MISOGYNY IN VIRTUAL SPACE: EXPLORING REPRESENTATIONS OF WOMEN IN POPULAR VIDEO GAMES

Abstract

The video game industry is a growing multi-billion dollar enterprise that reaches into the homes and lives of 72% of households in the United States. Recent feminist and scholarly critique of the market has revealed inherent sexism and misogyny as a common occurrence in video games. This study is a content analysis of video game trailers and reviews measuring and discussing the ratio of representative characters of men and women and the varying degree of sexualization between the two groups. This study finds that while the inclusion of women in games is increasing, women are still dis-proportionally absent in games relative to men; and despite being depicted more frequently than previously studied, women continue to be disproportionately sexualized and given inappropriate attire in their role as hero or protagonist.