Although it is year 2012, gender continues to play a major role in society. Males from ages ten to seventeen, have gender roles drilled into their minds. It is said that America lives in a post-sexist society, yet there are still many sexist ideals within our society. One manner in which those sexist messages reach their audience is through video games. The video game not only affects women but men as well. Females are still not playing video games due to the fact that video games are created my males for males. One of those video games is Grand Theft Auto. The male characters within the video game are depicted as tough, and powerful. The male characters within the video game that have money and the ability to steal cars without any punishment. The sexist messages that are found within Grand Theft Auto are affecting gender. They are socializing gender within the gender of people ages ten to seventeen. This type of video games are adding to misogyny- the hatred of women. Through the a crime filled, sexist environment, there are ideologies that are being drilled into the pre-teens and teenagers of today's society.
Grand Theft auto is a video game that promotes sexist ideologies. In order to see who are playing video games, we must observe the environment in which those games are being played. It was decided to observe a game room at a college campus. The Game Room at the California State University of Northridge, has many video games and is not only a place to play video games, but to sit and talk as well. Inside the Game Room there are pool tables, arcade games, a sitting areas, and game systems such as the Wii. Now at the California State University of Northridge, there are both females and males. As I entered the Game Room on the first visit, I noticed that out of the 13 males plus the male cashier there was only one female besides myself. Now this female was not alone, she was accompanied by her boyfriend. This observation was made via the fact that they were kissing on the sitting area. I myself did not arrive alone, I was accompanied by a male friend. After the first time, I returned three more times. Those three more times, I arrived with the same male friend. The fourth time, I arrived alone and I felt very uncomfortable. As I walked in the males playing pool, the men turned and looked at me. These observations lead to the conclusion that the environment in the Game Room is a reflection of the sexist environment within Grand Theft Auto. This proves the hypothesis that video games are not made for female use but for male use. Such video games promote sexist views.
The video game Grand Theft Auto, is as any other video game. You are presented with a character which you will play within the game. You play a male in the video game. The object of the video game is to steal cars. The setting takes place in the streets. You are free to roam the streets as you wish. Once you find a car that you like, you may steal it. It is a multi-award-winning video game series that was created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones. Then later the video game was continued by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and the game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by British developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The name of the series is derived from Grand Theft Auto, a term referring to motor vehicle theft. It is a video that is very similar to various other auto games.
Grand Theft Auto is set in fictional locales that are heavily modeled after American cities, while an expansion for the original was based in London. The game focuses on an open world where the player can choose missions to progress in the overall story, and can engage in many side activities. All those side activities consist of action-adventure, driving, occasional role-playing, stealth, and many racing elements. The subject of the games was meant to be a comedic satire of American culture, but the series gained controversy for its adult nature and violent themes. Grand Theft Auto focuses around many different protagonists who attempt to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld, that reflects the American culture. The antagonists are commonly characters who have betrayed the protagonist or his organization. These can also be characters who have the most impact impeding the protagonist's progress. Video game developer DMA Design began the series in 1997, and it currently has ten stand-alone games and four expansion packs. The video game had so much success that there was a third series. Grand Theft Auto III, was widely acclaimed, as it brought the series to a 3D setting and more immersive experience. Film veterans such as Michael Madsen, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, Danny Trejo, Gary Busey, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Penn, James Woods, Joe Pantoliano, Jenna Jameson, Frank Vincent, Robert Loggia, Kyle MacLachlan, Phil Collins and Peter Fonda have all voiced major characters, and the series is critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Notice that within the list of names that were just provided there is only one female the other 15 are males. Grand Theft Auto sold more than 114 million units, as of September 2011. The fourth era of Grand Theft Auto included lesser known actors, such as Michael Hollick, Jason Zumwalt and Scott Hill. Thus this conveys that the video game was created by men and voiced by men, proving that the characters within the video game are all men except the female Jenna Jameson, who more than likely is the voice of the prostitutes. The theory that the only female whose voice was used within the game is more than likely a prostitute is developed by the fact that the only females within the game are prostitutes and they talk. Thus concluding that the video game Grand Theft Auto creates and promotes sexist messages.
Within the video game you play a male, and according to analyst of the video game, one cannot rape a women . It is often denied that you can actually rape a women. Yet it was made possible by the creator of the game. If one had sex with a prostitute in the game, one can then beat the prostitute up and even murder her. One can also take their money. These actions are considered rape. It works best in The Red Light District. The Red Light District is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitutes and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc. The Red lights would be a sign for brothels. This type of portrayal of urban areas express that females are only found within sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc. Thus promoting sexist beliefs via the video games imitations of urban areas.
There are many games in the series, yet each game in the series allows players to take on the role of a criminal. In Grand Theft Auto, typically an individual can rise through the ranks of organized crime through the course of the game. Throughout the video game the player is given various missions by kingpins and major idols in the city underworld. These characters need to be completed to progress through the storyline. Assassinations and other crimes are featured regularly, but occasionally taxi driving, firefighting, street racing, bus driving, or learning to fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are also involved. You may take any car except for a police car, FBI car, Ambulance, Fire truck, or taxi. Since you are playing a male character in the video game, such aggressive and criminal behavior are reflective of how gender has been socialized. Males have been gender socialized to act in violent manners that make them increase masculinity and be portrayed as strong.
In order to complete the action of "raping" a prostitute you need to pull up alongside the side walk next to a women wearing a brown or pink outfit. The women will then walk over to you and talk to you. She will bend over and get in the car. Once she is in the car, the car will rock and your energy level will increase, yet your money level will deplete, demonstrating that you have acquired the prostitutes services. By using her you get 125 points and this goes to your health. If you want to get your money back, you have the ability to chase after the prostitute and beat her. Then after she has been beaten you may take her money. For this action you get additional points and money depending on how much she has. These actions are all characteristics of rape. Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without consent. It carries out physical force, and abuse of authority. All these actions are seen within the manner in which you may treat a prostitute. Thus the video game, Grand Theft Auto, creates sexual objectification- when men learn to view women as objects of sexual consumption rather than as a whole person. The fact that having sexual relations with a prostitute increases the health of the male character one plays, demonstrates that taking advantage of women and using them is not a bad thing that should be punished, rather it is healthy for a man.
Such actions teach teenagers that women can be used and then discarded. This message creates gender roles within in the teenagers and pre-teens. Women are dehumanized and this is taught to young boys. Gender is a cultural definition of what it means to be a male or female. When people of ages ten to seventeen are presented with a message that women can be raped and murdered, while men are strong and rule positions of money, they grow up with those views. They are gender socialized. Video games such as Grand Theft Auto are shaping the individuals behavior and perceptions in such a way that the individual conforms to socially prescribed beliefs and prescribed expectations for males and females. Within the video game not only are women the only victims of the messages, but men are also victims . Males are also victims of sexism within the game. Since Grand Theft Auto is based in an arbitrary United States city, it reflects the media’s image of urban gang life. The objective in this game is to complete crime-based tasks that are given to you by the gang leader. Yet there are subliminal goals behind the game, that promote antagonism and conflict between different races and to reduce women to sexual objects. There are very few or zero women who have a powerful role in the game. Every once in a while there is a woman as a gang member, but the majority of the time the only women the player meets are strippers and prostitutes. Most of the men are members of a stereotypical race gang, who go against other race gangs in the city. This conveys the meaning that men are strong, and capable of such criminal behavior, while women are unimportant. It is the image society has created, that men are the ones that have the control. In the video game that is exactly what is portrayed. Men that are in control of the criminal underworld while women are the objects that are used and that provide sexual benefits . Men being in control within the video game demonstrates a male supremacy model. The male supremacy model, is when males erroneously believe that men are superior in all aspects of life and that they should excel. Thus adding to the sexist ideals that exist within our society. Young boys are then forced to fit into this image of the masculine and powerful man, yet when they cannot be like those men that are portrayed in the video game, they have self-esteem issues.
This all happens in the year 2012, which is said we live in a post-sexist society. It is quite evident that we do not. Female are still not playing video games, due to the fact that they contain sexist ideals. Video games are created my males for males. This explains why women do not play video games. The men that are in the video game are depicted as tough, and powerful. They have money and the ability to steal cars without any punishment. The sexist messages that are found within Grand Theft Auto are affecting gender. They are socializing gender, and what is worst the gender of people ages ten to seventeen. This type of video games are adding to misogyny. Through the a crime filled, sexist environment, there are ideals that are being drilled into the pre-teens and teenagers of today's society. Thus leading to many crimes that are caused by young males that murder their mothers of peers. The ideal within in Grand Theft Auto also result problems such as beating women and not seeking stable relationships.
