Hmmm...You printed an unmarked FF8 spoiler and said a sexist had akernel of truth the size of the moon in his letter. No offensive, butyou're not doing to well. You're coming dangerously close to that linebetween 'Gleefully invites controversy' and 'Wanton Media Slut'. Deepbreaths, Drew, Deep Breaths.

What exactly is the kernel of truth in Stephen's letter hmm? I've seenfar to much to generalize something so broad as an entire gender.

-Ian P.

Hola, Drew-baby,

I think I speak for Christians everywhere who realize it's not 1950 anymorewhen I say, "Stephan Gohan, you're embarrassing me." I have no intention ofattacking Mr. Gohan for his ideas (since his ideas themselves are a muchmore inviting target), but it frustrates me when people spoutsexist/racist/otherwise atavistic nonsense and suggest it represents someChristian ideal.

Mr Gohan's letter from yesterday is a classic example of comments bysomeone who has seized onto (as you noted) a kernel of truth, but isexpounding upon it from a narrow and egocentristic perspective. Yes, it'strue that a number of female characters in recent games are basically eyecandy. But how is that different than ever? Remember Metroid, which, 12years ago, rewarded players for efficient gameplay by stripping the heroineto a bathing suit? How about Golden Axe or Gauntlet, both of which featureda Valkyrie wearing a gold-plated bikini? Lara Croft, Tifa Lockheart andothers are a continuation of a trend, not the beginning. And Mr. Gohanseems to turn a blind eye to the strong female characters who are NOTimmodest - for instance, the entire female cast of Lunar wears long skirtsand robes (although he might be offended by the fact that Jessica caneasily hold her own with a weapon). Aya Brea wore nothing more immodestthan an evening gown, which she quickly exchanged for a pair of jeans and aleather jacket. Quistis Trepe and Rinoa Heartilly of FFVIII are bothrealistically proportioned and modestly clothed.

I could go on, but I'd rather make note of an even more glaring omission onMr. Gohan's behalf: male eye candy. Seeing Mr. Gohan's extremelyconservative perspective makes it easy to understand why he failed to takeinto account the idea that male characters in games are designed to appealto females as well. Yes, surprise of surprises, women play games, and theyactually DO take looks into consideration. Can anyone honestly tell me thatSquall Leonheart, with his permanent pout, leather threads and LeonardoDiCaprio demeanor was NOT meant to appeal to women just as Tifa was meantto catch men's eyes? A quick look at the sheer volume of shrines toSephiroth (and the inevitable pages that will be dedicated to Laguna Loireonce FFVIII hits America) makes it pretty clear that women are beingcatered to along with the menfolk.

Of course, this isn't to say that women are necessarily being treated withrespect in the games industry. But how much of that is the fans' fault, orthe fault of the marketing department, as opposed to the creators? Corecreated a busty heroine, but Eidos was the company that sold her breastsrather than her game to a slavering, hormonal public. And the numerous*fan-created* Nude Raider sites certainly weren't sanctioned by the game'screators - far from it, as Eidos has made definite efforts to shut themdown. Not that only the obviously "attractive" female characters aretargeted by fans for their private fantasies - even Mr. Gohan's preciousAeris has been placed by fans into a number of salacious artworks andstories that stand in stark contrast to her prim personality. While I couldcertainly live without the dominatrix from Thrill Kill or Allison fromSpace Bunnies Must Die polluting my computer screen, there's no need for awitch hunt to expunge all video game women who wear a C cup or larger.

I'm definitely in favor of respect for women in games - besides the factthat women (as human beings) deserve equal respect and treatment, there'sthe matter that if the industry wants to appeal to women, it's going tohave to treat them as equals rather than as outsiders. But the notion thatwe have to return to some puritanical world in which all female gamersmeekly sit in the party's back row in an ankle-length white robe healingthe heroic males is ludicrous. If Mr. Gohan thinks women are weak andgentle, then I politely recommend Mr. Gohan watch a fight between two girlsin the halls of a high school. Blood, hair and curses fly faster and farmore viciously when women fight than in a fight between two men, if thecountless hallway fights I've witnessed are any indication. Perhaps heshould shake hands with a female bodybuilder sometime - physical contactwith someone who could snap you in half with a thought does wonders forvanquishing misconceptions like "Women were meant to do the gentle work."

It's easy to write off such sexist and narrow-minded comments, but I'mrevolted by this whole issue. I play games to have fun, and I don't thinkturning all the female characters into docile slaves will enhance myenjoyment of games in the slightest. Far from it. Based on the other,similar editorials I've read by the same author, I doubt that anycounter-arguments I could make would in any fashion affect his opinion. ButI dearly hope that anyone who is inclined to agree with him read thesecomments first and then make a judgment.

-Verbosely, J. Parish

C'mon now can we really allow ourselves to regress like this? no!Stephan must really be the reincarination of some Puritanical overlord.Yeah the white mage/wizard was the only female, and the healer of thegroup. But she could kick the black mage/wizards ass in a hand to handfight right. I mean really, although his spells were rather powerfulwhen he ran out of magic he would go hide in a courner and cry untilmommy white mage came to save him! I think it's about time we see morefemale characters as lead roles in videogames. Terra was a greatleadinglady. She had brains, could fight, had leadership, was supersexy, etc, etc. Or what about Aya Brea. None of these characters arehardnosed feminists like Stevie would like us to think! And what is hedissin' Tifa for? How dare he put her in the same catagory as LaraCroft! Obviously he wasn't good enough to beat the game or he would haveremembered the scene where Tifa sticks with Cloud, taking care of him,when he was sick (a stereotypical thing for a woman to do), or whenCloud tells everyone to leave but she is the only one who stayes behindwith him. Yeah she has big boobs, but that's not her fault! Why doeseveryone assiciate cup size with stupidity? She didn't choose to have DDbreasts, but the Creator gods of the FF world, Amano and Nomura, choseit for her at birth. Personally I love to see female characters ingames. I think the problem the little wonder Stevie is that A) he hasbeen rejected by girls so many times he lothes them, or B) he's simplymore interested in guys than girls!

-P-bot

Drew,

When you posted the insulting and controversial letter written by Steven Gohan yesterday, I assume that you intended to provoke debate. I also assume that you anticipated many of your readers being appalled at Steve Gohan's backwards chauvinist ramblings. As one of those readers I hope to express how truly disgusted I am with Gohan's point of view (be warned that I will ramble).

Let me first state that I am fully aware that many video game women are dressed like strippers in order to appeal to a testosterone-fueled market. Although this bias is terribly degrading towards women, I fail to see how wearing "soft, noble looking clothes" is necessary. Do women somehow become sex-kitten sluts if they put on armor, or a tank top, or a business suit instead of a robe? If so, then you yourself must be considered an immoral nymphomaniac for wearing... .... shorts and/or a t-shirt in the summer (that demonic skimpy clothing)! In any case, if watching a collection of polygons turns you on so much that it is some sort of corruption then you need professional help.

I also would like to ask Gohan why exactly women "can't be trusted to perform men's roles". Do you honestly think that a trained killer will pause to say "eeeeew... I can't kill the bad guys... they have icky blood" for no apparent reason just because that person is a woman? It is interesting to me as well that you believe women will enter "evil and sinful sensual influence on the scenario" if they take of traditionally male RPG roles. In FF IV, Rosa the healer and Cecil were sleeping together while the non-traditional General Celes and her love-interest Locke in FF VI (which you classified as seedy while not mentioning FF IV) never even kissed. Are all women who work outside to home sex-addicts? I hardly think so. In addition, as a woman who practices martial arts and who knows several female blackbelts ( who, I might add, would just love to give you a... personal demonstration... of how good women can be at combat after reading your letter), I can assure you that women can and will use physical force just as well as men if trained to do so.

The most degrading and insulting part of your letter was your assumption that women would "fall in love with the enemy" for no apparent reason. If someone killed your family or was trying to destroy the world would you fall in love with them? I highly doubt that any Jewish women fell in love with Hitler just because he was evil. In any case, how many stories have there been of men falling in love with an "evil seductress" and wouldn't that happen to an all-male party?

Finally, the image of Aeris as some sort of ideal figure women should aspire to be is laughable. Aeris, the typical male fantasy of the submissive woman, was just as much an unrealistic and unattainable icon/standard as Tifa ( while Tifa at least showed more emotional depth). The only difference, Gohan, was that Aeris was designed to attract sexist throwbacks such as yourself instead of horny teenage boys.

Well, that's pretty much all I have to say. Feel the burn Gohan.

-Medea ( the pissed-off feminist)

Mr Gohan's main point is that women, if given physical tasks, will become twisted succubii, or just fall for the bad guy and fail, as they love him too much to stop him. As a Christian, Mr. Gohan is alarmingly lacking of knowledge of women in history. Joan of Arc was a fighter. A martyr who died for her beliefs, she was a physical person, armored and bearing weapons. And she had to deal with evil people. Yet, she didn't turn from her beliefs and fall in love with her tormentors, nor did she fail in a physical task.Mother Teresa cared for the sick, the dying, the poor. She helped setup one of the largest convents and hostils in the world, and she still managed to remain true to her vows, and perservered. It was WOMEN who took Jesus off of the cross, and prepared him and buried him. A WOMAN who traveled to Bethlahem and gave birth, and if giving birth isn't a physical task, then tell me what is.Women should not be defined in such horribly broad terms. Women are physical people, too, capable of doing whatever they choose. The WNBA, women's soccer, tennis, and on and on.And anyway, if women should deal with the emotional, mental, spirtual side of things, and men do simply grunt work, what is Mr. Gohan doing spreading religous views? Wouldn't that, by his own definition, be a female's job?

And that's were the problem arises. People don't want to give up what they do, as that is part of who they are. If you say that man are laborers, and women are nurturers, then you automatically say that they can't be something else. A female pope would be needed. Men would, for the most part, have to stop being docters, as that's a woman's job to heal and care for people. Child rearing falls only on the female. Women couldn't be involved in ANY physical activity, and just try telling that to my Grandmother the farmer, who is one of the most religous people who I know, and still manages to get up early and milk cows.

It is impossible to define roles like Mr. Gohan is trying to. Men ARE good doctors, and women ARE good athletes. Simply exploring your world and opportunities is not a bad thing. By pushing out of the mold, they are expanding things for everyone.

Tifa, though dresses skimpy, is still a caring person. Cloud is too. He cared for Aeris. And the death scene was to show that Aeris was so caring, that she would die for her cause, just like Joan of Arc. That is nobility, not some plot to subjugate people into thinking that nurturing women should die and be replaced by women with racks. It was a was to show how evil Sephiroth was, by killing an innocent, and a way to show just how good Aeris was, by sacrificing herself.Next time, think a bit, Mr. Gohan.

-Osiris

Well, Stephen brought up some good points and all, but I think there is already a happy medium between Equal Rights and Male-Chauvanism. Final Fantasy Tactics had a very good system for Male and Female roles. The males had better base strength ratings, but poorer magic abilities, and the females had the opposite. However, these differences weren't so unbalanced that if you had a decent party of female warriors and male healers and wizards, they wouldn't have that bad a disadvantage. In fact, if you really got into the Tactics part, you could train either sex to be proficient with sword and magic, at the same time. I for one liked that mix 'n match quality. You could even train females to be pure-bred fighters if you wanted, without suffering all that much. So there's your quintesential "Equality in Difference" game.

-Name not given

Stephen, meet the front of my speeding car.

-The Cabbit