Current Events > It's weird to see some articles slam Bayonetta as being misogynistic

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ever since it came out, I've always viewed Bayonetta as one of the strongest, alpha-type female leads ever to be introduced to gaming. She's one of the only examples of a female character not held back by some kind of weakness. Plus, the sexualization in Bayonetta seems explicitly geared towards her being a sort of dominatrix type, which few would normally consider to be a "misogynist" fetish (quite the opposite, frankly). The way she's sexualized is completely the opposite of almost any other game. She openly flaunts it because she knows she's ace and her enemies are totally beneath her. It's really empowering, if anything.
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"Character shows her BUTT, she is just a SEX SLAVE to the MALE GAMER" ~Anita Sarkeesian
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"Did vile half ogre men make the character?"

If yes:

Fucking misogynist scumbag overly privileged heterosexual white male demonking.

If no:

Thank you Anita. *clapclapclapclap*
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The gurl gamers I know love Bayonetta.

Some people are just insecure and whiny.
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Completely agree. Bayonetta sexualizes herself and uses it as a kind of power over people and enemies, similar to Spider-Man's often deliberately poor one-liners that keep his opponents off-guard. She wears it like armor and so far in the games there's been exactly zero evidence she's interested in actually having sex with anyone (it never goes beyond teasing). I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out she's asexual.
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I also find it weird because I remember the women in The Witcher 3 being praised as female characters done right and they almost all showed skin and flirted. They were clearly equals to Geralt.

I just wish we could get the sex-negative brand of feminist to quiet down. Being sexy is not inherently an issue and strength with no weaknesses is neither interesting, nor terribly realistic as they say they want to replace unrealistic walking pairs of tits/damsels in distress.
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To me, her entire sexuality can be defined by quip she makes early on: "No one said you could touch."

She basically flips the tables on sexual objectification. She's the boss in her world - men are her subjects. They do her bidding.

It also takes the "you don't have to be ashamed of your body" argument that is commonly used against modeling and fat shaming and takes it to what would probably be an uncomfortable next level - If you don't have to be ashamed of your body, why CAN'T you be hot and flaunt it?

She's not flaunting it to please others. She's doing it because she can, and nobody can stop her.
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hockeybub89 posted...

I just wish we could get the sex-negative brand of feminist to quiet down.

I think sex-negativity/fear in general needs to be dealt with. My old high school is still more afraid of showing kids Romeo & Juliet in bed than they are uberviolence. Kill thousands of people in bloody fashion and you get a pg-13, show someone without three layers of clothes on and it's an untouchable. My World Lit teacher told us the other day that there are more lesson plans online on how to avoid topics like sex in literary classics than there are ones actually treating it as the important theme that if often is in those texts. It is an integral part of the human experience and life in general but good luck being able to handle or discuss it in a safe environment
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Bayonetta is very much in the same vein as something like Barabarella. She's a heavily sexualized character, but by no means is the game misogynistic.
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Doe posted...

hockeybub89 posted...

I just wish we could get the sex-negative brand of feminist to quiet down.

I think sex-negativity/fear in general needs to be dealt with. My old high school is still more afraid of showing kids Romeo & Juliet in bed than they are uberviolence. Kill thousands of people in bloody fashion and you get a pg-13, show someone without three layers of clothes on and it's an untouchable. My World Lit teacher told us the other day that there are more lesson plans online on how to avoid topics like sex in literary classics than there are ones actually treating it as the important theme that if often is in those texts. It is an integral part of the human experience and life in general but good luck being able to handle or discuss it in a safe environment

I agree. It is definitely an issue that needs to be dealt with all across our culture. Feminists were just relevant here.
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We have to move on from this idea that being sexy is fundamentally meant to please men.

Bayonetta is sexy because it pleases her. How is that not empowerment?
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