Poll: Bikini or miniskirt - Which is more exploitative?

[DiMono]

This is something I thought of while watching today's Zero Punctuation, actually. A bikini shows as much skin as possible, but a miniskirt carries the "I'm looking at something I'm not supposed to look at" appeal. As far as video game character attire is concerned, where it's clear that the manner of dress has been chosen for sex appeal, which do you think is more exploitative?

Note: exploitative might not be quite the word I'm looking for, but hopefully everyone will be able to intuit from context what I'm trying to communicate. Please don't get hung up on my choice of words, try to focus on the spirit of the question.

 

[Erana]

Its not about the clothes, its about the context.
Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.

 

[Able Seacat]

Its not about the clothes, its about the context.
Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.

Yeah I agree, in FF13 Lightning is wearing a mini skirt but I never thought of her as being exploited sexually.

 

[Imthatguy]

Fuck I thought this was about RL (Noone forces a girl to dress in a certain way)

Anyway... idk really

 

[aestu]

There's something called "Begging the Question", and the OP is doing it.

Do we say that guys who are muscular or run around in armor with ridiculous impressions for their abs are being exploited?

 

[aestu]

Its not about the clothes, its about the context.
Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.

I wasn't aware polygons could be made to feel uncomfortable.

which do you think is more exploitative?

I wasn't aware that polygons could be exploited, either.

Do I have to get the polygons to agree before I look at them? Do the polygons need to sign a waiver?

 

[Able Seacat]

Its not about the clothes, its about the context.
Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.

I wasn't aware polygons could be made to feel uncomfortable.

I think she means from the players' perspective.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

They're all just traps to get you suckered in. My wife used to wear mini-skirts when we first started dating and now it's all tracksuit pants and baggy tops ;-)

 

[Jamash]

Exploitative isn't the word I would use, but I think I know what you're trying to convey and my answer would be mini-skirt, because it also draws attention to what little it's hiding, whereas a bikini is basically just underwear which, while it doesn't leave much to the imagination, it also doesn't stir the imagination with evocative thoughts of what may or may not be in that forbidden area you can't quite see.

 

[aestu]

I think she means from the players' perspective.

If miniskirts make women feel exploited, should Duke Nukem make me as a man feel exploited?

Or is it more irrational to think that any one fictional specimen of a gender is a representation of the three billion odd individuals that comprise that gender?

 

[aestu]

Exploitative isn't the word I would use, but I think I know what you're trying to convey and my answer would be mini-skirt, because it also draws attention to what little it's hiding, whereas a bikini is basically just underwear which, while it doesn't leave much to the imagination, it also doesn't stir the imagination with evocative thoughts of what may or may not be in that forbidden area you can't quite see.

Question: Was the miniskirt invented by men or women?

 

[Jonluw]

Its not about the clothes, its about the context.
Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.

Yeah, this. It's always about context.

And I was expecting illustrations, you hack.

 

[Phasmal]

Erana nailed it.
Context.

Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.
Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

[small]Also, inb4 someone blames feminism for everything. All the cool kids are doing it[/small]EDIT: I freaking CALLED IT, dudes!

 

[Rawne1980]

Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

Depends.

Is this an 18 year old gymnast lass that happens to share that name or the actual Mad Marge Thatcher?

 

[Hazy992]

Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

[small]Also, inb4 someone blames feminism for everything. All the cool kids are doing it[/small]

Oh don't worry it'll happen soon enough ¬_¬

OT: Yeah gotta agree with the whole context thing.

 

[DoPo]

Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.
Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

You are evil. My immediate answer would be "no" but then I realised she most probably does wear some. Which will haunt me, so thanks for that. But then the question took on a whole new creepier meaning - if I say "no", does that mean I don't want her to wear underwear ever. Now I'm scared - I don't want to think about this question any more, but I also can't stop myself.

Other than my ruined psyche...well, I'll also point out that Erana said it best.

 

[Phasmal]

Ha, I can tell I gave some of you a bad mental image- I just went instantly to 3 quotes.
(I was like, jesus, what did I say?!)

Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

Depends.

Is this an 18 year old gymnast lass that happens to share that name or the actual Mad Marge Thatcher?

The old crazy one, obviously. T'was an example of uncomfortableness. I'm sure the gymnasts make you uncomfortable in other ways.

Anything can be made uncomfortably sexual.
Bikinis are great but would you want Margaret Thatcher in one?

You are evil. My immediate answer would be "no" but then I realised she most probably does wear some. Which will haunt me, so thanks for that. But then the question took on a whole new creepier meaning - if I say "no", does that mean I don't want her to wear underwear ever. Now I'm scared - I don't want to think about this question any more, but I also can't stop myself.

Other than my ruined psyche...well, I'll also point out that Erana said it best.

Haha, don't worry, it was purely hypothetical, she's not in your closet... or is she?

 

[Jerkules]

I think she means from the players' perspective.

If miniskirts make women feel exploited, should Duke Nukem make me as a man feel exploited?

Or is it more irrational to think that any one fictional specimen of a gender is a representation of the three billion odd individuals that comprise that gender?

DiMono may have begged the question, but you're being obtuse (deliberately or otherwise) with that false equivalency.

The obvious difference between (many) female video game characters and (most) male video game characters is that the former are objectified, while the latter are idealized. Even your example doesn't fit; Duke Nukem is fully dressed in all his games, last I checked.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

I think she means from the players' perspective.

If miniskirts make women feel exploited, should Duke Nukem make me as a man feel exploited?

Or is it more irrational to think that any one fictional specimen of a gender is a representation of the three billion odd individuals that comprise that gender?

I wasn't aware that Duke Nukem was designed to appeal to female gamers in a fetishistic way. What other enlightening information to you have for me, oh great and wise aestu?

I'll just go ahead and guess where we're going to wind up with this, you're going to remain firmly convinced that sexism in the form of sexual objectification or exploitation does not exist, is not an issue, or is equal between the sexes despite all evidence to the contrary and I'm going to wind up with an ulcer from all the people who come onto these forums without a lick of sense.

OT- Erana already /thread-ed, but I agree with them.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

As a man, when I see my wife in a miniskirt vs her underwear/bikini, I find the skirt is far more alluring because of what it still manages to (poorly) hide. Bikinis are still sexy, but the miniskirt is more tantalizing.