Violent games don't cut it

[KevinM1]

As a side comment, I don't see why feminism in gaming is a bad thing, and find the rage against it embarrassing as someone that's been a gamer since I was 5 years old.  "Oh no!  Women gamers are tired of women characters in games being objectified, damseled, killed/raped in a transparent 'shit just got real' plot point, or otherwise treated as a trophy to be won/protected!  And they're letting their opinions be known!  Get them!"

Then there's just the over-reactions, like "omg that male protagonist just killed a woman!" ... as if he hasn't just killed 100 men before. There are 500 male deaths in video games to every 1 female. I also cringe a bit at the "fat acceptance" brigade pushing for "more realistic" (that means fat, btw) female characters. I get wanting more modest/practical clothing and more realitically proportioned bodies, but an outright fat Lara Croft makes absolutely no sense in the context of what she's usually doing (very athletic stuff, that's a major part of her character). Having an athletic build makes sense for most video game characters (male as well, not just female). Getting upset that a female character that runs, jumps and climbs everywhere is "too thin" is well, very silly.

Oh, there's definitely a really vocal minority that freaks out about every perceived slight, no matter how ridiculous.  As a comic book fan, I visit Scans Daily regularly because I'm a cheap bastard.  That place was founded by, and is currently inundated by people who legitimately think that the bulk of reality should come with a trigger warning.  They're ridiculous people.

And, no doubt gaming has its fill of people like that.  But, there's this weird visceral reaction by a lot of  gamers when it comes to them.  It's not just that they have a difference of opinion, but because a lot of mainstream gamers perceive the overly sensitive types as a threat, they launch preemptive doxxing campaigns against them, and say a whole bunch of heinous shit, including violent threats, against them which is just crazy.

Someone like Sarkeesian doesn't deserve to be threatened with rape and death because she has a different opinion about video games.  And, really, the only reason why she became a minor celebrity at all was because people freaked the fuck out over what she had to say which gave her undue attention. Good job there, people.

Moreover, her analysis is the classical Marxist deconstruction of mass media.  They teach you that shit in mass media 101.  I had a couple of classes that went over the same exact stuff (albeit with TV and movies and advertising) when I was getting my degree in communication.  What she's saying is literally nothing different than scores of other critics have said about literature, radio, film, TV, and advertising in all those mediums.  Yet, I have never seen scores of angry movie goers threaten to rape and/or kill Richard Roper for his reviews, for example.  And if games are going to be treated as art, then they're going to be critiqued like art, especially since they're an amalgam of other art (writing, music, visuals).

So, tldr; yes, some people are over sensitive gibbering idiots.  They deserve to have their outlook challenged, but they don't deserve to be silenced or harmed.