Dissecting Smite #1: Oversexualization, Stereotyping, Double-Standards, and Other Misogyny in Smite

As Genocide says, let's get back on track and talk about a REAL comment(s).


Dacoqrs, no offense, but nurisea is right.

Firstly, she has a point about the whole paying attention to the game vs message thing. I mean, it's easy to just glance over it, isn't it? Raising awareness and making people confront, rather than avoid, the messages in this game was part of the reason why I made this, after all. (And I repeat: I wrote my first argument with TT about this way, way, way back when I was a die hard Smite fan trying to get into Platinum while writing tons of guides. If I can notice it, so can you.)

Like, I get that you're trying to speak for the people who don't notice it, but really, reexamine those you're trying to defend. Is it really...good (not talking about accountability) that they ignore it? I said myself that the general apathy is part of the problem.

Second, your knee-jerk reaction to her post should be toned down. Insulting someone because you were angry at the contents of their post is like the inverse of ad hominem. You seem to think that there's no real basis to her words, so I'll go over them.

This is frankly true.

When we see men sexualized (over or not), we usually see them doing something badass or cool or awesome. We see this all the time in shows like Supernatural, shirtless scenes in movies, etc. Yeah, they're sexualized, but they're sexualized in a way that emphasizes their power, their strength, their badassery, etc.

When we see women sexualized, well...ironically, this is the exact opposite problem as the overseuxalization in Smite: The diversity is a problem. (Actually, inverse would be better than opposite.)

Some sexualized women are shown as intimidating. Some are shown as weak, some are shown as homely, some are shown as artificial, some are shown as disgusting, some are shown as beautiful. Blah blah blah, yeah. Men are just shown as dominant or powerful, most of the time.

Now, let's me ask you a question: Why aren't men's sexualization equally diverse? My theory is based on the fact that men, sadly, compose the majority of producers and directors of Hollywood and other media. And so, I say, when we see women, it's usually to fulfill one specific fetish, or rarely (getting more common, true), shown to be just as awesome as men are. And for the other part, frankly, men want to be seen as powerful and cool and all that jazz, so since they're the majority, they get to pick and choose most of the time.

When have you last seen a man doing some kind of sexual act to debase himself or otherwise show how weak he is? When men make advances, they'll usually thawing the Ice Queen (Avatar) or doing it in the name of good (James Bond) or just, you know, "being men." (Iron Man)

When you usually see a women in relation to sex, she's seducing someone as an antagonist (Sin City), being seduced (Witcher), being seduced for her own good (Mass Effect) (oh, and being seduced is the only way, naturally), or frankly, being seen as unfaithful or wrong (Assassin's Creed), or DEAD (The Disposable Prostitute/Death by Sex Trope). There are a lot of tropes about this.

Especially when it's the only opportunity to change.

I'll say this as support: Culture, and by extension Video Game Culture, only changes when people actively go for it. Not just in feminism, like the tons of examples I showed in my reply to Zanestorm, but for things like racism (Just look up Punch-Out!!), music (ELECTRONIC and weird choruses versus the good old fashioned poppy beats), etc etc.

The more serious the issue, generally speaking, the more active-ness is needed to change. Things like music or art direction (like that weird cel-shading movement, or that weird fascination with retro everything) can usually happen by itself (or a groundbreaking game being followed). But for bigger issues, you need a bigger push to break the cycle, to recycle a metaphor.

Sexism in gaming is a big enough issue where multiple Feminist movements STILL haven't stopped the oversexualization or double standards in gaming. It's a big issue. Maybe not the biggest, but not the smallest, and I pray to god, Dacoqrs, that you won't be like Zanestorm and say it's a small issue that isn't a problem.

How are you disputing this?

It's as simple as "sex sells" and "women don't have much control over many artistic industries."

Yeah, sometimes "sex sells" is used with men, but it's done with women way more often, and there's a difference between men's and women's sexualization, as explained above.

I don't see any valid points. The only point was accusing her of being a pretentious arrogant condescending femnazi. I don't care if the last term wasn't exactly what you said, it was clearly what you meant, or something close to it.

You scoff at the idea of a "patriarchy." You know that the definition of an anything-archy is what rules something? Frankly, there are more men in any form of media-dispensing thing than women in pretty much everything, which means, yes, men are mostly in control of our media. But the problem is is that "mostly-patriarchy" doesn't sound good, and "patriarchy" isn't 100% accurate.

Maybe even the word "control" isn't accurate. Maybe it is. Whatever.

The POINT is that yes, there is a patriarchy. Just look past the dramatic-sounding title to see what the word fundamentally means.

If you don't believe me, just google how many writers/scriptwriters/artists/directors/etc are women, percent-wise. The numbers don't lie. And please, don't say something like "women get more influence over men, so the actual balance is more even than you think."

Oh, and: In feminist theory the concept of patriarchy is fluid and loosely defined. It's also known to be called sexism or misogyny.

That is a good question.

Sub, you already posted that.

I am utterly pissed off at this guy. Do you know what he just said to me? Am I the only one on this entire forum who can see through his ********?

So, in other words, you're calling studies from PHDs to be worthless.


Remember this?



Shut. Your. Mouth.

So in other words, my sources aren't good enough. PHDs aren't good enough.

Here's the funny part.

According to Zanestorm, I DIDN'T prove my point with studies from PHDs.

According to Zanestorm, Zanestorm DISPROVED my studies because he's that special and his analysis is so good.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH

After all of his comments about bias, Zanestorm says that his opinion, with no sources, is more valid than my own actual sources.

So, in other words, sources with PHDs are useless.

Guys. I hate having to analyze his ******** point by point, so I'll make it real simple.

Zanestorm said my entire post was worthless because my source isn't good enough. Because PHDs aren't good enough, said the supposed student of religion and rituals.

Zanestorm called my entire post worthless, because my sources aren't valid, because PHDs aren't good enough.

I'll point this out again. If PHDs aren't good enough, what is? And who the **** are you to question PHDs? Are you God?

The thing Zanestorm wants to avoid, is that I ALREADY PROVED MY POINT. ANY REASONABLE PERSON CAN SEE THAT.

And that Zanestorm CAN'T DISPROVE IT. So instead of supporting his own point, he just keeps screaming, "YOUR SOURCE IS INVALID! YOUR SOURCE IS INVALID! BIAS! BIAS!"

Why are you people even supporting him? I repeat: He says that my sources, and Nex's, and Chuilin's, are all worthless. Because even PHDs aren't good enough.

Meanwhile, he sits back and says that he doesn't have to prove anything, because he already proved that my sources are worthless. Because he's so smart and gay and talented and a genuine pagan.

Dacoqrs. Be honest, here. Be honest and ****ing say that I'm better than him. I want you to ****ing say it.

I'm tired of this guy's ********, I'm tired of all the HATE SUB YOU TOXIC **** YOU ********, I'm tired of how none of my haters complained about Zanestorm's insults or said it was out of line like they do to me, I'm tired of how Dacoqrs ****ing said I was just like him only with more insults, and I'm ****ing tired of Zanestorm being on this ****ing thread and repeating the same ******** over and over and how no one else can see through it, or even tries.

I'm am so ****ing tired of this site. You know that? I'm just so tired of how I can't say one "idiot" before people call me a toxic homophobic bastard (TT got your report, *******). I'm tired of being mobbed every ****ing time I make my point. I'm tired of how any point against me gives the guy five ****ing rep! I'm tired of how no matter how calm I am, how polite I am, how thorough I am, how much I'm patient, how much I do things one step at a time, piece by piece, collecting my arguments, dissecting Zanestorm's argument...

People like Zanestorm and HolyPudding and _angrytoast and all those ****s just judge me without even reading it. I spend hours on this ****ing thread, and in the end, one idiot blathers on with pure ********, judging me, and all of my haters instantly snap on and say, GIVE THIS GUY A REP! AHAHAHAHA HE COUNTERED AND DESTROYED AND RUINED YOUR ARGUMENT! YOU SUCK SUB! **** YOU SUB! GO DIE IN A FIRE SUB!

AND THE WORST PART IS, THEY DON'T EVEN READ ZANESTORM'S POST! They either hate me so much that they say he destroyed my argument without even ****ing reading it, or they honestly think his mound of **** destroyed by argument.

I'm ****ing tired! **** you! I have the right to say it, too! **** you all! **** you all who just blindly hate me, or are too intimidated to prideful to say how Zane's spewing ****!

Sub, while I do see what you mean, I advise you to calm down a bit before **** goes extremely downhill and mods have to lock a thread that can serve for good discussion.

Say you're better than him?

Better? Is this what this is all about?

Sub, this argument has gone from a talk about sexualization in Smite to a **** measuring contest.

You both have your points, and you both have your downfalls. Can't you let it at that, both of you?

**** measuring contest.

I don't think you understand anything.

ZANESTORM TURNED IT INTO A **** MEASURING CONTEST. HE IS THE ONE WHO KEEPS SCREAMING ABOUT HOW IM NOT GOOD ENOUGH! HOW MY SOURCES ARENT GOOD ENOUGH! HOW HIS SOURCES AND HIS CREDIBILITY IS SO MUCH BETTER!

And now, you want me to back off? You want us to agree to disagree? That Zanestorm can just scream and rant and talk about how he's so good, while I try to actually prove my point, and I have to just give up? Act like it's the same?

No. No. No. NO. NO! NO! NO!

I want you to stop sitting on the ******** fence and pretend to be some neutral arbiter. Are you honestly saying that I'm the same as him, or better?

Yeah, I have my problems. I have downfalls, or whatever. And so does Zanestorm.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not better than him. Or else everyone would be the same. Hitler has his good points. He was kind to his secretaries. Ghandi was probably a **** to someone once in his life.

Yes, this is about better. Yes, this is a **** measuring contest. I never wanted it to be, but that's what it is now, because discussion is impossible right now. As long as Zanestorm and I are stalemated into him complaining that I have no sources and me pointing out that I do have sources, this thread, and all threads like it, will die.

I want you to end this madness. I want you to just go and say that I'm better, that I've proved my facts better, that I have the better argument and that I'm a better debater and that Zanestorm's argumenta suck.

Because the world is mostly in greys, but some shades of grey have sharper contrasts to others. And I refuse to be put in the same ****ing color group as Zanestorm, when he turned it into a battle of contrasts in the first place.

I refuse to say that either one of you are better, because that would encourage more **** measuring contests, which are unacceptable.

No one's better than anyone, we're all members of the site. Please be respectful of fellow members. That goes for everyone - I'm not criticizing any one member here, but all as a whole. This is one of those Smite topics that end up very divisive; people either think it's sexualized or it's not, and that's ok. But don't get too toxic over it.

Thanks Raventhor.

okay, i have barely kept up with this thread for the last few pages.

zanestorm. if studies are shown to you and you write them off for the possiblity that they are wrong that you can litterly never be argued with, if others have provided multiple sources that all end up coming to the same coclusion that should be taken as evidence.

if you dont come with your own that you have very simply lost the arguement.

if that is how that entire feud went then that is how it should end. (IF)

sub, do you remember what you told me a few days ago? please try to keep your self to that as well.

a **** messuring contest can be stopped by a judge or the masses who say it has to stop, one would end it, the second would leave it unsolved but would move on, here is the thing, that unsolved thing is going to try to bite multiple people in the *** when they walk away from it.