12 Harsh Truths You Don't Want To Admit About Video Games

2. Sexism Is Still An Issue

We've come a long way over the last 10 years in regards to how video games depict females: it's no longer acceptable to display women as mere sexual objects to be ogled, and frankly, most male gamers would prefer not to be associated with a medium which thinks they're nothing more than horny, drooling nerds who can't even talk to women in real life. Of course, placing a woman in provocative clothing is not instantly sexist (despite what some knee-jerk feminists might tell you): it's what's done with it that matters, and though we have come pretty far, we still can't help but roll our eyes at games like Bayonetta and Lollipop Chainsaw, which in 2014 feel wildly out of place in catering to base male fantasy so desperately. Then there's the problem with the feminist dialogue itself. Take outspoken video game critic Anita Sarkeesian, a feminist who, while a controversial figure, consistently receives vile hate mail which only reinforces many of her points, and backs up the idea that many gamers are angry, misogynistic nerds. Argue with her, sure, but don't fill up her inbox with death threats and putrid filth: it does nothing to help gamers as a whole, and certainly not the industry still battling with sexism accusations. While some quarters of the gaming press are certainly too eager to leap on anything they perceive as sexist, the sensitivity is at least understandable given the place we've come from. Progress has been made, though there's still a lot to be done.