GTA V is finally here, and yet it seems like only yesterday that we all devoured the first teaser trailer nearly two years ago. Legions of devoted, hyped-up fans have already pre-ordered, and an order of magnitude more will be lining up at midnight. It is doubtlessly once of the most anticipated games of the new decade, if not the new century. It looks to innovate everywhere, promising a blockbuster three-pronged epic crime saga across a sprawling urban jungle and untamed wilderness, not to mention its nigh-revolutionary online counterpart. To use the trite phrase, everything has led to this. The world awaits a title that could define a generation and not just in terms of consoles. And yet, for all the leaps and bounds Rockstar are making, the universe of Grand Theft Auto remains a mans world, reinforced in the latest instalment by the major recurring theme of masculinity, which they see as essential to their tale. Thus far, with few exceptions (Catalina), the women of this universe have remained as little more than infamously disposable sex workers that the reactionary media has shrieked about, or else eye candy for the presumed majority audience. How often do the creators put out official art work of scantily clad women that make no appearance in the actual game, for the pure purpose of selling their products via erotic titillation? Despite the sharply satirical nature of the storylines, there seems to be lingering immaturity, and not of the gleefully homicidal kind. My impetus for this piece was further inspired by an epic intellectual smack-down delivered by a lone rational mind in a sea of dismissively, derisively sexist, misogynist lowlifes over at a popular entertainment forum. What were they reacting to? The mere
suggestion that, somewhere down the line, it might be refreshing if GTA were to incorporate women in central roles as playable characters. This perfectly reasonable wish seemed to be blasphemy in a community that has seemingly failed to notice that, at last count, women now account for 47% of the gamer population across all mediums and platforms, in some areas outnumbering the male demographic. These women like the visual and mental stimulation, and mayhem, gunfire and explosions, as much as the next person. Is it truly too much to ask that they have an avatar that at least shares the sex/gender they identify with? Of course women can connect with male characters, and vice versa (myself included), but the current disparity is deeply disheartening. I am as sure as anyone that Rockstar have crafted a cunning and compelling drama, and massive fun awaits following the journeys of Michael, Franklin and Trevor. But, in all fairness, it might soon be time to represent the other half of the planet outside of GTA Online. This article will look through the pages of history to find documented women attested to have accomplished all manner of awesome deeds, who ideally would serve as building blocks for a potential car-jacking, cop-killing, mass-murdering protagonist as we begin to look towards the franchises future. A disclaimer: it would be disingenuous to equate feminism, equal rights and egalitarianism in general with assuming masculine traits and calling it liberation. Indeed, we should seek to mix up and dismantle existing gender roles and stereotypes to advance as a civilisation. All the women featured herein were, by necessity of relevance, violent, some of them brutally and criminally so. In the case of the latter, I in no way support, condone or encourage the behaviour they got up to in their lifetimes I merely seek to show historical figures. Before the main event, I should note that there were a lot of impressive women to choose from, who due to the limitations of the article didnt make the list.
Honourable Mentions:
Julie DAubigny: French aristocrat whose hobbies included fencing duels and opera singing. Allegedly once snuck into a convent to get busy with a nun. Previously mentioned in an editorial on a major site.
Anne Bonny and Grace OMalley: Two noted pirates of their respective eras who really liked fighting and looting. Another pirate takes #2.
Joan of Arc: Naturally.
Lydia Litvyak, Anna Yegorova and Mariya Oktyabrskaya: Between them provided the steroid injection of oestrogen the Red Army needed to vanquish Nazi Germany forever. A superb sister took #3.
Flora Sandes: An amazing woman with a story so similar to #1 that my inner fan boy desperately wishes theyd met up and become BFFs. With that out of the way, let's begin.