Two words: Game. BOY.
No, I didn't take any Gender Studies classes in college, but I wish I had, because I'd be able to write on subjects like this... better. Just better. As it is, I'm going to try my best.
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| Consider this the Pokémon version of a Glass Ceiling |
Today's Generation of Pokémon does very well in not being sexist. You can choose between a girl character and a boy, the console itself no longer tells you its preferred gender of operator, and there are fewer stereotypes and such littered throughout the game.
I'm more interested in talking about Generation One of Pokémon, a Generation still relevant because it lives on in our memories, and has recently been revitalized as digital content on the 3DS. I've been playing Blue and Yellow again and WOW. The sexism still lives.
The Console Names Themselves Were Terribly Sexist
Game Boy. Virtual Boy. Game Boy Color. Game Boy Pocket. Game Boy Light. Game Boy Micro. Game Boy Advance. Game Boy Advance SP.
From 1989 to 2004, Nintendo named all of their systems after their target consumer — boys. Do you think this is not a big deal? It is, actually. When I was a kid playing the console, I definitely noted that I was "crossing over," toy-wise. Toys are very, VERY gender-stereotyped, and marketing departments have a huge part in that.
Despite the name, girls played Game Boys, (as you can see my sister doing in the picture above while my brother watches on.) Obviously, the marketing departments at Game Boy caught on to this with the release of the Game Boy Color. There were lots of hues to choose from, some of which weren't specifically geared towards "boys" — pink, green, yellow, purple... My own family bought two — a yellow and a pink.
But why couldn't Nintendo ever name a system the Game Girl? We all know the many reasons why, and they suck.
In Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, and Silver, You Had to Play As a Boy
This was especially weird when I started playing the digital re-release of Yellow on the 3DS. I'd played Yellow on my Game Boy Color in recent years without blinking an eye about the lack of gender option, but there was something about seeing that sexism on the 3DS — the most current system — that made me cringe.
I shouldn't have to explain why it's important to have diversity in RPGs. It should speak for itself. I mean, it's certainly not impossible to play as the opposite gender in a game, in fact, it can be fun
It's also very cool, though, to see how far Nintendo and Game Freak have come regarding this. Since Pokémon Crystal, we've had the option to pick Boy or Girl. I don't know if there's been a female trainer as iconic as Ash Ketchum yet, but that might happen someday. Who knows?
Also, just imagine if the powers above, for some weird reason, decided to make Pokémon Sun and Moon a male-avatar game. The backlash would be violent.
There Was Soft-Sexism In-Play
Remember the Lasses and Beauties? Wow, they were messed up. Their script would invariably be obnoxious, flirtatious, bitchy, hypocritical, and air-headed all at once.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"Don't be a meanie!"
"Eek! Did you touch me?"
"Take it easy!"
I don't know about Generations Three through Five, but in the current Gen, this is gone. The ladies talk like normal people, not psychopaths. Yay!
But, out of curiosity, I googled "Pokemon and Sexism" and found that some players are still identifying sexism as lately as ORAS, the latest reboot in the franchise.
"Several of my friends and I couldn’t help but notice that the demo gives a lot more exposure to the male protagonist, Orlando, than the female protagonist, Anna."
Let's have more girl power, please.
Pokémon Has Come a Long Way... Is There a Long Way to Go?
In Pokémon XY, your character's mom actually has a badass job — a Rhyhorn racer! That is awesome! Because in Pokémon, the mom is usually a giving, empty shell. Maybe in Sun and Moon, your avatar can say farewell to your mom and dad? You know, since fathers take care of their kids, too.
QUESTION FOR YOU: What other pieces of sexism have you noted in the Pokémon franchise and how did it affect you?
