Worst racism sexism and homophobia in games

[Snarboo]

Wow that's...quite the post there kog.

[Deleted]

I'm sorry, but kog's recent post just smacks of ignorance. This thread's been treading on thin ice since it started, and I won't hesitate to shut it down if it becomes truly offensive. Am I clear?

[Discoalucard]

May 9, 2011 16:43:46 GMT -5 retr0gamer said:

Also we aren't all raging alco's. I think Broken Sword with the section in Ireland was by far the worst of the lot, taking place mostly in a pub with americans doing some horrendous accents.

Broken Sword was made by Brits, so I assumed it was just some playful ribbing. Sort of like that Scotland episode of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, or pretty much anytime us Americans portray Canadians as hockey-loving, maple-syrup-chugging, door-holding mounties. Granted, that's a more favorable stereotype than being portrayed as a bunch of alcoholics....

[retr0gamer]

Broken Sword wasn't too bad really, the big problem was the god awful accents. It taking place mostly in a pub is pretty bad but to be honest if you go down the country to the small towns most of the old people just hang out in them since there's nothing else to do.

They did get one thing right. Irish goats are very tenacious and difficult to get past.

[kog3100edw]

Sotenga, you and I have interacted politely in other contexts in the past, so I'd appreciate you doing me the courtesy of explaining my ignorance to me before shutting down the thread.

I thought I was pretty clear on saying that adhering to stereotypes in thought or deed was incorrect. But my point actually was in not being afraid to address them and whether or not there is truth to them.

C'mon. Honestly. I have NO interest in fomenting a flame war, but at the same time, though a video game forum may not be the place for it, I am really dismayed by people running from aspects of this topic. I think the issue of how stereotypes are transmitted and whether there is validity is ENTIRELY relevant to their depiction in video games.

Sotenga (and others) if you disagree... that's cool. But at least do me the above-requested courtesy and not just be ol' angry-heads about it. I'd like it to be pointed out to me in the same way I indicated should be done.

[kog3100edw]

Seriously. Where did I say I subscribe to, or suggest that anyone subscribe to stereotypes? Earlier in the post, someone made the point about the ubiquity of 'grape drank'. Was that the thin ice? I don't think level-headed adults need to freak out.

Let me know. I can bail on this thread and let the more politically correct rule. No need to shut it down.

[Deleted]

This is just a stab in the dark, but I think it might have something to do with you saying that black people really do love fried chicken. I'm not going to say I was offended by that statement, but I could easily see how people would see it as a step too far.

[kog3100edw]

I get that Jason. I think you are right. BUT. Just because I've observed this in reality doesn't make me an ignorant person. It doesn't make me disallow that plenty of black folks hate chicken. All I was saying was that many aspects of stereotypes have a root. Food culture among African-Americans is what it is. I'm just amazed at how people shy away from uncomfortable truths about stereotypes, and that reaction is rather proving my point.

[kog3100edw]

Take it away from racial areas to something that MAY be a bit more comfortable:

There was mention of video games having absurd homosexual characters. Is anyone going to say that the concept of 'gaydar'... picking up that a person is gay from behavioral cues is completely baseless? Game designers frequently blow these cues up into full on cartoons.

Game designers in Japan don't have much exposure to real gay men as we do in America. So what's an American developer's excuse? Not giving a crap because they don't believe they have any gay fans in their customer base?

[wyrdwad]

He didn't say that, actually. He said, and I quote, "most of the black folks I've known including a current co-worker really DO prefer fried chicken to almost any other food." That's a LOT different than saying ALL black people love fried chicken.

The point he makes is a good one. Stereotypes DON'T come from nowhere. They have a basis in observed behavior, and that observed behavior has a basis in societal conditioning and repression from the past.

I believe the reason he brought this up is to suggest that perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to call a character racist just for engaging in activities commonly thought to be part of a stereotype, because REAL PEOPLE often engage in those activities as well. And that's a damn fine point, really. Racism will never die as long as we look at, say, a black man in a video game who eats fried chicken and think, "RACIST STEREOTYPE!", instead of thinking, "hmm, looks like this character enjoys eating fried chicken."

In other words, by noticing stereotypical imagery and getting offended by it, we are, in essence, perpetuating that stereotype. When the day comes where an image of a black man eating a watermelon and drinking grape soda elicits no more response than an image of a black man eating a ham sandwich and drinking Diet Coke, THEN we can honestly say racism is dead.

Because in the end, it's all just food and drink. It's WE who make more out of it than that.

-Tom

[Deleted]

To be honest, I never truly understood that stereotype. I love KFC. Who doesn't like fried chicken? Health nuts, maybe. Another big problem is that white people are the societal norm, but all we really have is a general blandness. Other races don't take the time to dice us up between Irish, German, Greek, etc, so all they can really say about us is that we're not like them. That doesn't dig quite as bad as "slaves for 400 years".

But anyway, back to games...

[megatronbison]

Just because it is legal to be gay doesn't mean that a prodominantly hard line Christian country is going to like it though. Unfortunately some people deep down still hold prejudices.

[kog3100edw]

Just because it is legal to be gay doesn't mean that a prodominantly hard line Christian country is going to like it though. Unfortunately some people deep down still hold prejudices.

So says the fish & chip-eating goth football hooligan limey!

(some of these UK stereotypes may not actually apply)

[Deleted]

kog, calm down. I'm not locking the thread just yet, nor do I want to. I just threw out a potential warning, as these sorts of topics usually tend to go south.

Now I admit what I said was harsh, and I apologize for my curtness. Still, what you said could easily be misconstrued as something more offensive than you intended, and for some posts in controversial subjects, you have to watch what you say before you put it up on the board.

I'm sorry to make a big brouhaha of this, but I highly suggest that we keep this topic limited strictly to games without crossing over too much into real life experience. That should make matters significantly less controversial.

[megatronbison]

you forgot satanic with goth there