Okay, I don't like the figure much. It's a Sister of Battle Penitent Engine, for the record. I don't play 40K so I was unfamiliar with it. Worse, however, are some of the other Sisters of Battle: the Sisters Repentia.
The backstory is essentially that they have been naughty and have to be punished. I mean, really? Is someone at Citadel having dominatrix fantasies? I am by no means opposed to the display of the female body, but this is just... twisted, if you ask me. Which none of you did, but its my blog, so you get my opinion. The old Penal Battalions were cool, with the human bombs and whatnot, trying to clear the stain on their honor through suicide attacks. That sort of thing has been around for a long time in the real world. But dressing up in bondage gear to do it? Ummmm... no.
I may get a nasty letter from Games Workshop's legal department over this post. And that's fine. I used their images without permission and I said bad things about them, they will probably demand that I cease and desist. When I receive said letter, via certified mail and on legitimate letterhead so that I know for sure it came from them, I'll do as they ask.
[/rant]
6 comments:
Well said. In an hobby that suffers from image problems as it is - cf. beardy weirdies, anorak gamers, smelly gamers etc. - we really don't need to be setting ourselves up this way. Also, is this really the way to attract female gamers into the hobby?
I also think her head might get rather hot with that brazier on top of her hat.
I agree with you entirely. There is a misogynist trend in some gaming which veers on unpleasantness - at the worse end it is nasty and more than a little sinister.
The odd thing is, I don't rant on about the occasional cheesecake pinup style figures. And it isn't a nudity taboo - firstly, these aren't nudes, and secondly, I have no problem with say, a Keeper of Secrets, with the exposed breast. I'm not a raving femiNazi who sees objectification in everything, or thinks that sexy is bad.
These just seemed beyond the pale to me. For the record, I am also not a big fan of the Dark Elves, though they seem less sadomasochistic than this lot.
When these figs were still in the planning/rumor department I was interested, but when GW went the bondage route I lost all interest in them and never bought any.
So yes, I agree with you.
I totally agree with the sentiment. I'll be a tad contrary and say that these don't particularly bother me, but perhaps I need new glasses. I will say that the Nurse Diesel effect on the figure in the last picture is a little too much.
I was going to be catty but decided that wasn't fair. It just depresses me that adults in positions of power don't see the problems with this stuff.
Thought I do not engage in such activities myself, those who do generally live by the code of safe, sane and consensual. Since a minor, which I suspect embraces a large percentage of WH40K gamers, cannot give consent, they are very rightly off limits.
Making and marketing adult themed figures to adults is one thing. Marketing them to youth is another. At the very least, who wants to be the parent who has to explain why the flagellant figure their son (or daughter) has just purchased has a smile on her face?
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