So a couple of great videos dropped in the last couple days, and if I had not been awake at 4:30 this morning, I might still have missed them both.
The first video is the first installment of Anita Sarkeesian's Tropes vs Women in Video Games series that generated so much froth during its Kickstarter. Seriously, just for making the observation that there are several common tropes in videos (and other storytelling media) that are sexist, Ms. Sarkeesian had her Wikipedia page vandalized, had an atrocious video game made of her, received misogynistic comments, and threats of rape and murder, along with attempts to publish her home address on the Internet, enabling any truly demented individual to make good on the threats. It's ridiculous, not the least because she's correct.
The turbulence surrounding Tropes vs Women in Video Games is one of the incidents that inspired some of my editorials about sexism this past summer, and culminated in the questions about online insults the gamer survey Sctrz and I conducted. I watched the video this morning. Nothing really surprising in Ms Sarkeesian's analysis, but I hope that calling attention to it will create some change in the game field. A really kickass Zelda or Peach who can rescue herself would be awesome.
In lighter news, Joss Whedon has apparently helmed an new film of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. It's been shown at a few film festivals, but this morning was the first I'd heard of it, thanks to Dusty Monk on G+. Y'know? Thinking about it, this is an interesting juxtaposition of videos, since MAAD is basically about the value of the virginity of Hero, a Damsel in Distress who must be "rescued" from her alleged dishonor. Hmm.
As you may guess from my chosen avatar in the column to the right, I am
very excited to see this when it gets general release. I just hope it is
as good as Branagh's version—if which you have not seen, I'm afraid we can no longer be friends.
The first video is the first installment of Anita Sarkeesian's Tropes vs Women in Video Games series that generated so much froth during its Kickstarter. Seriously, just for making the observation that there are several common tropes in videos (and other storytelling media) that are sexist, Ms. Sarkeesian had her Wikipedia page vandalized, had an atrocious video game made of her, received misogynistic comments, and threats of rape and murder, along with attempts to publish her home address on the Internet, enabling any truly demented individual to make good on the threats. It's ridiculous, not the least because she's correct.
In lighter news, Joss Whedon has apparently helmed an new film of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. It's been shown at a few film festivals, but this morning was the first I'd heard of it, thanks to Dusty Monk on G+. Y'know? Thinking about it, this is an interesting juxtaposition of videos, since MAAD is basically about the value of the virginity of Hero, a Damsel in Distress who must be "rescued" from her alleged dishonor. Hmm.
Bummer, we can't be friends anymore.
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