Tropes vs. Women in Video Games — Season 1, Episode 5: Women as Background Decoration (Part 1)

Episode synopsis

In this episode we explore the Women as Background Decoration trope which is the subset of largely insignificant non-playable female characters whose sexuality or victimhood is exploited as a way to infuse edgy, gritty or racy flavoring into game worlds. These sexually objectified female bodies are designed to function as environmental texture while titillating presumed straight male players. Sometimes they’re created to be glorified furniture but they are frequently programmed as minimally interactive sex objects to be used and abused. Sexual objectification is the practice of treating or representing a human being as a thing or mere instrument to be used for another’s sexual purposes. Sexually objectified women are valued primarily for their bodies, or body parts, which are presented as existing for the pleasure and gratification of others.

About Tropes vs. Women in Video Games

Tropes vs. Women in Video Games aims to examine limiting, sexist patterns associated with female representations in games, and to illuminate how these patterns reinforce and perpetuate harmful attitudes about women in our culture.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Damsel in Distress (Part 1)
• E2Damsel in Distress (Part 2)
• E3Damsel in Distress (Part 3)
• E4Ms. Male Character
• E6Women as Background Decoration (Part 2)
• E7The Scythian – Positive Female Characters in Video Games
• E8Jade - Positive Female Characters in Video Games
• E9Women as Reward
• E10Women as Reward – Special DLC Mini-Episode