@BloodNinja being told "you don't belong in our group" is the dictionary definition of ostracization. It's not just about being pushed out of some small circle of friends; if you're a girl being told you're not a "proper girl" because you likes games and "games are for boys", there's not a simple solution to that. Saying "just find another group" glosses over both the difficulty and uncertainty of doing so, and the absurdity and disparagingness of it.
@BloodNinja I think that anecdote further serves to proves the author's point though. If you're a girl into games at that point and the majority around you says "games are for boys", that's ostracizing. It's being told "this is how things should be, and you aren't that". Always having male protagonists or sexualized female protagonists as 'service' to a target male audience reinforces this statement. Perhaps without meaning to, it's games telling female players "this isn't for you".
As the author notes, Metroid isn't feminist by any stretch, and it does sexualize Samus for the completionist endings, but the majority of the game simply has a female character be a badass without any fanfare or attention being called to it. Whether or not this was intended to be "inclusive" or "progressive", it was, and the author is relating her experience of finding validation of her interests in a character she could actually project herself onto. It's a powerful thing, and something I hope everyone can find somewhere.
@Zuljaras The only thing wrong there is being in a position where that affirmation is necessary. Games are a medium for finding affirmation the same as any other literary or visual art.
@BloodNinja Author acknowledges this. Super Metroid's depiction of Samus isn't completely free of sexualization or 'fan service' or dubious gender characterizations, but the vast majority of the game is, and that was highly unusual at the time and well welcome.
@Manjushri Don't think that was the point. When the vast majority of a medium presents a group you consider yourself a part of in an unpleasant way, it can be frustrating and disheartening. It becomes highly valuable to find something that is instead empowering and self-affirming. This article lauds Super Metroid for being that at a time when the author needed it, and I'm glad to see that experience shared.
Really enjoyed this. Another gaming experience that was similar for me was the female Crusader in Diablo 3. I'd looked at that game previously on a friend's recommendation, but couldn't get into it. Gave it another go when the Crusader character launched and loved it. The female and male equivalents of each character class each had their own personality (entirely from the excellent voice work), but they were truly equal. To this day, the female crusader (whose bearing is notably similar to Samus' I think) remains my favourite character in that game, even as I regularly play others for variety and to see the latest updates.
Comments 6
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
@BloodNinja being told "you don't belong in our group" is the dictionary definition of ostracization. It's not just about being pushed out of some small circle of friends; if you're a girl being told you're not a "proper girl" because you likes games and "games are for boys", there's not a simple solution to that. Saying "just find another group" glosses over both the difficulty and uncertainty of doing so, and the absurdity and disparagingness of it.
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
@BloodNinja I think that anecdote further serves to proves the author's point though. If you're a girl into games at that point and the majority around you says "games are for boys", that's ostracizing. It's being told "this is how things should be, and you aren't that". Always having male protagonists or sexualized female protagonists as 'service' to a target male audience reinforces this statement. Perhaps without meaning to, it's games telling female players "this isn't for you".
As the author notes, Metroid isn't feminist by any stretch, and it does sexualize Samus for the completionist endings, but the majority of the game simply has a female character be a badass without any fanfare or attention being called to it. Whether or not this was intended to be "inclusive" or "progressive", it was, and the author is relating her experience of finding validation of her interests in a character she could actually project herself onto. It's a powerful thing, and something I hope everyone can find somewhere.
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
@Zuljaras The only thing wrong there is being in a position where that affirmation is necessary. Games are a medium for finding affirmation the same as any other literary or visual art.
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
@BloodNinja Author acknowledges this. Super Metroid's depiction of Samus isn't completely free of sexualization or 'fan service' or dubious gender characterizations, but the vast majority of the game is, and that was highly unusual at the time and well welcome.
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
@Manjushri Don't think that was the point. When the vast majority of a medium presents a group you consider yourself a part of in an unpleasant way, it can be frustrating and disheartening. It becomes highly valuable to find something that is instead empowering and self-affirming. This article lauds Super Metroid for being that at a time when the author needed it, and I'm glad to see that experience shared.
Re: Soapbox: Super Metroid Showed Me I Had The Right To Exist
Really enjoyed this. Another gaming experience that was similar for me was the female Crusader in Diablo 3. I'd looked at that game previously on a friend's recommendation, but couldn't get into it. Gave it another go when the Crusader character launched and loved it. The female and male equivalents of each character class each had their own personality (entirely from the excellent voice work), but they were truly equal. To this day, the female crusader (whose bearing is notably similar to Samus' I think) remains my favourite character in that game, even as I regularly play others for variety and to see the latest updates.