On Monday, Anita Sarkeesian posted the latest installment of her Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games series on YouTube, a half-hour examination of the ways in which video game makers use sexualized violence against women as a cheap way to spice up their narratives and appeal to straight male gamers.
Her tone was measured, her analysis clear and logical and supported by dozens of clips from a wide assortment of games.
Late Tuesday night, this happened:
Some very scary threats have just been made against me and my family. Contacting authorities now.
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) August 27, 2014
I’m safe. Authorities have been notified. Staying with friends tonight. I’m not giving up. But this harassment of women in tech must stop!
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) August 27, 2014
That’s right: Sarkeesian was forced to leave her home due to violent threats against her and her family … because she made a YouTube video analyzing violence against women in video games.
She then posted some of the threats she had gotten from a Twitter account set up specifically to harass and threaten her and her family. [TRIGGER WARNING for graphic rape and death threats.]
I usually don’t share the really scary stuff. But it’s important for folks to know how bad it gets [TRIGGER WARNING] pic.twitter.com/u6b3i0fysI
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) August 27, 2014
For a larger version of the screenshot, see here.
Sarkeesian has also been tweeting some of the other threats she gets on a daily basis from anonymous gamers who are incensed that a woman has anything critical to say about their precious video games.
It’s especially amusing that this misogyny laced email is unironically signed “See you soon m'lady. *tips fedora*” pic.twitter.com/rLk3CvoxXV
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) July 15, 2014
https://twitter.com/femfreq/status/504437681527353344/photo/1
I get so many emails like this I could publish a coffee table book full of them. pic.twitter.com/qMoYOtV9tT
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) July 15, 2014
Unfortunately, this is an all too typical twitter response to my observations about video games. #E32014 pic.twitter.com/aWmwtQZLnm
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) June 9, 2014
You’ll notice that several of these threatening comments mention videos by Thunderf00t, a “skeptic” videoblogger best known, at least in the corner of the internet I write about, for a series of videos in which he viciously attacks some of the women who’ve drawn the most internet hate from angry misogynists – from skeptics like Rebecca Watson and Melody Hensley to video game maker Zoe Quinn and video game critic Sarkeesian.
Thunderf00t’s attacks have won him kudos from assorted Men’s Rights activists, from the regulars on the Men’s Rights subreddit to A Voice for Men “operations manager” Dean Esmay, who has praised his videos and urged other MRAs to subscribe to them.
In other words, the harassment of feminist women on the internet is directly linked to antifeminist propagandists like Thunderf00t – and his MRA fans and enablers.
The constant, vicious, personal attacks on Sarkeesian you see not only in video game circles but from Men’s Rights Activists – on Reddit, on A Voice for Men, on YouTube, and so on – have helped to create a hostile environment in which critiques of sexism in games result in real-world death and rape threats against women. This has an undeniably chilling effect on the free speech of women. That in fact is the intent of the harassers.
Margaret Atwood once famously observed that
Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.
I think we need an internet corollary to Atwood’s observation:
Men posting on the internet are afraid that women will block them. Women are afraid that men will treat them like Anita Sarkeesian.
Thing is, Sarkeesian keeps moving forward, diligently researching and putting forth the videos she promised she would. All the huffing and puffing of her critics and attackers hasn’t shut her up. Each new video she puts out is a testament to her courage and her perseverance. Each new video is a blow against those who would shut women up. Each new video helps to inspire others who’ve gotten similar threats to continue speaking up and speaking out.
Supporting Sarkeesian helps to support every woman who wants to be able to speak out online without fear of violent threats. There’s no better proof of this than how angry the biggest misogynistic bullies get whenever feminists and other people of good conscience rally around her. The bullies are still angry about the money she raised via kickstarter, money that has enabled her to bring a new professionalism to her videos.
Hell, AVFM Bully-in-chief Paul Elam is still so angry about this that he’s already accusing her of “damseling for dollars,” collecting “gash-cash” because of these latest Twitter threats. Indeed, in a post that’s a lot more revealing than he intends it to be, he complains bitterly that she’s getting bigger donations than he is:
I am jealous. I have had half the major media in a couple of countries disingenuously and maliciously demonize me. Even after forcing some retractions I bet I got more threats than Sarkeesian.
My reward? Jack shit.
Maybe it was because I didn’t swoon hard enough or treat the threats like they were tickets to Disneyworld.
Oh, don’t be modest, Paul. You take in tens of thousands every year by pretending to be some sort of human rights generalissimo. You raked in $35,000 this summer by trumpeting “threats” that you were saying privately were phony.
While Elam “damsels” and fumes, Sarkeesian simply goes about doing the job she set out to do. Each video she puts out is yet another “fuck you” to her haters, and they know it.
U mad bros?
Here’s the video that caused all the stir. It’s well worth watching. CONTENT WARNING: Graphic violence against women.
Neither Johnny Cash (I’m also a fan, BTW) nor his estate need you to defend them or be insulted for them. Most critiques of his music are not attacking you personally. So stop thinking that.
I don’t thank that. I was more trying to illustrate a point from something I do love (as I don’t really love videogames). Certainly, I am not the type to be spouting rape threats and getting all angry because someone says something mean about Johnny Cash. But I’m not all people, and lots of people get very defensive and emotional about things they love. It’s not limited to art – sports, political parties, religion, countries, etc. etc. – when people feel like something they hold dear is being misrepresented or attacked, they can tend to get defensive and emotional about the subject. I don’t think this is something that is going away.
Hi, not a gamer* here, but someone who realizes that these tropes are something important to be aware of. I have been tangentially aware of some of these (mostly the GTA games) but never really thought about the damsel in distress trope till I saw the first AS video. I was also unaware of the damsel in the fridge trope. Whoa, yuck! Why is this a thing??
My problematic media fave is The Big Bang Theory which frequently makes me cringe. But I really love how so many of the former “Roseanne” show alums work so neatly together. Plus, Garfunkel and Oates! (both have appeared, as in)
Kittehs, sock knitting is a breeze once you get a feel for how to divide the stitches and get that first round attached. That’s just a matter of practice. Or, you could just get a pair of circular needles, which I may have to try sometime. It’s just that I came to posses about ten sets of double pointed needles, all sock sized and I don’t see the point (heh) of buying more sock needles. I also have WAY more sock yarn than I can possibly knit in my lifetime.
*unless you count Maj-Jhongg and Solitiare. But I do find reading about video games strangely fascinating even though I don’t really want to play. I particularly like Jason Thibeault (Lousy Canuck at FTB).
Um, Edward, do you want to make Anita stop posting? Do you want her to consult you before she expresses anything in her own web series? Art criticism is subjective. Everyone brings their own personal baggage into it. And you know what? Artists and creators of games, films and other works of art bring their baggage into their creations.
“…and a series without joy and without making a great point isn’t something I get excited about.”
That’s fine. That’s how you feel about Anita’s series. But some people don’t. In fact, they feel the opposite. Is that OK with you? Or do you think they need your permission to like her work. We already heard how you feel about it. Are you waiting for someone to appease you? Do you want confirmation that your opinion should be validated more than Anita’s? I’m not sure what you want.
Her latest video was grim and serious. And it wasn’t because there was violence. It was because that violence was supposed to just be in the background, out of the focus of the main game, and it was sexualized violence, violence specific to the victim being a woman.
Video games themselves have already been deconstructing the “kill all the mooks” thing. Look at Spec Ops: The Line. Anita is focused on tropes vs women, though, so I don’t see how it is hollow to bring it up. Again, remember it’s not simply “violence against women,” it’s sexualized violence perpetrated in the background used to develop male characters or the environment, usually with the game either preventing the player from stopping it or encouraging the player to participate.
There is a huge difference between shooting a male enemy that is trying to kill you and tying up a woman, dragging her to train tracks, and watching a train run her over to get an achievement.
I can sympathize with not liking the grimness of the series. It is a grim topic. However, you can’t fault Anita for not joyfully and playfully detailing a scene where the bad guy tosses two women at the hero like bean-bags, and the hero and villain engage in an over-the-top sword fight that slices the women into tiny pieces.
Feel free to not like the series. Don’t feel free to pretend you have a criticism of the series because you don’t like the tone.
profreedan,
No, she isn’t. Not even close.
Everybody stop what you’re doing!
Ed has opinions and feeling about how women discuss misogyny and he must be heard!
Go on, Ed. We’re all paying attention to you now. I’m sorry we didn’t make this thread about a woman being driven from her home by threats entirely about you sooner.
Just kidding!
Fuck off, Ed.
@Edward Gemmer:
You are here claiming that all the videos and pieces about (I assume you mean against) Anita’s work are proper art and media criticism? Even though many are angry gamer dudebros insulting Anita and entirely misrepresenting her premises and her conclusions, and missing the fucking point. This is not art and media criticism, this is backlash.
Who cares? Her videos aren’t being produced for you. I don’t believe you had an interest in them anyway, and now you have found your convenient excuse.
In the past two videos, Anita has been discussing the sexualised and passive/scenery nature of the portrayal of women, with the latest video extending that analysis into violence. This is a serious subject by its nature. That you fail to see that routinely portraying women only as passive sexualised objects, who are often violently attacked, with little/no other representation in those videogames is a serious issue speaks volumes about how you view women. You’re not the least bit uncomfortable with this being pointed out to you? How many of us women avoid playing these games because many of us who have been raped and assaulted don’t actually enjoy seeing the rape and assault of women in a bloody videogame.
But clearly, this is something where we should all laugh over a drink or two. Because sexualised violence against women is so funny.
Given that you say this:
after you say this about her latest video:
tells me that you haven’t engaged with what she has said.
And yet again, you’re giving your opinion as though that’s somehow a literary critique of Anita’s work and conclusions, or that your opinion should matter as much as hers.
It doesn’t. And saying you’re “not convinced” and words like that aren’t evidence against what she has presented in the videos.
But you are the type who tries to downplay Anita’s analysis and conclusions about videogames.
If you don’t love videogames, why all the negativity against Anita? Why bother watching her videos in the first place?
That’s fine. That’s how you feel about Anita’s series. But some people don’t. In fact, they feel the opposite. Is that OK with you? Or do you think they need your permission to like her work. We already heard how you feel about it. Are you waiting for someone to appease you? Do you want confirmation that your opinion should be validated more than Anita’s? I’m not sure what you want.
Just having a friendly discussion. Like I said, I like her work and support her series. Just trying to pinpoint why I’m not as big a fan of some of these videos despite being quite interested in her work and the subject matter.
And check it out, above, Cassandra said she doesn’t like Buffy. Know what? I love Buffy!
Do I take offense that she doesn’t like Buffy? Nope. Not in the least. Though I bet we could have a hell of a conversation about the whole thing — and it would probably be challenging and enjoyable.
@pallygirl,
If you don’t love videogames, why all the negativity against Anita? Why bother watching her videos in the first place?
I have two daughters and I like videogames quite a bit (just not nearly enough to be calling myself a “gamer”). I definitely would like games to have much better representations and options when it comes to treatment of digital women. I value her work, especially here, because criticism based from such a perspective can and does help influence developers despite the heavy backlash from fans and the disincentives of the marketplace.
“Here’s the video that caused all the stir. It’s well worth watching. CONTENT WARNING: Graphic violence against women.”
Wrong. In fact it’s graphic violence against polygons with textures that try to emulate women.
When will Anita begin to read books and critizise the graphic violence against women in them? There are plenty of tropes and stereotypes in books. She will have to work her whole live to read and censor them all. She should go to Kansas and build a library of all those books with cleaned up versions! Or she could write a cookbook herself. 😉
(btw. I don´t play games like those she shows because I dislike the much to explicit violenceagainst men and women. But I like FPS like Unreal Tournament 2004)
Edward… you’re failing here. The point of this post was that, when certain dudebros got hurt feelings because someone posted a criticism of something they like, their response is to make rape and death threats so severe that the woman posting said criticism was forced out of her home.
And, even though you claim that you wouldn’t do something like that, you’re defending those who are, by rationalizing that they got their fee fees hurt and hurt fee fees make death and rape threats totally understandable.
It’s not and will never be okay to make rape and death threats. Ever. The fact that you’re defending this makes you a complete asshole, because there’s nothing that could ever make what Anita is going through justifiable. Ever.
Of course you are. And you’re not derailing the discussion from the rape & death threats that she has received to make it all about your fee-fees, at all… oh, wait … you have.
How self-absorbed are you? She is having to leave her home to protect herself & her family and you’re miffed because her videos weren’t a giggle a minute.
“Just having a friendly discussion. Like I said, I like her work and support her series. Just trying to pinpoint why I’m not as big a fan of some of these videos despite being quite interested in her work and the subject matter.”
That’s great, man. You’re trying to pinpoint why you’re not a big fan? Maybe it’s because you can’t imagine being a woman who loves video games but feels that the damsel in distress trope is overused, or sexualizing a woman’s body after she fell victim to a violent crime makes you feel a little gross. Maybe you’re used to that stuff and don’t notice it at all. I dunno. But maybe what you could try to appreciate is that it’s hard NOT to notice this kind of stuff if you’re a girl or woman.
Heard about this a while back. TBH, there have been some times where I’ve disagreed with Anita Sarkeesian, to some extent, some of the things she’s said, or her interpretations of things seen in games, etc. But I still find that she does have an interesting take on things.
And I was truly horrified to discover that some assholes on Twitter were actually making RAPE and DEATH threats against her….over a video. Really? I hope they get caught and spend a good long time in prison.
@Edward: Hi Ed(can I call you Ed?). I think I can see where you’re coming, from, somewhat(though I don’t entirely agree with you), and I do realize you had no intention to derail this thread, but this really isn’t the best time to discuss this, TBH.
Glad you can mind read there & see peoples’ intentions. Such a useful superpower.
And, well, if Ed didn’t intend to derail the thread with his self-absorbed whining, that makes it all ok then … wait a minute … what’s that phrase? Oh, I know, “intent isn’t magic”.
@Saxi Fraga
Oh, aren’t you the pedant? And your point is? Oh, that’s right, you don’t have one. You just wanted to minimise sexualised vilence in video games.
When will she analyze violence against women in 1950s advertising? When will she analyze the use of exclamation points in museum catalogs? When will she start creating accurate architectural renderings of ancient Egyptian architecture? She is analyzing what she set out to analyze: Tropes vs. Women in Video Games. In other words, your question is irrelevant.
Right. Because analysis and criticism is censorship. Every PhD candidate who writes critically about early Italian literature is literally preventing anyone else from ever reading that literature.
In the same comment you say that it’s not violence against women, just some “violence against polygons” that is presumably harmless. But then you say that you won’t play games like that because of “explicit violenceagainst men and women” (I’m also darkly amused that on this thread about real life and very explicit threats toward Anita Sarkeesian you still list “men” as first and more important.) ?
So, is it not violence at all or is it so much explicit violence that you won’t even play those games because of it?
@Saxi:
Cool, so since we’re now just talking about polygons, there’s no need to get worked up if people suggest that maybe those polygons not be in other games, or that different polygons be used.
It’s really interesting how critiques of polygons with textures can result in gamer dudebros making rape threats, death threats, doxxing, use slurs, etc. It’s almost like no-one is treating those polygons with textures as just polygons with textures.
That’s not her area, and it’s not relevant to discussing tropes in videogames. The tropes in videogames would still be an issue even if there was no other media. There have been loads of critiques about graphic violence in various books, as written literacy criticism has been an academic genre for centuries. What has been missing has been the same analysis applied to videogames, using a method that is accessible to anyone regardless of educational level (i.e. not using boring academic writing style). Media Studies has been an academic discipline for decades. Your attempt to shift the goalposts is transparent.
But there is no such thing as violence against women in books. Books are just filled with symbols arranged in such a manner to simulate violence against women.
Similarly, there’s no need to criticize, say, print advertisements of any kind. They don’t use women’s bodies to sell a product- they just use thousands of tiny dots.
/ s
Um, what was the fucking point of posting, “When will Anita begin to read books and critizise the graphic violence against women in them?”
Does it mean, “Why doesn’t she lay off video games?” Or why doesn’t she try to something us that is incredibly pointless?”
errr, I meant, “…something else that is incredibly pointless.”
The whole violence against polygons thing reminds me so much of NWOslave’s assertions that everything online is just pixels, and so nothing matters.
Actually, this is what Ed does. This is typical of him. He’s not a friend and he’s not trying to be friendly.