All right, cool. So it's shouldn't be objectionable for me to reply in similar fashion, as in, not attacking anyone in particular, just people who belong to certain groups: (this sounds like it's even worse, but hey, it's allowed for him, so it should be for me too, right?)
I'm notat all surprised that the wish for a "tough, manly looking characters" was posted by men irst. I never have seen a similar wish by women to have "cosy, femanly looking charascters", so to say. It's always male players who demand first.
And I'm not at all surprised that the ones upset by this request are men who are not tough and manly. I have also never seen complaints by men that male characters in video games are too handsome, too well-built, too intelligent, too charismatic and too charming, even though these highly desirable specimens are just objectifications for the female audience's female gaze.
And I can very well imagine a "storm" coming from the same male players if there was a woman demanding a "tough looking female" character look.
And I can also imagine tears and screeching from some female players if there were men who demanded that male characters that are attractive and desirable be removed, just as beautiful and charming women have been systematically excised from western games.
I mean, the usuual reactions of male players are like this : "Men should look grim, dark, clothed entirely in black, if possible, manly and tough, and women should look like Hello Kitty".
This isn't diversity in looks. It is quite the opposite.
The usual reactions of female players are like this: "Women in games should not be beautiful, but plain-looking, just like in real life, and we've suffer SO MUCH all these years, so now, it's payback time. Men need to be PUNISHED, and it's hilarious that they're getting their comeuppance now."
This doesn't convince anyone. It is quite the opposite. It also paints women as being mean-spirited.
My own opinion on that is this : I can only play what i have at least in part in my self.
And, fate gave me that too small body without a manly look.
Which meant for me, that I could never played manly looking charactersm because throughout my whole life, I never had that in me.
So, I have emancipated myself from the cliché of those grim, tough, manly looking characters. Games which have that are simply not played by me. My money is saved.
I'm just a plain, average guy in real life, so ALL male characters in games should be like me - plain and average. Any male character that rises above the median in looks, intelligence and accomplishment should be removed from the game, as it harms my fragile ego (it doesn't, but let's pretend it does).
