A Female Character Done Right

[Yuuri 21,636]

We all know females are protrayed rather differently from game to game. With some females being heavily sexualized to others not, and not to mention most tend to be a damsel in destress. The female character that I think has the best design is Bayonetta.

Now before those two people that read my threads drag me, listen. She's an immortal, witch that uses her hair as clothes, and her 4 revolvers and two of them being attached to her heels, and all at the same time, this part-time nun kills angels and demons, not to mention she can summon demons by climaxing. Although she wasn't designed to break the female sterotype, as she's heavily sexulized, but in a good way. Unlike Samus that shows weakness to her male love interest, and Zelda who tranforms into a guy to protect herself, Bayonetta doesn't let men get the best of her, in fact it's the opposite.

 

[Eighteen 5,430]

 

u better reconaiz

[REALITY 76,270]

I've always been attracted (not sexuality or romantically) to female characters more than male characters. Maybe it's because I'm inherently a effeminate individual, but I think—and I know this is going to sound sort of cliché—but I think Wonder Woman does a great job of representing women and is an example of how a female character can be done right. She's badass, powerful, but also loving and compassionate.

Spoiler

I was going to say Poison Ivy, then I was like "Uh, no she's really a man-hater through most of her time as a character and wants to destroy humanity, so... no"

 

[Sizzily 14,543]

Bayonetta >>>>>>

[StrawberryBlond 14,820]

Now, I haven't played new games in quite some time and I'm not familiar with these ones you mention in particular although I have heard of Bayonetta. From what I can gather, a lot of people, mostly men, can't fully understand what female empowerment means or the many ways in which it can be expressed. While it is possible for a woman to be sexual and empowered, it must be the exact same empowerment that men have. All too often, I've seen so-called empowered females get their entire personality defined by their sexuality (appearance, speech, lifestyle) and the reason why I have a problem with this is that men don't have the same done to them. When male characters have sex, it's not what defines them, it's just something they do. They're defined by their physical strength, their intelligence, their power to reign over people. And none of these things involve sex in any way. But when a female character does the same things, it always has to have a sexual edge to it. She's strong...in a sexy way! She's intelligent...and intelligence is sexy! She has sex...and that's how she gets her powers! I mean, I honestly burst out laughing when you mentioned that Bayonetta gets her powers by climaxing. Can you imagine if a male character did the same thing? That would be ridiculous! And disgusting! As long as we create these different standards for male and female characters, we'll never have true equality. Equality is putting everyone on the same level.

If a male character is sexual, make a woman just as sexual, not more. Just the same as you would do anything else about them (make them just as funny, just as strong, just as intelligent). Men don't wear skimpy clothes or strip naked to feel empowered so why should a woman do it too? Why is dressing scantily seen as a route to empowerment for women but isn't for men? A bit of a low cleavage or a short skirt is one thing but when a female character is basically in her underwear, cut the BS about this being empowerment. This is female empowerment according to men, dictated by men. How fitting that to be an empowered woman in today's society, you have to wear next to nothing, have a curvaceous body and have a high sex drive! Wow, it's like a straight man came up with this, sold it to us under the guise of feminism and we fell for it! Well, I haven't and I'm encouraging other women not to fall for it either.

[Yuuri 21,636]

9 minutes ago, M Monstre said:

I've always been attracted (not sexuality or romantically) to female characters more than male characters. Maybe it's because I'm inherently a effeminate individual, but I think—and I know this is going to sound sort of cliché—but I think Wonder Woman does a great job of representing women and is an example of how a female character can be done right. She's badass, powerful, but also loving and compassionate.

  Reveal hidden contents

I was going to say Poison Ivy, then I was like "Uh, no she's really a man-hater through most of her time as a character and wants to destroy humanity, so... no"

 

Wonder Woman is indeed a strong female, but there is a flaw in her story. Basically when a guy stumbles upon the island she leaves with him, so much for Miss Independent. 

[REALITY 76,270]

Just now, Yuuri said:

Wonder Woman is indeed a strong female, but there is a flaw in her story. Basically when a guy stumbles upon the island she leaves with him, so much for Miss Independent. 

I mean, I think it was more so that when she discovered about "man's world" she wanted to go and see what it was/protect it. It's certainly not like she's like Steve Trevor's "damsel in distress"—with Superman that may be a different story, though. 

[weed 73,759]

12 minutes ago, Yuuri said:

Wonder Woman is indeed a strong female, but there is a flaw in her story. Basically when a guy stumbles upon the island she leaves with him, so much for Miss Independent. 

Well her homeland was also attacked and multiple amazonians died  and she is the one protecting the man

[HolyFool 782]

Zelda does NOT transform into a guy! Sheik is a woman. Yes Princess Ruto mistakes her for a man when she talks to link as an adult, but that's because of sheiks appearance...I like LOZ

[Yuuri 21,636]

19 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

I mean, I honestly burst out laughing when you mentioned that Bayonetta gets her powers by climaxing.

To be fair, Bayonetta isn't the only character within her game to have Umbran Climaxes, all playable characters do, including two male characters.

22 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Why is dressing scantily seen as a route to empowerment for women but isn't for men? A bit of a low cleavage or a short skirt is one thing but when a female character is basically in her underwear,

Well having her covered in heavy armor defeats the point due to she needs to have high mobilty, and her "suit" is her own hair so technically she's nude.Plus I never mentioned anything about empowerment, she wasn't designed to give females empowerment, she was based off Dante.

Nor is she designed to be realistic, being above 7 feet tall and being able to kick a fighter jet upwards, and being able to walk through a tornado and being able to take a bullet to the face. So if we're talking about realism, and her break gender stereotypes she's clearly not the woman for the job.

[Yuuri 21,636]

2 minutes ago, HolyFool said:

Zelda does NOT transform into a guy! Sheik is a woman. Yes Princess Ruto mistakes her for a man when she talks to link as an adult, but that's because of sheiks appearance...I like LOZ

Sheik has no real confirmed gender, all we know is that he/she is a disguise for Zelda, so if we follow that logic Sheik is a female, but if you note bone structure Sheik is a guy as he/she has a smaller waist, pecks and broader shoulders, padding can give you that but limit your movement.. While Sheik does has his/her's breasts taped down that won't give you perfect pecks. Yes Sheik's appearance has gotten more effemenite over the years but that doesn't mean anything, so I believe Zelda uses magic to become a man, it's the ultimate diguise against Gannon.

[HolyFool 782]

15 minutes ago, Yuuri said:

Sheik has no real confirmed gender, all we know is that he/she is a disguise for Zelda, so if we follow that logic Sheik is a female, but if you note bone structure Sheik is a guy as he/she has a smaller waist, pecks and broader shoulders, padding can give you that but limit your movement.. While Sheik does has his/her's breasts taped down that won't give you perfect pecks. Yes Sheik's appearance has gotten more effemenite over the years but that doesn't mean anything, so I believe Zelda uses magic to become a man, it's the ultimate diguise against Gannon.

I guess it's just a matter of interpretation 🤷🏻‍♂️ But to me just based on the way the eyes are illustrated for males and females in the game it leads me to believe sheik is still a woman 

[StrawberryBlond 14,820]

48 minutes ago, Yuuri said:

To be fair, Bayonetta isn't the only character within her game to have Umbran Climaxes, all playable characters do, including two male characters.

Well having her covered in heavy armor defeats the point due to she needs to have high mobilty, and her "suit" is her own hair so technically she's nude.Plus I never mentioned anything about empowerment, she wasn't designed to give females empowerment, she was based off Dante.

Nor is she designed to be realistic, being above 7 feet tall and being able to kick a fighter jet upwards, and being able to walk through a tornado and being able to take a bullet to the face. So if we're talking about realism, and her break gender stereotypes she's clearly not the woman for the job.

Well, ok, some male characters do. But surely it can't involve anything...physical happening if it's a guy, right?

Male characters need high mobility too, but you never see them in armoured bikinis and whatnot. Ease of movement is such a poor argument when men do not require to show as much skin to do the same job. And you're saying that she wasn't designed to be realistic so therefore isn't meant to be realistic role model for the women but the point is that we do have utterly unrealistic body types held up to us as attainable. Women wouldn't feel the need for surgery, make up and haircare products if it wasn't getting continuously reinforced to us that big breasts, a small waist, a big ass, long legs, flawless skin and a mane of flowing hair is the only way to be attractive if you're a woman. And it doesn't matter if she is realistic or not, she's still any female getting depicted in a way that suits a man's desires. And considering that you brought up how she's a female character done right, how else is that supposed to be taken other than: "She is a depiction of female empowerment"?

[Zombie 1,218]

Mmmmm i really like femme fatales, maybe they are not very empowering and used their looks to get what they want but i find them hot af, like BarbaraStanwyck in DoubleIndemnity

 

Is this about Cartoons?

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

Bayonetta is a controversial, heavily debated subject in Feminist and gaming circles... she's like, a character based around sexuality, but not inherently sexist or misogynistic, and she's about self empowerment, but its hard to detach all of her character traits and abilities from society. Im not really sure how I feel about her, but I enjoy the game