0:00:05.128,0:00:07.040
“Fantastic!”[br]

0:00:15.501,0:00:24.872
( ♪ Theme Music ♪ )

0:00:25.750,0:00:28.617
This episode comes with a content warning[br]for game footage involving

0:00:28.617,0:00:32.529
hypersexualized female characters[br]and is not recommended for children.

0:00:32.529,0:00:35.788
As always, remember that it is both[br]possible and even necessary

0:00:35.788,0:00:37.758
to be critical of the media we enjoy.

0:00:37.758,0:00:40.018
That’s going to be especially[br]important to keep in mind

0:00:40.018,0:00:42.538
given the video game franchise[br]we are about to discuss…

0:00:47.049,0:00:50.526
In 1987 Nintendo released a 2D[br]action adventure game for their

0:00:50.526,0:00:52.973
Nintendo Entertainment System[br]which departed

0:00:52.973,0:00:55.189
from traditional video game conventions.

0:00:55.189,0:00:57.573
Metroid starred a bounty hunter[br]named Samus Aran

0:00:57.573,0:01:01.138
who is covered head to toe in the[br]now iconic cybernetic “power suit”.

0:01:01.138,0:01:04.409
The game’s manual referred to the[br]protagonist with male pronouns

0:01:04.409,0:01:07.597
and described his identity as[br]“shrouded in mystery”.

0:01:09.366,0:01:11.658
Metroid was notable as an[br]early example of a game

0:01:11.658,0:01:14.323
that employed multiple alternative[br]endings which could be unlocked

0:01:14.323,0:01:17.291
based on the player’s gaming[br]skill and performance.

0:01:17.291,0:01:19.978
If the player is able to complete[br]the game in under five hours

0:01:19.978,0:01:23.811
a short cutscene will play featuring the[br]protagonist without their armored helmet,

0:01:23.811,0:01:26.945
revealing that Samus Aran is, in fact,[br]a woman.

0:01:28.695,0:01:31.089
This was a significant moment[br]in gaming history,

0:01:31.089,0:01:34.266
especially for many female gaming fans,[br]because, at the time,

0:01:34.266,0:01:37.629
nearly all protagonists were just[br]assumed to be male by default.

0:01:37.629,0:01:39.712
Remember this was back[br]before the internet,

0:01:39.712,0:01:43.243
when you couldn’t just hop online to find[br]out about all the secrets and spoilers,

0:01:43.243,0:01:47.220
so for many players, the ending of[br]Metroid came as a genuine surprise.

0:01:47.220,0:01:50.189
Still, the subversion only worked[br]provided players were skilled enough

0:01:50.189,0:01:52.221
to achieve the surprise ending.

0:01:52.221,0:01:55.929
In retrospect, Samus’ gender reveal perhaps[br]should not have been as shocking as it was,

0:01:55.929,0:02:00.025
considering that Metroid is[br]heavily influenced by the Alien films.

0:02:00.025,0:02:02.698
Sadly the alternate endings[br]did not stop there

0:02:02.698,0:02:05.260
the two “best” endings make Metroid[br]one of the first games

0:02:05.260,0:02:07.230
to exploit the Women as Reward trope,[br]

0:02:07.230,0:02:10.260
as both reveal Samus[br]in various states of undress.

0:02:10.260,0:02:13.218
The better a player does,[br]the more clothing is removed.

0:02:13.218,0:02:17.509
If the player completes the game in under[br]3 hours Samus is shown without her armor

0:02:17.509,0:02:18.865
and in a leotard.

0:02:20.315,0:02:24.439
If the player finishes in under 1 hour[br]they are treated to Samus in a bikini.

0:02:26.129,0:02:30.401
So yes, Samus wasn’t a damsel’ed woman[br]waiting at the end of the game as a trophy

0:02:30.401,0:02:34.999
rather, her body itself became the prize[br]awarded to players for a job well done.

0:02:34.999,0:02:38.025
Later games in the Metroid series[br]continued the convention of

0:02:38.025,0:02:41.872
rewarding players with endings featuring[br]Samus in various states of undress.

0:03:02.322,0:03:05.691
In one sense Samus Aran definitely did[br]subvert traditional gender tropes

0:03:05.691,0:03:09.150
of the 1980s by taking on the role[br]of intrepid hero.

0:03:09.150,0:03:13.358
However she and her body were still[br]presented to players as prizes to be won.

0:03:14.808,0:03:18.055
The convention, of earning access to[br]cutscenes or ending vignettes

0:03:18.055,0:03:22.169
with eroticized female bodies can be found[br]in many titles over the past 30 years.

0:03:22.580,0:03:23.881
“Apollo”

0:03:23.881,0:03:25.532
“Whoa! Whoa!”

0:03:33.872,0:03:36.153
(Audience laughter)

0:03:36.153,0:03:37.415
“Oh!”

0:03:42.905,0:03:45.718
We can trace the roots of the[br]Women as Reward trope all the way back

0:03:45.718,0:03:47.812
to the beginnings of the medium itself.

0:03:47.812,0:03:50.847
As we discussed in our[br]damsel in distress mini-series,

0:03:50.847,0:03:53.238
upon successful completion[br]of many arcade games

0:03:53.238,0:03:56.830
players were rewarded with the[br]related Smooch of Victory trope, so named

0:03:56.830,0:04:00.649
for the kiss the hero received as a reward[br]for rescuing a kidnapped princess.

0:04:02.611,0:04:06.079
Sometimes the prize is blatant as with the[br]Standard Hero Reward

0:04:06.079,0:04:08.070
in which a king will give his[br]daughter to the hero.

0:04:11.360,0:04:15.099
On other occasions, it’s taken a step further[br]by employing the parallel

0:04:15.099,0:04:19.974
Sex of Victory or Rescue Sex trope.[br]Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is:

0:04:19.974,0:04:23.912
instead of a kiss, sex with the rescued[br]victim is the player’s reward.

0:04:23.912,0:04:27.553
“That was gonna get ugly. You saved us!”

0:04:27.553,0:04:29.160
“My pleasure, ladies.”

0:04:29.160,0:04:33.992
“Thank you, thank you. Thank you.”

0:04:37.812,0:04:42.963
“You saved my life. A bit of joy as[br]recumpence is not too much to ask.”

0:04:44.513,0:04:49.700
“I’m intrigued. It’s been a tough day.[br]I think some joy might do me good.”

0:04:49.700,0:04:52.758
(Moaning)

0:04:53.138,0:04:56.170
We’ve coined the Women as Reward trope[br]to describe a long-running pattern

0:04:56.170,0:04:58.490
found in interactive media.

0:04:58.490,0:05:01.115
It occurs when women[br]or more often women’s bodies

0:05:01.115,0:05:04.221
are employed as rewards for[br]player actions in video games.

0:05:04.221,0:05:09.012
The trope frames female bodies as[br]collectible, as tractable or as consumable

0:05:09.012,0:05:10.792
and positions women as status symbols

0:05:10.792,0:05:15.093
designed to validate the masculinity[br]of presumed straight male players.

0:05:15.093,0:05:18.698
There’s some overlap between the[br]Damsel in Distress and Women as Reward

0:05:18.698,0:05:20.458
but they function differently.

0:05:20.458,0:05:22.689
While the Damsel in Distress[br]trope uses women

0:05:22.689,0:05:24.958
as a plot device to motivate male heroes,

0:05:24.958,0:05:28.863
the Women as Reward trope presents women[br]as a formalized reward mechanism,

0:05:28.863,0:05:32.978
meaning that the reward is coded[br]into the game system itself.

0:05:32.978,0:05:36.041
The result of this incentive structure is[br]that access to women’s bodies,

0:05:36.041,0:05:41.008
women’s affection or women’s sexuality is[br]reduced to a simple equation that guarantees

0:05:41.008,0:05:45.235
delivery as long as the correct set of[br]inputs are entered into the system.

0:05:45.235,0:05:48.952
In this way the Women as Reward trope[br]helps foster a sense of entitlement

0:05:48.952,0:05:52.578
where players are encouraged to view women[br]as something they’ve earned the right to

0:05:52.578,0:05:56.057
by virtue of their gaming actions,[br]skills or accomplishments.

0:05:56.057,0:05:59.752
This is illustrated in arcade classics[br]like Joe and Mac

0:05:59.752,0:06:01.420
and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

0:06:04.450,0:06:06.513
after players save the damsel[br]in both games,

0:06:06.513,0:06:10.363
she will bestow a kiss on the character[br]who earned the most points on that stage.

0:06:11.253,0:06:12.959
“I owe you one.”

0:06:15.199,0:06:19.083
Entitlement to women is made even more[br]explicit in many versions of Double Dragon.

0:06:19.083,0:06:22.220
At the end of the game, after the[br]final boss has been defeated

0:06:22.220,0:06:26.288
and the damsel in distress saved, player[br]one and player two must fight each other

0:06:26.288,0:06:30.540
over who “gets” to “have” Marian and[br]with her, the smooch of victory.

0:06:36.980,0:06:41.153
Notice that Marian’s desires are not part[br]of the equation, she has no say in the matter

0:06:41.153,0:06:45.914
she simply fills the role of a trophy for[br]whichever player is ultimately victorious.

0:06:46.434,0:06:49.040
This scene serves as inspiration[br]for similar scenarios

0:06:49.040,0:06:51.404
in more contemporary games[br]like Castle Crashers.

0:06:56.794,0:07:00.809
We’ve identified 6 primary ways the Women[br]as Reward trope manifests in video games.

0:07:00.809,0:07:04.099
Over the course of this episode[br]we will examine each in turn.

0:07:04.099,0:07:08.058
In addition to the “earned cinematics”[br]we’ve already discussed, we will cover

0:07:08.058,0:07:11.306
the trope as it relates to[br]Easter Eggs, Unlockable Costumes,

0:07:11.306,0:07:14.496
Experience Points, Collectibles,[br]and Achievements.

0:07:15.676,0:07:18.295
Easter Eggs are intentionally[br]hidden secrets or jokes

0:07:18.295,0:07:20.610
which developers conceal[br]inside of their games.

0:07:20.610,0:07:22.661
Like the eggs at a[br]children’s easter egg hunt,

0:07:22.661,0:07:26.273
these secrets are usually difficult to find[br]but are meant to be discovered as rewards

0:07:26.273,0:07:28.761
for particularly industrious gamers.

0:07:28.761,0:07:32.471
Easter Eggs can be hidden messages, items,[br]secret characters or random events,

0:07:32.471,0:07:36.169
and their inclusion encourages[br]experimentation with the game’s systems

0:07:36.169,0:07:38.961
and mechanics in order to[br]uncover these extra treasures.

0:07:38.961,0:07:41.313
Some can be found[br]inside game environments,

0:07:41.313,0:07:43.709
while others require a[br]cheat code to unlock.

0:07:43.709,0:07:46.938
For example, if players input a specific[br]button sequence while starting up

0:07:46.938,0:07:51.583
the 1991 role-playing game Rings of Power[br]the title screen would change.

0:07:51.583,0:07:55.071
By pressing down, right, A, B, C and the[br]start button, players were rewarded

0:07:55.071,0:07:58.769
with an image of a topless woman[br]next to the Naughty Dog logo.

0:07:58.769,0:08:01.769
Easter eggs are, of course,[br]not inherently problematic,

0:08:01.769,0:08:05.060
and gaming history is filled with[br]examples of neat secrets

0:08:05.060,0:08:07.528
that designers have hidden[br]away for players to discover.

0:08:07.528,0:08:10.351
But too frequently, Easter eggs[br]are used as another way

0:08:10.351,0:08:13.081
to reward players with women’s bodies.

0:08:13.081,0:08:17.213
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 included a secret[br]unlockable character named Daisy,

0:08:17.213,0:08:20.265
who bore the likeness of[br]porn star Jenna Jameson.

0:08:21.725,0:08:24.544
Daisy’s sexualized appearance and[br]skateboard tricks are designed as a reward

0:08:24.544,0:08:27.132
for those players who unlocked her.

0:08:30.582,0:08:37.178
One way to do that is[br]by entering this code

0:08:40.398,0:08:43.406
Probably one of the most famous[br]Women as Reward easter eggs

0:08:43.406,0:08:45.280
brings us back to Samus Aran.

0:08:45.290,0:08:48.072
The original Metroid used a password[br]system to save progress.

0:08:48.072,0:08:51.312
By inputting the secret code[br]“Justin Bailey” into this system,

0:08:51.312,0:08:54.708
gamers would unlock a powered-up[br]playable version of Samus

0:08:54.708,0:08:57.781
wearing only her[br]leotard-style bathing suit.

0:08:59.321,0:09:03.221
Incidentally this is the same outfit we[br]covered earlier as an end-game reward,

0:09:03.221,0:09:07.480
only here she has the powers of the Varia[br]Suit and its associated color pallete swap

0:09:07.480,0:09:09.708
which changes her hair color to green.

0:09:09.708,0:09:13.124
Players can then play the entire game as[br]Samus without her space armor.

0:09:13.124,0:09:15.678
So she ends up exploring[br]a hostile alien world

0:09:15.678,0:09:18.614
and fighting off deadly monsters[br]in her underwear.

0:09:20.024,0:09:23.292
“Welcome to the Hovercon intergalactic[br]hoverboard competition!”

0:09:23.292,0:09:25.694
There’s a bizarre easter egg[br]in the original Ratchet & Clank:

0:09:25.694,0:09:29.424
If the player does a series of side-flips[br]in front of a green-skinned alien,

0:09:29.424,0:09:32.029
the woman’s breasts will[br]suddenly begin to inflate.

0:09:37.239,0:09:40.549
The more gymnastics stunts performed,[br]the larger her boobs will become.

0:09:44.779,0:09:48.850
There are so many Women as Reward-style[br]easter eggs in the Metal Gear Solid series

0:09:48.850,0:09:51.764
that it would take several hours[br]to go over them all.

0:09:51.764,0:09:56.920
First released for the PlayStation in 1998[br]and then remade for the GameCube in 2004,

0:09:56.920,0:10:00.113
Metal Gear Solid featured not one[br]but two separate easter eggs

0:10:00.113,0:10:03.670
that allow players to see[br]Meryl Silverburgh in her underwear.

0:10:03.670,0:10:07.294
The second of these easter eggs requires[br]players to follow Meryl into the ladies room

0:10:07.294,0:10:10.302
and interrupt her while she is changing.[br]If this is done quickly enough

0:10:10.302,0:10:13.217
the next cutscene will play with[br]Meryl in her underwear.

0:10:17.337,0:10:21.025
“Anyway, how did you recognize me in disguise?”

0:10:21.025,0:10:23.780
“I never forget a lady”

0:10:23.780,0:10:25.667
Jumping ahead to the fourth game,

0:10:25.667,0:10:29.320
the protagonist is assigned a psychologist[br]for PTSD counseling.

0:10:29.320,0:10:32.788
During these remote sessions, if[br]players shake their Playstation controller

0:10:32.788,0:10:36.062
the psychologist’s breasts will[br]bounce and jiggle in response.

0:10:36.062,0:10:39.756
“Memories began to resurface[br]from his childhood,"

0:10:39.756,0:10:43.118
"when he fought for Solidus[br]in the Liberian Civil War.”

0:10:43.118,0:10:45.878
Keep in mind that easter eggs[br]are not accidents or glitches.

0:10:45.878,0:10:49.731
They are intentionally put into the game[br]by the designers,and as a result, indicate

0:10:49.731,0:10:53.524
the value that the designers themselves[br]place on these female characters.

0:10:53.524,0:10:56.877
They communicate to players that yes,[br]these women exist for players to exploit

0:10:56.877,0:10:59.658
or experiment with[br]for their own amusement.

0:11:00.838,0:11:04.481
Unlockable outfits are additional[br]costumes earned during gameplay

0:11:04.481,0:11:08.336
which allow gamers to play dress up with[br]player characters or party members.

0:11:08.336,0:11:11.584
Alternative “skins” as they are sometimes[br]called come in all shapes and sizes

0:11:11.584,0:11:15.260
and are typically just cosmetic changes[br]to the character’s appearance,

0:11:15.260,0:11:17.845
although sometimes they[br]add special abilities.

0:11:17.845,0:11:20.718
Many unlockable costumes[br]are cool, wacky or bizarre.

0:11:20.718,0:11:23.873
But when applied to female characters[br]we see a distinct pattern

0:11:23.873,0:11:26.830
of revealing, hypersexualized outfits.

0:11:37.700,0:11:42.558
Fetishized bunny, cat, maid or nurse[br]costumes are commonly used by developers

0:11:42.558,0:11:45.891
as a way to pander to an assumed[br]straight male player base.

0:11:45.891,0:11:48.672
It’s important to remember that[br]sexualization is not necessarily

0:11:48.672,0:11:52.191
just about the amount of skin showing,[br]but is instead connected to the question

0:11:52.191,0:11:56.776
of whether or not a costume is eroticized[br]for the express purpose of titillation.

0:11:56.776,0:11:59.826
“Hey, why were you wearing[br]that stuffy-looking suit of armor?”

0:11:59.826,0:12:04.512
“Oh? You didn’t like it? It’s pretty sturdy[br]and protects my body quite nicely...

0:12:04.512,0:12:08.866
See? Look at this beautiful skin,[br]free of bruises and blemishes!”

0:12:08.866,0:12:12.938
“Very nice… I’m actually worried[br]where my eyes might wander.”

0:12:12.938,0:12:15.299
“You don’t look all that worried to me.”

0:12:15.299,0:12:18.183
“I’ve just got a good poker face.[br]So, you’re okay?...

0:12:18.183,0:12:20.339
You don’t mind leaving your armor behind?”

0:12:20.339,0:12:24.604
“It’s sturdy, but it’s heavy. Walking[br]around with that on tires me out.”

0:12:24.604,0:12:29.517
“Hey, no complaints here. I prefer[br]eye candy to scary armor any day.”

0:12:29.517,0:12:32.752
These types of unlockable outfits[br]can be especially pernicious

0:12:32.752,0:12:34.889
since they often end up[br]undermining women who are

0:12:34.889,0:12:38.390
otherwise appropriately dressed[br]for active or professional roles.

0:12:38.390,0:12:41.885
The Resident Evil franchise has been[br]particularly guilty of this over the years.

0:12:41.885,0:12:46.250
Almost every major release in the series[br]has included the Women as Reward trope.

0:12:46.250,0:12:49.812
Resident Evil is a bit unusual in that,[br]since its beginnings in the mid 90s,

0:12:49.812,0:12:53.331
the franchise has featured a large[br]number of playable female protagonists

0:12:53.331,0:12:55.459
most of whom are skilled zombie fighters

0:12:55.459,0:12:58.622
and have impressive professional[br]resumés, to say the least.

0:12:58.622,0:13:02.904
Rebecca Chambers is a police officer and medic[br]in the Special Tactics And Rescue Service.

0:13:02.904,0:13:06.728
Players can dress her up in “sexy nurse”[br]and cheerleader costumes.

0:13:07.218,0:13:10.486
Jill Valentine is a high-ranking[br]Special Operations Agent

0:13:10.486,0:13:15.013
in the Bioterrorism Security Assessment[br]Alliance, and also the master of unlocking.

0:13:15.013,0:13:18.664
She can be placed in sexy police woman[br]and sexy pirate outfits.

0:13:19.344,0:13:22.004
Claire Redfield is a member of a[br]human rights organization

0:13:22.004,0:13:24.362
that provides aid during[br]bioterrorism incidents.

0:13:24.362,0:13:27.711
She can be turned into a[br]motorsport umbrella girl.

0:13:28.141,0:13:32.830
Sherry Birkin is a US government agent working[br]with the Division of Security Operations.

0:13:32.830,0:13:35.795
And here she’s wearing[br]a schoolgirl outfit.

0:13:36.125,0:13:40.259
Helena Harper is a Secret Service agent[br]and a former member of the CIA.

0:13:40.259,0:13:43.518
Her unlockable costumes include[br]another “sexy” police woman

0:13:43.518,0:13:46.173
complete with mini skirt and garter belt.

0:13:46.403,0:13:50.528
Sheva Alomar is an agent for the[br]Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance,

0:13:50.528,0:13:52.922
operating in the West African branch.

0:13:52.922,0:13:56.184
The tribal print bikini outfit is[br]especially disconcerting,

0:13:56.184,0:13:59.090
because it combines the sexualization[br]of a female character

0:13:59.090,0:14:02.652
with the racist tradition of[br]exotifying women of color,

0:14:02.652,0:14:04.941
particularly women of African ancestry.

0:14:04.941,0:14:07.294
More on that topic in an upcoming video.

0:14:07.294,0:14:10.920
As a reward for completing the[br]main game under specific conditions,

0:14:10.920,0:14:14.180
players gain the ability to shove these[br]female police and special agents

0:14:14.180,0:14:18.180
into the digital equivalent of those[br]patronizing “sexy” Halloween costumes

0:14:18.180,0:14:20.305
we see mass produced every year.

0:14:20.305,0:14:23.524
These ensembles are not only completely[br]inappropriate for the mission at hand,

0:14:23.524,0:14:27.119
but also reduce otherwise capable[br]characters to sexual objects

0:14:27.119,0:14:29.593
for the voyeuristic enjoyment of players.

0:14:30.993,0:14:34.342
“None of this makes any sense.[br]What did we do?”

0:14:35.412,0:14:36.892
“I wish I could tell ya.”

0:14:36.992,0:14:40.713
The latest game in the series, 2015’s[br]Resident Evil: Revelations 2

0:14:40.713,0:14:43.652
continues this condescending[br]tradition by offering DLC

0:14:43.652,0:14:46.849
that puts Claire Redfield into a[br]sexualized cowgirl outfit

0:14:46.849,0:14:50.652
and forces Moira into whatever[br]the hell that is supposed to be…?

0:14:50.652,0:14:54.996
The developers call it an[br]“urban ninja” costume?

0:14:54.996,0:14:57.556
[Sigh.]

0:14:57.556,0:14:59.889
Meanwhile, the male[br]playable character Barry

0:14:59.889,0:15:02.878
gets a gentleman’s Commandant[br]alternative costume.

0:15:02.878,0:15:05.960
Alternative costumes for men[br]are rarely objectifying.

0:15:05.960,0:15:08.803
They’re instead presented[br]as “tough guy” power fantasies

0:15:08.803,0:15:11.178
for other straight men to identify with.

0:15:11.178,0:15:13.020
And when men are stripped[br]down to their beachwear

0:15:13.020,0:15:15.792
it’s most often meant[br]as a lighthearted joke.

0:15:16.832,0:15:19.935
Shifting to an example of a game that[br]does alternative female costumes right,

0:15:19.935,0:15:25.200
Alice: Madness Returns features a wide[br]assortment of imaginative unlockable dresses.

0:15:26.500,0:15:28.909
And if you must go the[br]“bunnygirl” or “catgirl” route,

0:15:28.909,0:15:31.669
this right here is definitely[br]the way to do it.

0:15:33.049,0:15:37.017
In many games experience points,[br]or XP, are earned by completing tasks

0:15:37.017,0:15:39.370
like defeating monsters[br]or finishing quests.

0:15:39.370,0:15:42.013
Once enough experience points[br]have been accumulated

0:15:42.013,0:15:44.564
player characters can[br]periodically level up,

0:15:44.564,0:15:48.138
making them stronger or giving[br]them access to new abilities.

0:15:48.138,0:15:51.461
Unfortunately designers sometimes[br]tie the awarding of experience points

0:15:51.461,0:15:54.541
directly to sexual interactions[br]with female characters,

0:15:54.541,0:15:58.304
effectively transforming women into[br]conduits which players can utilize

0:15:58.304,0:16:01.001
to become more powerful warriors.

0:16:01.001,0:16:02.969
In the 2007 game Conan, for example,

0:16:02.969,0:16:06.198
dozens of half naked “maidens”[br]are chained up throughout the game.

0:16:06.868,0:16:09.368
“Take me and crush me with your love!”

0:16:10.308,0:16:13.768
When rescued they essentially function[br]as sexualized treasure chests

0:16:13.768,0:16:15.708
rewarding the player[br]with experience points

0:16:16.738,0:16:20.040
which are then used to unlock[br]more powerful fighting moves.

0:16:20.040,0:16:21.667
“…just a bit longer”

0:16:21.667,0:16:25.018
“We’ve reached Athens.[br]Get your things and get out.”

0:16:28.488,0:16:32.329
A number of other games tie[br]experience points directly to sex.

0:16:32.329,0:16:35.765
The God of War games, for instance,[br]established a tradition of including mini-games

0:16:35.765,0:16:39.462
that reward the player for successfully[br]having sex with one or more women.

0:16:43.412,0:16:46.792
Completing these little quick-time[br]events earn players red orbs

0:16:46.792,0:16:48.595
that are used to upgrade[br]attacks and magic.

0:16:50.085,0:16:52.811
Beginning with the 3rd game,[br]the Grand Theft Auto series

0:16:52.811,0:16:55.311
allows players to buy[br]sex from prostitutes…

0:16:55.311,0:16:56.133
“Get in the car.”

0:16:56.133,0:16:58.843
…and rewards them by[br]restoring their health meter.

0:17:00.713,0:17:03.653
In Grand Theft Auto 5, players are[br]given additional encouragement

0:17:03.653,0:17:05.718
to solicit prostitutes, in the[br]form of an increase to

0:17:05.718,0:17:10.414
their character’s stamina rating, which[br]enables those characters to sprint, swim,

0:17:10.414,0:17:13.580
or ride a bike faster for[br]longer periods of time.

0:17:14.720,0:17:18.298
Similarly, in The Witcher 3, Geralt earns[br]a handful of experience points for

0:17:18.298,0:17:22.133
buying sex from prostitutes, and he earns[br]more points for sex with the “courtesans”

0:17:22.133,0:17:26.558
in the wealthier districts than with the[br]“strumpets” in the poor parts of the city.

0:17:26.558,0:17:30.850
“Greetings to the honorable gentleman.[br]Welcome, make yourself at home...

0:17:30.850,0:17:34.671
What have you come for? We’re[br]prepared to fulfill your every whim.”

0:17:36.001,0:17:40.389
“I like you. Like how you look,[br]like how you smell.”

0:17:40.389,0:17:43.544
When women are used as sexualized[br]experience point dispensers,

0:17:43.544,0:17:46.276
the sexual scenarios are[br]themselves a reward

0:17:46.276,0:17:49.898
designed to validate the masculinity of[br]presumed straight male players.

0:17:49.898,0:17:53.949
But there’s a dual reward here: absorbing[br]these expressions of female sexuality

0:17:53.949,0:17:57.918
carries with it the ability for male[br]characters to grow stronger, faster,

0:17:57.918,0:18:01.938
and more capable, reducing the women[br]to points in a mathematical equation

0:18:01.938,0:18:05.260
that directly links the flippant[br]consumption of female sexuality

0:18:05.260,0:18:07.886
to an increase in male power.

0:18:07.886,0:18:10.416
Note that, while the consumption of[br]women makes male characters more powerful

0:18:10.416,0:18:13.280
it has nothing to do with mutual[br]relationship building.

0:18:13.280,0:18:17.478
The “relationship,” such as it is, ends[br]with sex, or rescuing the woman.

0:18:17.478,0:18:20.102
At that point, she has[br]served her purpose.

0:18:20.102,0:18:23.633
Players have reaped the benefits[br]and her value has been depleted.

0:18:23.633,0:18:28.663
Like an empty energy drink container, she[br]is simply cast aside after being consumed.

0:18:28.663,0:18:30.091
“That was nice!”

0:18:30.451,0:18:33.174
That’s hardly the only[br]problem with female NPCs

0:18:33.174,0:18:36.154
who are designed to function as[br]sexually objectified set dressing.

0:18:36.154,0:18:38.619
For more on the myriad of issues[br]with these types of characters,

0:18:38.619,0:18:42.400
see our two videos on the[br]Women as Background Decoration trope.

0:18:43.770,0:18:45.889
Collectibles are virtual[br]items placed or hidden

0:18:45.889,0:18:47.952
throughout a game[br]world for players to find.

0:18:47.952,0:18:50.244
Some collectible objects have[br]effects on gameplay,

0:18:50.244,0:18:53.410
such as boosting player stats or[br]serving as score multipliers.

0:18:53.410,0:18:56.336
Other collectibles are designed[br]simply to be accumulated

0:18:56.336,0:18:58.429
to provide a sense of accomplishment.

0:18:58.429,0:19:02.512
Once acquired, some collectibles unlock[br]concept art or other media fragments

0:19:02.512,0:19:06.411
that can be viewed later in galleries[br]selected from the game’s menu screen.

0:19:06.411,0:19:10.837
When done well, collectibles inspire[br]exploration and replayability.

0:19:10.837,0:19:13.323
However, when they’re designed to[br]function as an extension

0:19:13.323,0:19:16.778
of the Women as Reward trope, players[br]are encouraged to view women’s bodies

0:19:16.778,0:19:18.571
as souvenirs of their adventures.

0:19:19.851,0:19:22.659
In the 2010 remake of Splatterhouse[br]players are encouraged

0:19:22.659,0:19:26.124
to collect ripped-up pieces of photographs[br]of the protagonist’s girlfriend

0:19:26.124,0:19:28.174
which are strewn around each level.

0:19:31.254,0:19:33.032
Once the player pieces them together,

0:19:33.032,0:19:37.131
the completed images consist mostly of[br]private, personal sexual photos.

0:19:37.761,0:19:43.754
“I swear to God, you put this on the[br]internet, and your ass is grass, buster.”

0:19:44.384,0:19:46.080
Sometimes the Women as Reward trope

0:19:46.080,0:19:48.691
takes the form of corporate-branded[br]product placement.

0:19:48.691,0:19:52.080
For instance 2K Games officially[br]partnered with Playboy to include

0:19:52.080,0:19:56.178
50 hidden magazines scattered throughout[br]Mafia 2’s open world environment.

0:19:56.178,0:19:59.991
Once found, each collectible opens[br]to reveal vintage centerfolds

0:19:59.991,0:20:03.021
from real 1950s Playboy issues.

0:20:03.021,0:20:05.762
The discovered magazines are then[br]stored in the game’s inventory

0:20:09.422,0:20:12.837
and are available to be perused[br]at the player’s whim.

0:20:16.247,0:20:19.418
Konami’s Metal Gear Solid series[br]took this trend a step further

0:20:19.418,0:20:21.842
by actually turning pornography[br]into a weapon.

0:20:23.302,0:20:26.038
In Metal Gear Solid 4,[br]there are Playboy magazines scattered

0:20:26.038,0:20:28.473
throughout the game world[br]for players to find.

0:20:28.473,0:20:33.033
When acquired, the magazines are[br]stored in the game’s weapons inventory

0:20:33.033,0:20:36.007
alongside rifles and handguns,[br]and serve a dual purpose.

0:20:39.487,0:20:43.579
Players can look through the images at their[br]leisure, and also use them to set traps

0:20:43.579,0:20:47.584
by laying the centerfolds open on the[br]battlefield to distract enemies.

0:20:49.794,0:20:59.195
“Ooh, what’s this?[br]Heh heh heh…heh heh heh…”[br]

0:20:59.835,0:21:03.038
In the first Witcher game, players are[br]awarded “romance cards” for successfully

0:21:03.038,0:21:07.420
seducing each of over two dozen different[br]non-playable female characters.

0:21:07.420,0:21:09.653
“Let’s take our relationship further.”

0:21:09.653,0:21:12.983
“Come home with me. Let me thank you”

0:21:12.983,0:21:14.206
“Let’s go.”

0:21:15.666,0:21:19.131
Like other examples we’ve talked about,[br]these pornographic collectibles

0:21:19.131,0:21:23.547
are saved in the player’s inventory and[br]are available to be ogled at anytime.

0:21:23.547,0:21:26.210
The souvenirs function as a[br]private trophy collection,

0:21:26.210,0:21:29.578
encouraging players to view these female[br]characters as sexual conquests

0:21:29.578,0:21:34.654
and acquire as many different flavors of[br]women as possible during their playthrough.

0:21:34.654,0:21:38.250
If collectibles in the player’s inventory[br]work as a private trophy collection,

0:21:38.250,0:21:42.400
then achievements serve as a public[br]trophy case, on display for all to see.

0:21:42.400,0:21:45.432
Achievements, or trophies,[br]are meta-goal award systems

0:21:45.432,0:21:48.063
built into most popular gaming platforms.

0:21:48.063,0:21:50.956
Unlike collectibles, achievements are[br]earned through in-game actions

0:21:50.956,0:21:55.364
but awarded outside of the game environment[br]itself and have no effect on gameplay.

0:21:55.364,0:21:58.876
Some achievements are rewarded[br]for skill or completion of tasks

0:21:58.876,0:22:02.978
while others are arbitrary[br]challenges set up by developers.

0:22:02.978,0:22:06.390
“Oh, please. Are you really just[br]doing this for the achievement?...

0:22:06.390,0:22:10.649
Click a door five times? Is that all that[br]you think an achievement is worth?...

0:22:10.649,0:22:15.345
No, no, no, no, no. I can’t just give[br]these merits away for such little effort.”

0:22:15.345,0:22:19.442
These systems encourage “replayability”[br]and provide players with incentives

0:22:19.442,0:22:22.091
to spend more time inside the[br]game space experimenting

0:22:22.091,0:22:24.388
with its environments and characters.

0:22:24.388,0:22:27.698
By default, your achievements are visible[br]to anyone who views your profile

0:22:27.698,0:22:31.198
on a gaming platform and thus they allow[br]players to show off their gaming skill

0:22:31.198,0:22:33.264
or dedication to their friends.

0:22:33.264,0:22:37.522
In other words, achievements are designed[br]to function as status symbols for gamers.

0:22:37.522,0:22:40.238
A whole host of games reward[br]players with trophies for

0:22:40.238,0:22:43.095
successfully having sex with[br]one or more female characters.

0:22:43.095,0:22:46.118
A suspicious number of those[br]achievements are called “ladies man”.

0:22:46.968,0:22:53.243
(Giggling.)[br]“The Gods have truly blessed you, Kratos”

0:22:54.453,0:22:56.051
Other games in the God of War series

0:22:56.051,0:22:59.179
use a variety of euphemistic[br]naming schemes for this.

0:22:59.179,0:23:03.652
In the PS3 version of the original game[br]the trophy is titled “Rockin’ the Boat.”

0:23:06.072,0:23:10.238
In Ghost of Sparta players receive the[br]“A Hero’s Welcome” trophy

0:23:10.748,0:23:15.022
and in Chains of Olympus the award[br]is called “Two Girls One Spartan.”

0:23:15.572,0:23:18.528
“Oh, Nico! I really like you!”

0:23:18.528,0:23:22.410
Some games in the Grand Theft Auto series[br]offer achievements for bedding a “girlfriend.”

0:23:22.410,0:23:24.717
“I think she likes me.”

0:23:25.440,0:23:27.374
Just so we’re clear on[br]what’s happening here,

0:23:27.374,0:23:31.504
players are receiving a literal trophy[br]for “achieving sex” with a woman.

0:23:31.504,0:23:34.591
When games such as these award[br]players with achievements or trophies

0:23:34.591,0:23:38.174
for sexual conquests they are directly[br]reinforcing negative ways of thinking

0:23:38.174,0:23:41.436
about the dynamics between men[br]and women in our society.

0:23:41.436,0:23:45.578
By presenting sex as an end goal of men’s[br]interactions or relationships with women,

0:23:45.578,0:23:49.402
these games frame sexual encounters[br]as challenges to be overcome.

0:23:49.402,0:23:51.661
Let me emphasize that the problem here

0:23:51.661,0:23:54.194
is not necessarily that sex[br]is included in these games.

0:23:54.194,0:23:57.423
By presenting sex as a goal and[br]then presenting players

0:23:57.423,0:23:59.442
with an award for accomplishing that goal,

0:23:59.442,0:24:02.169
these achievements function[br]as a form of trophyism.

0:24:02.169,0:24:06.025
Simply put, trophyism is the tendency[br]for men to view women as objects

0:24:06.025,0:24:10.879
to be collected and displayed as status[br]symbols of their sexual prowess or virility.

0:24:10.879,0:24:13.218
These “trophy women” then[br]serve as a way for men

0:24:13.218,0:24:17.068
to assert their social status among[br]and relative to other men.

0:24:17.818,0:24:21.450
The “fame points” system in the[br]2004 version of Sid Meier’s Pirates!

0:24:21.450,0:24:23.874
provides us with a stark[br]illustration of trophyism.

0:24:26.764,0:24:30.668
In the game, romancing and then rescuing[br]any of the game’s many governors’ daughters

0:24:30.668,0:24:33.219
not only rewards your pirate with[br]the option to marry her,

0:24:33.219,0:24:35.611
but also wins him extra fame points.

0:24:39.671,0:24:43.291
The daughters are largely interchangeable;[br]they don’t even have names,

0:24:43.291,0:24:46.621
and their value as a reward is[br]tied directly to their appearance.

0:24:46.884,0:24:49.661
Courting and marrying a “plain”[br]daughter earns fewer fame points

0:24:49.661,0:24:52.782
than marrying an “attractive” one,[br]and marrying a “beautiful” daughter

0:24:52.782,0:24:55.106
earns the most points of all.

0:24:55.106,0:24:57.170
Fame points then directly[br]contribute to the social status

0:24:57.170,0:24:59.281
your character achieves[br]at the end of the game.

0:24:59.281,0:25:02.227
Depending on the amount of points accrued,[br]you could end up as anything

0:25:02.227,0:25:04.955
from a lowly pauper[br]to a powerful governor.

0:25:04.955,0:25:09.562
Other ways to earn fame points include[br]acquiring wealth and defeating rivals.

0:25:09.562,0:25:12.322
Like all your swashbuckling escapades,[br]acquiring a woman becomes

0:25:12.322,0:25:14.725
just another feather[br]in your proverbial cap,

0:25:14.725,0:25:17.892
functioning to elevate your[br]prestige and renown in society.

0:25:17.892,0:25:21.511
And since, in the game’s Xbox Live Arcade[br]release, there are achievements

0:25:21.511,0:25:23.878
for getting married, and for[br]courting governors’ daughters

0:25:23.878,0:25:26.364
from all four nations at once,[br]these accomplishments

0:25:26.364,0:25:28.361
also increase your gaming status.

0:25:28.361,0:25:31.859
Achievements on Sony Playstation[br]platforms are called “trophies”

0:25:31.859,0:25:34.918
but back when they were first introduced[br]they were called “entitlements,”

0:25:34.918,0:25:38.642
which is a fitting name for those that[br]fall into the Women as Reward trope.

0:25:38.642,0:25:41.099
Since entitlement, or more[br]specifically “male entitlement”,

0:25:41.099,0:25:43.566
is the crux of much of what we’ve[br]been discussing in this video,

0:25:43.566,0:25:47.260
let’s take a moment to define what[br]“male entitlement” actually means.

0:25:47.260,0:25:51.284
First, the word “entitlement” refers to the[br]conviction that someone deserves something,

0:25:51.284,0:25:54.172
that they are owed it,[br]that they have a right to it.

0:25:54.172,0:25:56.942
By extension, “male entitlement”[br]is the conviction

0:25:56.942,0:25:59.925
that men are owed something[br]by virtue of their gender.

0:25:59.925,0:26:03.014
It’s the belief structure that tells men they[br]deserve to have their whims catered to,

0:26:03.014,0:26:05.529
both culturally and interpersonally.

0:26:05.529,0:26:07.994
One of the most harmful aspects[br]of male entitlement

0:26:07.994,0:26:12.286
is the false belief that men have a right[br]to survey and use women’s bodies.

0:26:12.286,0:26:16.045
This mentality carries with it a[br]corresponding set of expectations

0:26:16.045,0:26:18.418
about what women should provide for men.

0:26:18.418,0:26:22.514
It’s a worldview that primarily defines[br]women’s social role as vessels of sexuality,

0:26:22.514,0:26:26.698
and men’s roles as consumers[br]or patrons of that sexuality.

0:26:26.698,0:26:29.568
Unlike access to clean water[br]or health care, which should be

0:26:29.568,0:26:32.814
considered human rights that all people[br]deserve simply for being human,

0:26:32.814,0:26:36.149
access to a woman’s affections,[br]her body or her sexuality

0:26:36.149,0:26:38.916
is not a right owed to[br]anyone, except herself.

0:26:38.916,0:26:41.563
This should be obvious, but unfortunately

0:26:41.563,0:26:45.159
male entitlement is a pervasive[br]problem in our culture today.

0:26:45.159,0:26:47.367
The male entitlement mindset[br]has a profound impact

0:26:47.367,0:26:49.854
on how men relate to[br]and interact with women.

0:26:49.854,0:26:53.182
We see it manifest whenever a man orders[br]a woman to show him her “tits”,

0:26:53.182,0:26:55.810
or makes demands during an online game

0:26:55.810,0:26:58.071
that a woman send him[br]nude or sexual photos.

0:26:58.071,0:27:01.705
We see it in real-world spaces whenever[br]men catcall women on the street.

0:27:01.705,0:27:05.436
We see it whenever a man gropes a[br]woman at an event or convention.

0:27:05.436,0:27:10.131
We see it whenever a man expects sex[br]in return for buying a woman dinner.

0:27:10.131,0:27:14.057
At its most serious, male entitlement is[br]the mentality that serves as the foundation

0:27:14.057,0:27:18.392
for the epidemics of date rape[br]and sexual assault in our society.

0:27:18.392,0:27:21.941
To be clear, this doesn’t mean that[br]every individual man consciously thinks

0:27:21.941,0:27:25.461
that he has a right to the body[br]of every individual woman he sees.

0:27:25.461,0:27:28.285
Rather, male entitlement operates[br]in the background of our culture;

0:27:28.285,0:27:32.222
it’s a socially constructed mentality[br]that is so deeply ingrained

0:27:32.222,0:27:36.085
that it’s often invisible, operating as[br]an unquestioned base assumption.

0:27:36.085,0:27:38.306
The critical thing to[br]remember here is that

0:27:38.306,0:27:41.795
men are not born with this sense of[br]entitlement; it’s a learned way of thinking

0:27:41.795,0:27:45.155
that shapes the ways men[br]relate to women and women’s bodies.

0:27:45.525,0:27:47.275
"Fantastic!"

0:27:47.815,0:27:50.950
This attitude is taught through[br]a complex socialization process

0:27:50.950,0:27:53.443
impacted by a whole host of factors.

0:27:53.443,0:27:56.810
Families, religions, peer groups,[br]movies, pop-music,

0:27:56.810,0:28:00.157
mainstream pornography and[br]video games can all play a part

0:28:00.157,0:28:03.072
in the construction and[br]perpetuation of this mentality.

0:28:03.118,0:28:05.799
So of course video games[br]on their own are not responsible

0:28:05.799,0:28:08.599
for singlehandedly creating[br]“male entitlement”; however,

0:28:08.599,0:28:11.750
because games are interactive[br]systems, they can be programmed

0:28:11.750,0:28:16.552
to reinforce male entitlement in some unique[br]ways not found in other forms of media.

0:28:26.802,0:28:30.272
For instance in Asura’s Wrath, when the[br]player stares at a maiden’s breasts,

0:28:30.272,0:28:33.677
she’ll try to cover herself up.[br]But if the player keeps staring

0:28:33.677,0:28:36.581
they will unlock an achievement[br]called “View of the Valley”.

0:28:42.861,0:28:45.678
Similarly, in Lollipop Chainsaw[br]the player can unlock the

0:28:45.678,0:28:49.568
“I swear! I did it by mistake!”[br]achievement for using the game-camera

0:28:49.568,0:28:52.875
to look up Juliette’s skirt for[br]an extended period of time

0:28:52.875,0:28:56.062
despite her coy efforts to[br]block players from doing so.

0:29:03.782,0:29:06.303
The “Casanova” achievement in[br]The Saboteur can be unlocked

0:29:06.303,0:29:10.258
for utilizing a mechanic in which players[br]kiss 50 random women on the street

0:29:10.258,0:29:14.449
without their consent as a form of[br]camouflage to evade pursuing Nazis.

0:29:16.319,0:29:18.387
“That’s what I’m looking for.”

0:29:24.077,0:29:26.463
These achievements are[br]directly rewarding players

0:29:26.463,0:29:29.814
for in-game behavior that[br]amounts to sexual harassment.

0:29:29.814,0:29:32.462
Players are actively being encouraged[br]to think of women’s bodies

0:29:32.462,0:29:35.307
as something they are[br]entitled to interact with.

0:29:35.307,0:29:38.678
That fact, in and of itself, is troubling[br]but it’s just another example

0:29:38.678,0:29:41.326
of the core problem with[br]the Women as Reward trope.

0:29:41.326,0:29:44.698
Game systems are designed to provide[br]feedback mechanisms that either

0:29:44.698,0:29:48.556
punish or reward players for the ways they[br]interact with virtual environments.

0:29:48.556,0:29:52.183
Because video games are constructed[br]around these formal input/output systems,

0:29:52.183,0:29:56.172
they can be an especially powerful tool[br]for reinforcing cognitive patterns

0:29:56.172,0:29:58.617
by modeling and rewarding[br]player behavior.

0:29:59.867,0:30:03.258
In a game, you’re not just watching someone[br]else being rewarded with a woman.

0:30:03.258,0:30:06.451
You, the player, are earning a[br]woman as a reward yourself

0:30:06.451,0:30:08.628
for the actions you[br]yourself have performed.

0:30:09.548,0:30:11.570
Players make the correct[br]inputs into the game;

0:30:11.570,0:30:14.945
a woman’s affection or her body[br]is the corresponding output.

0:30:17.415,0:30:20.999
Players go through the process of saving[br]the princess, and the game’s algorithm

0:30:20.999,0:30:24.455
dutifully rewards them with what they think[br]they are rightfully owed for doing so:

0:30:26.095,0:30:29.484
whether it be a kiss,[br]a girlfriend, or sexual attention.

0:30:35.224,0:30:39.026
Social science indicates that one of the[br]primary ways we learn about the world

0:30:39.026,0:30:40.594
and our relationships to each other,

0:30:40.594,0:30:43.982
is through a process of[br]observation and imitation.

0:30:43.982,0:30:47.086
Human beings also learn by[br]seeing something modeled for us,

0:30:47.086,0:30:51.502
especially when the modeled actions are[br]accompanied by rewards or punishments.

0:30:51.502,0:30:55.703
Video games are uniquely positioned to provide[br]experiences that do all of these things,

0:30:55.703,0:30:59.454
because in most games, the player[br]occupies both the role of participant,

0:30:59.454,0:31:02.907
and the role of spectator[br]to their own actions.

0:31:02.907,0:31:05.103
In this way the women as[br]reward trope in video games

0:31:05.103,0:31:06.993
becomes a mechanism through[br]which male entitlement

0:31:06.993,0:31:10.091
is taught and reinforced[br]in our wider culture.

0:31:10.091,0:31:12.942
Cognitively, it’s strikingly[br]similar to the expectation

0:31:12.942,0:31:16.845
that if a man buys a woman a[br]few drinks, then he is owed sex.

0:31:16.845,0:31:20.040
The money and time for the alcohol[br]and conversation are the inputs,

0:31:20.040,0:31:22.474
the sexual gratification is the output.

0:31:23.204,0:31:25.931
When men’s entitlement-based[br]expectations are not fulfilled

0:31:25.931,0:31:30.060
they sometimes lash out in resentment[br]or aggression towards women.

0:31:30.060,0:31:34.016
This is clearly illustrated in the[br]catcalling scenarios I mentioned earlier:

0:31:34.016,0:31:37.890
street harassers feel entitled to[br]women’s time and women’s attention.

0:31:37.890,0:31:40.472
If they don’t get the response they[br]feel they are owed, they can become

0:31:40.472,0:31:44.618
increasingly angry, following their targets,[br]insulting them, groping them,

0:31:44.618,0:31:48.638
or otherwise aggressively[br]demanding to be acknowledged.

0:31:48.638,0:31:51.337
In the gaming community, we see[br]this entitlement-fueled outrage

0:31:51.337,0:31:54.226
bubble to the surface when some[br]gamers encounter indications

0:31:54.226,0:31:57.758
that games aren’t made exclusively[br]with their fantasies in mind.

0:31:57.758,0:32:01.550
Angry public temper tantrums from straight[br]male players have occurred when

0:32:01.550,0:32:05.165
role-playing games have forced them[br]to interact with gay male characters,

0:32:05.165,0:32:06.961
or presented them with lesbian characters

0:32:06.961,0:32:10.505
who were not available as[br]romance options to male avatars.

0:32:10.505,0:32:13.567
Angry backlash from straight[br]male players also materializes when

0:32:13.567,0:32:17.848
Western releases of Japanese games place[br]women in slightly less revealing outfits,

0:32:17.848,0:32:22.290
or increase the age of young[br]sexualized female characters to 18.

0:32:22.290,0:32:25.082
In the same vein, when presented[br]with critical analyses of the

0:32:25.082,0:32:27.907
poor representations of women[br]in many popular games,

0:32:27.907,0:32:32.850
this intense male entitlement manifests[br]in aggression, abuse and threats.

0:32:33.560,0:32:36.803
As we’ve demonstrated in this episode,[br]the Women as Reward trope

0:32:36.803,0:32:40.681
is set up to fulfill a very specific[br]male entitlement-oriented fantasy.

0:32:40.681,0:32:44.214
In many cases game creators may[br]not even realize their mechanics

0:32:44.214,0:32:46.606
are working to cement this[br]mentality, but when games use

0:32:46.606,0:32:50.977
a woman’s affection, her body, or her[br]sexuality as a carrot on a stick,

0:32:50.977,0:32:52.494
they’re actively encouraging men

0:32:52.494,0:32:55.961
to think of women as objects,[br]prizes, and status symbols.

0:32:55.961,0:32:57.993
And it’s not just men who are affected.

0:32:57.993,0:33:02.033
This ideology of male entitlement[br]seeps into the wider social consciousness

0:33:02.033,0:33:06.099
of everyone, regardless of gender, a[br]byproduct of which can negatively impact

0:33:06.099,0:33:08.757
the ways women relate to[br]one another and the ways

0:33:08.757,0:33:12.876
we think about our relationships to our[br]own bodies, and our own sexuality.

0:33:12.876,0:33:15.919
The good news is that because male[br]entitlement is a learned attitude,

0:33:15.919,0:33:19.570
it can, through education and[br]conscious effort, be unlearned.

0:33:19.570,0:33:23.701
And game systems are capable of[br]being part of that transformative process.

0:33:23.701,0:33:27.643
Just as their interactivity makes them a[br]powerful tool for reinforcing male entitlement,

0:33:27.643,0:33:32.228
so too could that interactivity be harnessed[br]to disrupt antiquated gender dynamics

0:33:32.228,0:33:35.791
and engage us with game mechanics[br]that explore more equitable interactions

0:33:35.791,0:33:37.794
between people of all genders.