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[Summarum]

Hey, everyone.

The discussions about female characters' breasts in Dragon Age 2 being too large (and this being sexist towards women) prompted me to remember something I've been meaning to ask Bioware for a long time, and the social network forums seem to be the preferred way of doing that.  For this thread, let's acknowledge that the character models are idealized pretty gender-symmetrically and not rehash the old arguments.  There is however a strange and illuminating irony in a character, who flat out says that "Men are only good for one thing", being called sexist towards women because she's too attractive.

Bioware stories, because they feature choices for the player, have always implied a moral context which exhibits itself in how choices are divided between those that are 'good' and those that are 'evil'; the morality is usually pretty heavy-handed.  Murder slavers and free the slaves, good.  Murder children and free their parents of custodial concerns, evil.  Slavery and killing children are wrong, is the implicit "Bioware stance".

Now we can get back to the sexism.  It's a long-standing tradition in Bioware games, but also in other games and especially in movies, to have this cliché scene where either the player character (if female) or a party member or other significant character, is accosted by or simply the target of sexist, belittling remarks.  "You should stay in the kitchen, hee-haa".  Then typically either the PC chooses to fight them, or is forced to, or the party member in question simply upstages them in a cutscene, either way they get shown up and morality points rain down upon all and we are reminded that gender stereotypes are bigoted and evil. (e.g. Isabela, DA:O , DA2)

Except when they aren't.  Eventually you'll run into tradition two, the "good sexist," and fellow protagonist.  I don't even need to tell you the only thing that sets them apart, the good sexists and the evil ones, because you already know, instinctively.  "Women are only good for one thing": death sentence.  "Men are only good for one thing": welcome to the party, you unique and interesting character, you.  Here's your halo.

This has been a constant companion of the Bioware player since at least Neverwinter Nights, and just as long it has made me kind of uncomfortable.  The distinction is recurring and therefore clearly deliberate.  Since it's deliberate, there is a reason for it, and that reason is what I want to know.

[Stanley Woo]

Sorry, folks, but this thread has turned decidedly political and not Dragon Age related in the last couple of pages.

End of line.