wallwalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wallwalker) wrote2011-08-04 01:02 pm
wallwalker) wrote2011-08-04 01:02 pm
The infamous ME3 F!Shep Contest
(Cut out the other stuff to post in its own post.)
I've read about the controversy that is apparently happening over the FemShep vote on Facebook and the fact that the blonde-haired, blue-eyed model is in the lead. (In fact, I think that it's been decided, with her as the winner.) The general point of that article appears to be that blonde model makes Shepard look like a bimbo, and Shepard deserves better.
All I have to say is, you have to be very careful using that argument. Because when you strip it down to its core, what you're saying is this: "It doesn't matter what a female character has done; what she looks like is more important." Because apparently blonde!Shepard is a bimbo - despite the fact that she's the same Shepard that's blown up Reapers, destroyed alien bases and punched out incredibly powerful aliens in single combat, and figured out ways to avert inevitable invasions. Why does it matter what she looks like? Either to us, or to Bioware?
And where is the female Shepard that we've seen for the past two games, the default one that more fans will recognize than any of these newcomers? Why wasn't she at least an option? What's the deal with that?
I've read about the controversy that is apparently happening over the FemShep vote on Facebook and the fact that the blonde-haired, blue-eyed model is in the lead. (In fact, I think that it's been decided, with her as the winner.) The general point of that article appears to be that blonde model makes Shepard look like a bimbo, and Shepard deserves better.
All I have to say is, you have to be very careful using that argument. Because when you strip it down to its core, what you're saying is this: "It doesn't matter what a female character has done; what she looks like is more important." Because apparently blonde!Shepard is a bimbo - despite the fact that she's the same Shepard that's blown up Reapers, destroyed alien bases and punched out incredibly powerful aliens in single combat, and figured out ways to avert inevitable invasions. Why does it matter what she looks like? Either to us, or to Bioware?
And where is the female Shepard that we've seen for the past two games, the default one that more fans will recognize than any of these newcomers? Why wasn't she at least an option? What's the deal with that?
no subject
"If the future is in the hands of this blonde bimbo, I'm out."
Please do let the door hit you on the ass on the way out! If it's one of those fancy sliding doors, it might just chop it off and that would be hilarious.
...I find the blonde boring because she's the most generically white-and-western-mainstream-pretty of the lot. I'd love to see the female Shepard with the same buzzcut as the male default, or one who's... you know, not white like every other protagonist of all time. (Then there's the fact that Bioware can't make long hair for shit and that hairstyle looks awful in both previous games, and I'm not convinced that this is going to change with ME3's "new and improved" graphics.)
But those "bimbo/slut" comments are just mind boggling. Why so stupid, fandom?
no subject
voteboat; they didn't even know that the vote existed.And yes, it does boggle my mind. I can kind of see what she's trying to say, but trying to say it by insulting another female character... really just doesn't work.
Oh, and yes, Bioware's attempts at long hair - hell, CG attempts at long hair in general - do nothing for me. There's a reason why the longest hair either of mine had was the incredibly short ponytail.
Also, something else I forgot to mention - I actually know quite a few people who voted for #5, the blonde, because they looked at her character design and were reminded of Samus. Not because of any stereotypical view of beauty, not because they said that if there must be a female Shepard she has to adhere to THAT standard, but because of an association with another beloved kickass female character. Another reason this article's slant bugged me.