Women are getting over-sexualized in almost everything we see nowadays. We see it in the media, songs, television shows, and even in just general conversation. But most of all, we can see woman get over-sexualized and degraded in almost every video game, comic, and character in the science fiction and fantasy communities. Seeming the first work of science fiction was created by two women, this may make it even worse to see the gradual degradation of woman throughout this genre.
We all know that the demographic for video games and comics are men, and that in order to entertain costumers and beat their competitors, companies make their female characters skimpy and degrading, but then keep their men in normal clothing or more simple, conservative costumes. If men are too uncomfortable with seeing degraded male characters, or don’t want them in their games in order to keep their “male pride,” then how do they think woman feel? We get shamed on a daily basis because of it and get yelled at and harassed by men, and even other women, for wearing these character’s costumes when we Cosplay!
If you can’t handle an average looking woman, 125-140 lbs, in her sexy Cosplay costume, than you have no right to have a young and attractive, 90 lb, fictional woman with gigantic breasts wearing the exact same outfit in your video game. Many females, including myself, feel uncomfortable or nervous to Cosplay, simply because they are afraid of getting sexually harassed of verbally abused by men and women for what they are wearing. Many women and young girls would love to make a hobby out of Cosplay, but these kinds of people are stopping them from pursuing what they love, yet the science fiction and fantasy community send out a positive message to be yourself and do what you love. How are women supposed to be encouraged to follow the these words of wisdom when people and video game companies are being so hypocritical to the message that our community tries to send?
At the end of the day, something needs to be done about this problem, whether it be that woman finally get some diversity in their character’ clothing and looks or that men get equal costumes to what the woman are receiving is up to us. Women and men who feel like females get treated unfairly need to stand up for ourselves in order to make this change!