Who we are and who we portray ourselves as online or as avatars in video games isn’t always a true reflection of our actual being. Many of us choose to become someone else, either to further the fantasy by cloaking our true identity or gender. I know that whenever I choose a character to play in game if given the choice, I tend to choose the gender opposite of my own. Why do I do it? Is it the stylish clothing available to the opposite sex? Is it my way of breaking free from gender roles imposed on me in the real world, or do I just want to see how the developer have implemented breast physics into their game engine? I would say it is a combination of all of the above. To play as a male avatar in a game, doesn’t afford me the ability to step out of my own skin for a while and take on the persona of someone else. Maybe it that I enjoy the aesthetics of the female form more than the male character choices I am given. I am free to be whoever I want, and look good while doing it.
I decided to do an experiment when Sony Playstation Home was in its infancy. Home was Sony’s attempt at virtual social media. I thought I would see how female avatars were treated in their virtual world. I found that there was a considerable amount of misogynistic sentiment by the other male avatars in the virtual world. I found myself being surrounded by and virtually groped or hit on by numerous people. This experience wasn’t much different in Second Life, another virtual social media platform, when I tried the same experiment there. Do people feel that it is acceptable to act differently towards the opposite sex when hiding behind an avatar, or that their actions are not without consequence in the real world? Was it hijinks perpetrated by young males that believe that rape culture is cool? It is hard to say, as their anonymity was similarly protected as was mine. It definitely says something about the lack of respect for women on the internet and in online video games. I chalk it up to the lack of positive role models and parental guidance in today’s society and the wild west lawlessness of many parts of the internet. It was definitely an eye opener to see what the other half live with, not only in the real world but also in a virtual one too.
Reference
Suzanne de Castell. “Mirror Images: Avatar Aesthetics & Self-Representation in Digital Games.” DIY Citizenship. Pp. 213-221.
I decided to do an experiment when Sony Playstation Home was in its infancy. Home was Sony’s attempt at virtual social media. I thought I would see how female avatars were treated in their virtual world. I found that there was a considerable amount of misogynistic sentiment by the other male avatars in the virtual world. I found myself being surrounded by and virtually groped or hit on by numerous people. This experience wasn’t much different in Second Life, another virtual social media platform, when I tried the same experiment there. Do people feel that it is acceptable to act differently towards the opposite sex when hiding behind an avatar, or that their actions are not without consequence in the real world? Was it hijinks perpetrated by young males that believe that rape culture is cool? It is hard to say, as their anonymity was similarly protected as was mine. It definitely says something about the lack of respect for women on the internet and in online video games. I chalk it up to the lack of positive role models and parental guidance in today’s society and the wild west lawlessness of many parts of the internet. It was definitely an eye opener to see what the other half live with, not only in the real world but also in a virtual one too.
Reference
Suzanne de Castell. “Mirror Images: Avatar Aesthetics & Self-Representation in Digital Games.” DIY Citizenship. Pp. 213-221.