs
How can we tie that in with zombies?
Make a tasteless statuette!

I think that cry baby radical feminists need to seriously reconsider what a misogynist is. It's someone who hates women, much like a racist hates black people.
Oh no! A scantily clad female torso statuette! Shock and horror that means deep silver hates women! Wait...Surely it's not just me that sees the non-sequitur here? You can complain about objectification all you like but no-one will listen because radfems are all morons who think you can change a social attitude held by a tiny minority by moaning at the ones who DON'T hold the attitude.

Is it indicative of the misogyny in gaming today? No it's indicative of the fact that most gamers are men and men like boobs. Is it tasteless? Damn right.