Using Women in Video Games and Ads is not Provocative

I don't talk about this often in public and much less on the internet, but nowadays women are seen as things for use. No matter whether it's in a certain video game or advertisements women are often used as objects to attract the audience attention.
                

Video games such as Grand Theft Auto V are major examples that lead to violence against women. Personally, I'm not a big fan of violence under any circumstances and a video game is not an exception. I've played the game couple times and I've come to terms that this game has great graphics and storyline. On the other hand, what made Grand Theft Auto V seem like a bad game was not only its extremely language and outrageous violence but also its content of certain sexual sections throughout the game such as strip clubs. Women in the video game are portrayed as strippers or prostitutes to pick up. The storyline consist of three main characters that are males and there's no females. The women seem to be just an eye candy add up to the video game. No wonder why the term "Sex sells" is used constantly; any sexual-situation related is a well-known efficient way to improve a product's sales. Guinness World Records can confirm that up-to-date Grand Theft Auto has broken six world records including "Best-selling video game in 24 hours" and " Fastest video game to gross $1 billion". In my opinion, Grand Theft Auto V was one of most controversial game last year.




Is there a chance that Grand Theft Auto V has a problem with women? Yes. Regardless of what Rockstar's Dan Houser said in not having a female as a main character "The concept of being masculine was so key to this story. These three guys fit with the story we wanted to tell. It would be hard to take one of them and replace him - I mean, I suppose we could have done it, early enough on - with a female character." I'm torn about all of this. I understand the fact that it was a story they wanted to tell but just maybe it's about time there's a female as a main character instead of being nothing more than a prostitute. Who are the targets in this game then? Women? I think they are and still will be upon Grand Theft Auto producers until they decide to make any changes.

              

                   


Thus far women are not only humiliated in certain video games, but in advertisements too. Advertisements like these are a perfect example of how women are portrayed as an object. I shop at American Apparel quite often. In fact, I was there last week to buy a Casio watch. I've always noticed that explicit ads like the one above are not shown inside the store; I wonder why? Personally, I think there's no need to have shocking ads because most of their clothing are already appealing.


With this in mind, American Apparel ads are well-known for being sexually explicit. The use of nudity seems to be an advantage to sell their overpriced and colorful clothing. Dov Charney, one of the most controversial and entrepreneur in this country founded American Apparel when he was 20 in 1989. Back in 2012 Dov Charney welcomed ABC'S Nightline for an interview at an American Apparel factory in downtown Los Angeles. During the interview Charney stated that ""We weave, we buy it, this is pure America. I love this business. ... I love the texture of clothes. I like when something fits well. I get an adrenaline rush watching the trucks come and go". Not only the way Dov Charney do busniess have brought him populatity; but the way he advertises them too. Dov Charney insist that American Apparel is "different than their competitors because their models aren't wearing pounds of make-up. It's the natural beauty". Natural beauty over pounds of make-up? I acknowledge the fact about how Dov Charney wanted to show the natural beauty, but isn't that quite exaggerating. Is it necessary for companies to show a picture of a woman being portrayed as an object? If its for sales and profit, absolutely. American Apparel makes about $500 million in annual revenue; something other clothing lines are having trouble to achieve. It seems that American Apparel's main concerned is to just sell and make big profits not showing a little bit of awareness whether their models look as an object, or most specific, as a "thing".

On July 24, 2014, it was announced that American Apparel had a new board that will take effect starting August 2. Dov Charney is no longer part of it. He was dismissed from the board for allegedly sexual harassment accusations and criticism over provocative advertising. What will happen now? Will the new board pull back their aggressive and explicit advertisements? I don't know about that but I certainly know that changes don't happen overnight, it takes time. A fresh start doesn't seem so bad after all.

Customers should be aware of the fact that the kind of advertisements and tactics in certain video games and ads are just being used to objectify and humiliate women. It seems that regardless of the situation, whether is to sell or show, women are most likely to be the one being getting objectified.



Bibliography:

Hoggins, Tom. "Grand Theft Auto V Is Designed Deliberately to Degrade Women." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 04 Oct. 2013. Web. 27 July 2014.

Lynch, Kevin. "Confirmed: Grand Theft Auto 5 Breaks 6 Sales World Records." Guinness World Records. N.p., 8 Oct. 2013. Web. 25 July 2014.


Millman, Jenna, Sabina Ghebremedhin, and Lauren Effron. "American Apparel CEO Dov Charney: A Tarnished Hero?" ABC News. ABC News Network, 27 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 July 2014.

Murray, Rheana. "How American Apparel Will Be Different Without Dov Charney." ABC News. ABC News Network, 19 June 2014. Web. 28 July 2014.

Plank, Elizabeth. "Dear Advertisers, There's Nothing Sexy About Violence Against Women." Mic. N.p., 26 Nov. 2013. Web. 24 July 2014.

Stampler, Laura. "The 10 Most Controversial American Apparel Ads." Time. Time, 19 June 2014. Web. 25 July 2014.