Lesbian Spider-Queens from Mars

[jfrost]

About the game, I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

Also, they could change "Lesbian" for, say, "Peanut Butter" in the title and the game would be just the same.

[Ack]

I'm not really a Harry Potter fan, but I have read the books and I think the writer did the best job so far of bringing in gay characters without having them trivialized by just being there because they're gay (I'm talking about Dumbledore) I mean, just reading the book, they don't mention it outright but the author later revealed that she always wrote him as a gay character. And it makes a lot of sense - most gay people that I know don't go around being stereotypically gay. They're just kinda there and they happen to be gay, just like everybody else is just kinda there but happens to not be gay.

I agree with the sentiment of a lot of other folks here...does it matter? I haven't read Harry Potter, but I didn't think Dumbledore's sexual preferences were important, nor are the sexual preferences of characters in video games unless it ties directly into the story somehow (though I must admit if this were an insight she had into the character while creating him, it is interesting from an academic stand point, as it shows how the author intended the character).

Case in point, the reason Poison was made into a transsexual was purely so you weren't beating up women. This added nothing to the game either way. But homosexuality in a game where it can directly influence the plot...for instance, the pseudo-lesbian relationship one can have between a female Shepherd and an alien that is feminine in appearance (they were actually an asexual race if I remember correctly). That instance it mattered in regards to developing a deeper appreciation of the characters, and yet it really didn't, because all that happened was two characters building a relationship and falling in love regardless of their gender. If the number of homosexual characters was drastically increased in video games, I wouldn't mind if it was handled in a mature manner such as this, as opposed to flashing neon arrows and fireworks going off as a character screams "I'M GAY!" purely for shock value.

I'd say this ties into JT's post though, in that games have a lot of growing up to do.

I would love to see transvestites, shemales, hermaphrodites, etc. That would be awesome.

Never really thought about it that way... what would be the point of this, exactly?

It's hot. (^_^);

I realize you were probably trying to once again express your own sexual preferences (we're aware of them already, you tend to bring it up quite often), but I have to disagree. Not to say that these individuals are necessarily unattractive, but instead to say that "because it's hot" should never be why anything is necessarily thrown into a game. "Because it's hot" is why video games already suffer from the stigma they suffer from regarding the appearances of women. We could definitely do with fewer objectified overly-busty athletic women in games (or overly-muscled males), even though some of us here probably find them hot.

As for minority characters in games, I think the United States has considerable problem with minorities and how to behave around them regardless. Should skin color matter? I don't really think so, but you'll have individuals in both the majority white (which exists less and less in reality over time in this country) and the minorities who will argue it does.

Race is a hot button issue in our society (and racism claims are almost the modern McCarthyism, as they can kill your career and ruin your life with a mere word or nod from the right individual, leaving one little in defense and credibility to claim otherwise, regardless of whether one is really racist), and I don't think we'll really be able to handle this discussion in video games until we've finally been able to handle it in the real world...though games could help bring attention to it.

[J T]

I agree 100% with Ivo. Throwing in gay characters just for the sake of gayness is silly. I care whether my video game characters are gay about as much as I care whether my neighbors or co-workers are gay. That is not at all. It's not being closed minded if you just don't give a shit. Gay, straight, whatever. It doesn't matter and it shouldn't matter. Do people really need their lifestyle validated by video games?

FWIW, throw as many gay characters as you want in video games as long as it doesn't seem contrived. Bad writing is a much bigger problem than non-diverse characterization.

If you really don't care, then you should feel just as comfortable playing a gay male lead as a straight male lead. Your tone seems a bit irritated by the idea though, so I'm guessing that's not exactly the case. As a straight white male, I know I don't feel as comfortable playing a gay character as a straight one, but I don't mind the change up every once and awhile (in game, not irl).

I think a lot of gay people are not really looking to feel "validated" by having gay characters in games, they would just appreciate being represented at all. It's kind of easy to think that they are being bitchy or complaining too much from the position of the straight male majority, or it may seem "contrived" because it's not the norm, but try imagining the reverse. If 99% of characters in all videogames were flamboyant gay men, us straight males would be dying for a character with a gruff voice that actually likes women for a change. Duke Nukem would seem like the 2nd coming of Christ, but the queer majority (in this hypothetical scenario) would probably just think he was trying too hard.

[J T]

Also, they could change "Lesbian" for, say, "Peanut Butter" in the title and the game would be just the same.

Not to me! I love spinning up my little lesbian spider bitches. The kinkiness of it is half the fun.

[Ivo]

Also, they could change "Lesbian" for, say, "Peanut Butter" in the title and the game would be just the same.

Not to me! I love spinning up my little lesbian spider bitches. The kinkiness of it is half the fun.

Not for me - I would personally prefer the game was more "PG" rated, because it would be easier to recommend to other people.

The game gains a bit from having you control a spider character in terms of fun, as the gameplay gives quite a spidery feel. So that part is a good design choice.

But it could just as well be a non-sexualized spider. During gameplay it is not very graphic due to the retro style graphics, but the retro style cut scenes are more sexualized than I would like (despite the "censored" bits).

Also - most straight male protagonists aren't Duke Nukem or Kratos. If there were more gay male protagonists they don't have to be mostly flamboyant gays! I don't think that is the way to go either - are most gays in real life flamboyant? I think not.

Ivo.

[brunoafh]

Also - most straight male protagonists aren't Duke Nukem or Kratos. If there were more gay male protagonists they don't have to be mostly flamboyant gays! I don't think that is the way to go either - are most gays in real life flamboyant? I think not.

This was the problem I had with Enchanted Arms' gay character.

[irixith]

I imagine a lot of the folks "against" [for lack of a better word] the idea probably aren't a part of any of the LGBT spectrum, which is OK. You probably relate and/or are satisfied with the options that are already available, or by being a part of what's considered "normal", "mainstream" or the "status quo" you simply don't care. That's OK too. Maybe you just don't care because you've never really thought about before. Again, totally OK.

Being gay or lesbian, that's your sexual orientation. Sure, maybe it's completely immaterial to most people, but say you're playing a game that has some sort of romantic bend to it, it's nice to be able to see the proper gender pronouns for your particular orientation be an option. As most of you seem to be saying, it doesn't matter, so why not have the choice? More choice is always good, and embraces more people.

As for the rest of the spectrum, trans, queer, shemales [yes, there is a difference], what have you -- that's got nothing to do with your sexual orientation. Gender (and gender expression) and sexual orientation are completely separate from one another. I can understand people not giving a shit about sexual orientation for whatever reason, but there are plenty of other types of people in the world that have nothing to do with sexuality whatsoever. Whether or not there are OTHER people who sexualize them, fantasize about them or just plain have a fetish, that's immaterial. I'd love to be able to play as a properly fleshed out trans character, for example. That would be different, and interesting, and add a dimension to the char--

--wait a minute. For a moment there, I was actually supposing that video games had adequate plot, character development and multi-dimensional, engaging characters. I forget that the medium is simply not that advanced, and that most of the characters we play as are about as one dimensional as a piece of paper. In the medium's current form, it's simply not developed enough to allow for such a complicated complex character, let alone one that differs from the majority.

I still think it would be cool though.

[Sideroller]

Not for me - I would personally prefer the game was more "PG" rated, because it would be easier to recommend to other people.

I think it's important to remember also this is a game hosted by the Adult Swim website. Most of their games aren't meant to be PG. Although I certainly understand where you're coming from.

In the end it's a fun game, how often do you get to control a tyrant lesbian arachnid!? Not often.

[J T]

most of the characters we play as are about as one dimensional as a piece of paper.

Sorry, it's just what jumped to mind. Great post though.

[AmishSamurai]

I don't mind gay characters in games personally. Kanji in Persona 4 was great, and I didn't mind romancing Zevran with my male Warden in Dragon Age Origins. But at the same time, I don't feel that having a token gay character should be required, and there should be more to their personality than "I'm gay".

That said, when playing through DA2, having everybody be a bisexual romance option felt a bit lazy, and also made the characters feel less like people and more like sex trophies.