Video Games are gay?
This entry was created by a student in Stanford's Rhetoric of Gaming class. For more about the class and the assignment, click here.
Tracing back the origins of video gaming, it seems that a majority of video games in America were the means of escaping reality for many straight, white male adolescents. Video games offered a life that they couldn't live, rescuing damsels in distress, blasting aliens into oblivion, and attaining glory. They were, of course, direct responses to the life outside video games: unrequited love, bullies, and a lack of social acceptance. In modern times, there is a much wider audience playing video games. The appeal is no longer limited to race, gender, and age. Game designers have also considered sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is the most taboo characteristic of them all, but more and more games have progressed to include homosexual relationships, aside from the typical hero-damsel love story.
At Guardian Unlimited, a blogging website, writer Aleks Krototski discusses homosexuality in recent video games, from The Sims Online to The Temple of Elemental Evil. He explains the role of identification as a means to enjoy the video game and going back to what was said before, live the life that can't be lived. This time, it isn't the straight, white male adolescent wishing to escape the trials of peers. It is, more currently, the gay man, or woman, escaping the critical eyes of society into a reality where one is not judged so.
Krototski brings up an interesting point in his blog. “Companies have no issue with including a gay character in a game; it's the response of the larger gaming community that's the issue.” Considering that companies that design the video games for the gaming community, both are responsible in molding the video games' nuances, including homosexuality. What then is the reason behind including gay characters if “the explicit inclusion of a homosexual character has made many straight gamers uncomfortable”? Surprisingly, it is not to aid the progressive movement for a more accepting society, as I, or any other optimist, would hope.
Krototski wrote, “Gay gamers are possibly the least-considered group of interactive entertainment adoptees.” His blog is still puzzled by the fact that games have even toyed with the idea of homosexuality. So why do it even though they risk criticism? The answer was right under Krototski's nose. It is a mix of both “gender bending” as well as “sexual fetishes” for straight male gamers.
Here is the rationale behind this. Boys often joke that in order to be acquainted with girls, they must pretend to be homosexual. Only then will girls let down their guard against testosterone ridden urges. This same concept can apply to video games, such as in The Sims Online. Instantly, with his flamboyant wardrobe and unknown true identity, he can talk to women better than any muscular he-man. Retrospectively, the male video gamer can play the role of a lesbian to satisfy his sexual fetish and “get some” with other women.
Games, therefore, have not progressed to promote social acceptance. It may only appear that way, especially in the case of homosexuality. The deep-rooted origins of video games still exist and they seem here to stay.
The link to Krotoski's blog: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/game_culture/2005/01/homosexuality_and_gaming.html
Comments
That was interesting... I had never really thought about gay characters in gaming before and while it seems like the source has something to say on the matter, I could have used a few more examples of gay culture in gaming. I really couldn't think of anything like that off the top of my head... I also had never heard of boys needing to pretend they were gay just to talk to girls. This along with the "sexual fetishes" seems like it could be somewhat controversial because I don't think everyone has those feelings.
Posted by: Tyler | April 30, 2009 10:47 AM
I think this is a very interesting topic. Thinking back through all the games that I have played I think that The Sims is truly the only game that I really think did allow these homosexual relationships to exist and be portrayed. I think this topic has great opportunity for some type of survey or personal interview of some type. I think the question of "why they have toyed with this idea" is quite interesting as well. It seems in today's world where gay marriage is becoming a common occurrences in news and society, that games would take the next step and it would be accepted as well. I wonder which company will be the next to take a big step toward these social changes.
Posted by: Ben Funk | April 30, 2009 10:56 AM
Check out this site about a Gaymer Survey: the first academically approved research that specifically explored the social and behavioral demographics of gay video game players and the role of sexual orientation on gaming habits.
http://www.jasonrockwood.com/results.html
Posted by: Chris Bourg | April 30, 2009 05:39 PM
I'm really glad that Chris posted up that link for you -- it should be a great resource for your topic and give you insight into how gay gamers feel empowered or restricted in online environments. I like this turn from your original topic of love online -- the narrowing is pushing you into a much more complex direction.
A couple things: I think Sims Online is now permanently offline, so if you think about the blogpost you mentioned, be sure to consider it in relation to existing games. You might even look into doing some primary research into gay communities on SL or just talking with folk their about their thoughts on heterosexuality, homosexuality, and homophobia in those sort of open, virtual world environments. Last question, will you be focusing principally on virtual worlds (like simulation experiences) or on more traditional games as well?
Posted by: Christine Alfano, Stanford Instructor | May 1, 2009 12:26 PM
Thank you everyone for such great comments. Tyler, I will make a believer out of you yet, with definitely more game examples. I have definitely refined my thoughts more on the use of sexual fetish and gender bending in the world of gaming.
Ben, Sims indeed isn't the only game with homosexual undertones. I'm glad I have a supporter in investigating the gaming industry's motivations for adding homosexual aspects to it.
Chris, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I have been looking for a site like that! You are like the cameo character that gives me a potion when my hit points are down. It's a lot of information, the survey, but it's best to start big and narrow down like you said.
Christine, I had no idea that Sims Online is now Sims Offline. I think I might then focus on Second Life, but also put in some examples of Sims Online as a representation of an online role-playing game. Interesting that Sims unplugged its ethernet cable. In response to your question, I think I might be focusing on virtual worlds as well as traditional games, so long as they satisfy the two conditions, sexual fetish and gender bending. However, I will keep that distinction in mind and be on the lookout for anything interesting.
Thanks again everybody!
Posted by: John Do | May 4, 2009 11:44 PM
I don't want to seem insensitive or unfair. But including homosexuality in video games will surely cause some uncomfortable tension. Honestly, as an Arab, I don’t believe that games that address homosexuality will sell here, it’s simply not tolerable around here (the Arab world) and the gaming industry will not want to lose possible customers. That being said, I find it sad that the gaming industry includes homosexuality for the pleasure of straight males, I would have thought that in the US, homosexuality was becoming acceptable (If I’m incorrect, please correct me!) and that it would be acceptable to have some homosexual characters.
To be honest, this isn’t a topic I would write about, simply because I don’t know my stand on it. But it’s definitely original, so I searched it (in hopes of becoming more informed) here are the articles I found fascinating and hopefully useful;
http://www.poormojo.org/pmjadaily/archives/007642.php
http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=14865
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_characters_in_video_games
http://www.armchairarcade.com/aamain/content.php?article.27
Cheers!
Posted by: Winnie Nadi | May 7, 2009 02:05 AM
Video games are gay..
LOL!!
Nice man! :)
Posted by: Desi Girl | July 15, 2009 11:31 AM
Always like to be gay
Posted by: sami | August 13, 2009 12:03 AM
Not all video games are gay. And it is fun to change your sexual orientation in a role playing game. For example if your a guy, its fun to sometimes play a girl in a game.
Posted by: Online Games | September 4, 2009 04:32 PM
I have never played a game where a character was homosexual. Not sure how I would like that (probably not). However changing roles to play a girl if your a guy is sometimes fun or vice versa.
Posted by: Addicting Games | September 4, 2009 04:35 PM
Some might thing that was offensive to have gay people in games, however it would be realistic. What games in specific have these types of characters?
Posted by: Free Online games | September 4, 2009 04:37 PM
Many people wouldn't like it if there were gay characters in games. I think it would offend a lot of people and potentially hurt the sale of the video game (make it less marketable).
Posted by: Online Games | September 4, 2009 04:39 PM
This is definately a fresh perspective and a contrivercial one. Video games with gay characters would be a new twist.
Posted by: Download Video games | September 4, 2009 04:41 PM
There are lots of people who would applaud this - adding gay characters into a video game.
Posted by: Best game website | September 4, 2009 04:43 PM
The sims online game sounds interesting. I will have to check it out.
Posted by: Sports Games | September 4, 2009 04:45 PM
You provide an interesting perspective on online gaming that I never thought about before. However, it does make sense that game designers should somehow include homosexual characters, if not in MMORPG, then in roleplay games such as Sims.
Posted by: Aion Forum | September 7, 2009 11:13 PM
nice compare,i don't like to play gays,lol
Posted by: gmpoint | September 29, 2009 07:00 AM
Why thy should be gay. I mean that is finally a fantasy world and each game has its own characters and scenerios
Posted by: Dress Up Games | October 3, 2009 04:03 PM
I see the gay character on the sim game that my younger brother love to play it. I am not sure how gay video game can impact to the player. It's an interesting topic that I intend to write it on my blog > ทำบุญวันเกิด.
Posted by: yams | October 9, 2009 05:45 PM