The real problem with sexism isn't the aesthetic standards put on women, it is, as has been pointed out a few times in here, mostly to do with the perception that the woman has nothing to offer BUT her looks. It also has a lot to do with context. With games like lolipop chainsaw the characters are perhaps a complete sexist stereotype but its intentional and part of the ridiculousness that is the rest of the game. in a similar way to duke nukem forever being an unbelievable masculine standard to live up to and thats kinda the point.
I think men would have a similar problem with these things if every guy in movies for like (oh lets just say) 50-80 years was nothing more than a pretty face with nothing to add to the conversation other than "silly little ideas". Its still taught in progressive modern liberal tolerant universities, in screen play classes, that its bad to have 2 women talking to each other on screen about anything other than men. because men are the only people in movies that are interesting. Think about that, if it was just assumed for a really really long time that not only did you not have anything to say of value but that it was true that no one really gave a shit what you had to say about anything based entirely on your gender.
Its not really the aesthetic appreciation that's the problem. Its the fact that for a long time it was the only thing that anyone cared about that a woman had to offer and really the only acknowledgement of their existence in media. To an extent, thats an attitude that still exists to one degree or another and is displayed in various forms across various media sources.
Where there has been a lot of over reach is where there are men who have put themselves in the position formerly occupied by women. Supplicating and never willing to say anything other than "yes dear", its just the same thing in the opposite direction. Equality and balance is a difficult ideal to achieve so this isn't really surprising. But I, and me being something of an optimist i think most people, believe that its an ideal worth striving for and that we're moving in the right direction.
I don't however think that media is actually responsible for any of this. The media is really just of a reflection of culture as it exists in its time. If it wasn't then it wouldn't be in the shape that it is. We as gamers have a responsibility to stand up against things in the media that we believe don't represent us in order to change that shape to better reflect us. Things like racism and xenophobia, sexism and hate in all its insidious forms, when those forms are true (as opposed to satire), are important issues for shaping cultures when they crop up. Its through these issues that we decide if we're going to be a culture of inclusion and compassion or division and repression. Because whichever side of that fence you live on, it will probably shock you to find that there are people who truly believe you should be on the other.
Lolipop chainsaw makes fun of sexism, not women, whereas resident evil 6 was casually racist (completely unintentional as it was) and its up to us to stand up TO that attitude as much as we stand FOR lolipop chainsaws true underlying meaning. They both have an equal right to exist, absolutely, such is the nature of speech, but opinions that hold no traction with culture are quickly marginalised and ignored, and in many cases, rightly so. Its up to us as a community to be the deciders about what that is though.
(Sorry for using lolipop chainsaw like a fucking battle standard for womens lib. I know its really nothing even close to as profound as i'm making it out to be. its just an OTT example.)
Captcha: "vote pancakes"
