i get completely behind the idea that our society NEEDS to treat issues of sexuality and gender with maturity and consideration. but is there really any single slogan-friendly way of promoting that?

one way the process can start is by realizing that the models being "objectified" are agreeing to be hired in those roles. so is it really just an issue of "white man's guilt"? do women who profit from objectifying themselves (admittedly to another person's script or presumption of audience acceptance) have the right to do so?

is the popularity in this country of parroting back a popular slogan/idea to give the impression you're on the "right side" of complex issues without actually expending any deeper thought on the topic a step in the right direction? should you force your half-baked ideas of respect on people who don't "respect" themselves the way you want them to?

in case it's not obvious, most of these questions/statements are rhetorical.

@removesstains: Totally agree, but here we are and talking on a form about it, the irony, ahhh...

Ah, George Broussard. A reminder that frat boy behaviour is fine for a time, but 20 years later, it's just puerile.

This is a bad article and you should feel bad.

This is a bad article and you should feel bad.

@Shtinky said:

@toots said:

@jakob187 said:

You know...

I'm sitting here and thinking about it...

Isn't this the same website that talks about stabbing dudes in the face and neck? The same website that makes inate sexual references on a regular basis on their podcast and in video content? The same website that spent a lengthy amount of time talking about Peter Molyneux's balls?

I mean, I get it - it's all in the sense of humor. At the same time, it's that immature sense of humor that people continually latch onto, and in turn, the Giant Bomb crew provides us with more and more of it on a daily basis. While we eat it up and beg for more, they are now posting up an article that is basically saying "hey, E3 needs to grow up because boobies shouldn't be at trade shows".

Yet...you guys can get paid for being immature, podcasting via live-stream under inebriated circumstances while other game developers do the same thing, and Jeff can make creepy jokes about games like Otomedius Excellent...and it's somehow magically better than some half-naked chicks trying to get a paycheck at a trade show?

I mean, it's not like the exhibitors are paying these chicks to blow you while you play the game. They are paid to look pretty, just as models ALL OVER THE WORLD are paid to look pretty. If you don't want to play the DS that is attached to the lady, then don't. That's your right...just as much as it's the right of the exhibitors to use scantily-clad women if they want to.

If it makes someone uncomfortable, well hey...guess what? I was made uncomfortable by the Bombcast talk of eating someone's leg. I mean that - I was literally uncomfortable to the point that I kept trying to skip past it...and it kept going and going and going. So, since I'm uncomfortable about you guys talking about eating someone's leg, can you now not talk about cannibalism again?

No. That's just me being uncomfortable with it. It means I skipped ahead and I avoided it, just the same as how you avoided playing DS games attached to some lady.

So...preaching about immaturity in the games industry when your website features a plethora of immaturity...seems like a bit of a double negative, yeah?

I'm not saying you guys aren't intelligent, that you don't talk about serious stuff, that you guys are jerk-offs or anything. I'm saying that if you want to complain about one thing, then you need to complain about everything else and even point the finger back at yourself when it comes to "immaturity in the gaming industry".\

I mean, for fuck's sake, Patrick... This website almost gave Game of the Year to SAINT'S ROW THE THIRD, A GAME THAT FEATURES MORE IMMATURITY THAN ANYTHING I CAN IMMEDIATELY THINK OF! (an amazing game that I thoroughly fucking loved by the way...not to raise the ire of Ryan like I'm Jason Rubin or something)

This about sums it up.

Yup, pretty much.

yep

I just... Just don't understand why everyone sees problem where there isn't a single one, these woman are not forced into these jobs, they are not being oppressed due to their gender, they can work any job a man can. If anything you should be upset that there are less jobs for men as booth babes. Sounds silly doesn't it? That's exactly how you sound when you complain about a woman doing a job she signed up to do. Dressing skimpy isn't a crime, their isn't a single thing wrong

it. Infact, i applaud them for having that large amount of self confidence to do it. I know i have confidence when i go out on the town and make myself look pretty. If them being attractive makes you uncomfortable, maybe you should look farther inward, and stop caring what others do or look like. And have some confidence in who you are, and what you like to do.

I'm a woman by the way.

@Jinewill said:

I just... Just don't understand why everyone sees problem where there isn't a single one, these woman are not forced into these jobs, they are not being oppressed due to their gender, they can work any job a man can. If anything you should be upset that there are less jobs for men as booth babes. Sounds silly doesn't it? That's exactly how you sound when you complain about a woman doing a job she signed up to do. Dressing skimpy isn't a crime, their isn't a single thing wrong

it. Infact, i applaud them for having that large amount of self confidence to do it. I know i have confidence when i go out on the town and make myself look pretty. If them being attractive makes you uncomfortable, maybe you should look farther inward, and stop caring what others do or look like. And have some confidence in who you are, and what you like to do.

I'm a woman by the way.

Boothstud sounds like a great job.

@psylah: You bet you're sweet as it would be. I know i enjoy myself when someone asks to take my picture at conventions

@Jinewill said:

@psylah: You bet you're sweet as it would be. I know i enjoy myself when someone asks to take my picture at conventions

I'm working on looking like SF3's Urien, it'll be alot of working out though.

Also, I'd need to learn how to wear a cloth diaper.

@psylah: I'm trying to decide if i want to go as Therese or Janette from Vampire the Masquerade

So far it has been difficult.

Boothstud, huh? I'll see you guys at E3 2013 with my Zyzz Tribute Management game and Zyzz tribute boothstud group.
Still working on the profit estimate.

Getting mentally prepared for this year's E3, I was recommended this article as one that highlighted many of the things that made E3 2012 so uncomfortable for me. This is a wonderful read!

Sadly, simply looking through the first page of comments, it seems like many readers missed the point. Some were righteously outraged enough to call the women hired to work these things 'whores' and 'sluts'. Nice.

You idiots

The commenters' ridiculous mentality saturated E3 as well.

Walking through the convention hallways adorned with two-story long objectified Escher-girl posters for a mediocre new DC game, you would often catch a guy openly espousing his hatred, contempt and genuine anger at these women who did nothing but get paid to show off their bodies for money. This is not a crime, and does not permit anyone to call these women derogatory names.

Additionally, many spoke as if it was the 'booth babes' fault for being there, blaming the women rather than the people who hired them.

Idiots

I understand that the ladies make people uncomfortable, but lashing out at the innocent women is a perfect example of the toxic boy's-club atmosphere game culture is rife with. Calling the women names and slut shaming them is unacceptable, and is farworsethen the original problem of having objectified women at the show (or perhaps a disgusting symptom of it). If you are awareand angry these women are being objectified, why would you then proceed to treat them like objects?

It is exactly what is wrong with game culture, and why myself and every woman I know feels alienated by the culture we should be able to identify with.

Thanks for the great article. Here's hoping E3 2013 will not result in the same shameful behavior.