League of Sexism

ThouShaltBePwnt·12/5/2015, 2:11:31 AM·2 votes·1,483 views

Hello all,

I'm posting a thread here to draw some awareness to and to open up a discussion about the sexism so blatantly portrayed in this game. The female characters are the embodiment of stereotypical/problematic standards of beauty and this is done so largely to appease a primarily male audience. The one exception to this is Jinx, who is often disciplined and ridiculed for her small chest. These problematic portrayals displayed in the ever so ironic "fields of justice"; indeed, not the fields of social justice, contribute to a number of problems. First of all, I would argue this alienates female summoners who do not meet this standard of beauty. I would also argue this perpetuates problematic attitudes that men hold toward women who do not fit this stereotype (i.e. comments made toward Jinx, memes made about Jinx, etc. What we are telling our young male players is that women are supposed to look a certain way (large breasts, large butts, and small waists). I think League of Legends has a moral and ethical responsibility to curb this disgusting trend, and make the fields of justice just for all. I would like to hear from any summoners who also recognize this problem and believe this is indeed a problem.

-A concerned summoner

25 Comments

Death by Glamour12/5/2015, 2:15:58 AM7 votes

What about all those muscle bound men???

Saruyan12/5/2015, 2:21:41 AM4 votes

this would make sense if it wasnt posted literally after Illaoi

Bladerunner777712/5/2015, 4:23:16 AM4 votes

Okay, no. For starters you claim things and opinions with no evidence which doesn't make for a convincing post.

League is Riot's masterpiece and saying things like "why isn't there a _____ sexuality/looking champ?" Is like looking at an artist's painting and saying "Why isn't there a tree right there?". It's not there because the artist didn't envision a tree there so it's in nobody's power to judge. Of course, League is a constantly changing game so yeah they can do fan service but nobody should take it for granted.

You say that jinx is ridiculed/disliked or whatever for being flat chested which is not correct. A general rule of thumb is that everyone loves jinx for her destructive/anarchist nature. That's what defines her, not her appearance.

Characters like Ahri/Miss fortune? Looking sexy is part of their character so it only makes sense.

I noticed you didn't mention anything about the swoll, buff, studly male champions. Does it make sense that tryndamere, braum, and gragas are all shirtless AND live in the freljord? No. Does anyone actually care? No.

Also the last time Riot released a "sexualized" champion was Syndra which was a long time ago (Elise doesn't count because she's supposed to look seductive to lure her opponents into her web). It might be worth mentioning that syndra was released with a "good person" skin that covered her up anyways

So it goes to show that your social justice warrior deeds are unfounded and unecessary

Ironclad Dragon12/5/2015, 2:22:33 AM3 votes

What we are telling our young male players is that women are supposed to look a certain way

Really? Because I don't feel that way at all. Just as I don't expect men are only mountains of muscle or only monsters or only ironclad warriors.

And one thing, as much as people like to point out that all the League women all have the same body style, well, what should they look like, eh? Every single one. I want to hear at least one solution.

DREADN0UGHT12/5/2015, 5:45:35 AM3 votes

I'll just pretend this is a troll post.

Crowe Stalker12/5/2015, 2:16:25 AM2 votes

A) Summoners, the Institute, the Journal of Justice were all retconned...

B) Riot's not going to do shit. I mean, can you imagine a company spending tens of thousands of dollars or more reworking textures and models on nearly half of the females in the game, likely to get bitched at by the community for this change?

NahDogSolRahn12/5/2015, 3:32:24 AM2 votes

I will bite on your click bait. You are applying some real world logic to a video game, so I will follow suit to disprove you. League is Runetarra's equivalent of Soccer(Football for anyone outside of the U.S) so it requires physically fit beings(men/women/Yordles/Etc.) Look at the men, all buff and big/defined (exception is gragus) wouldn't you also say that this is stereotypical of media? Male action heroes being buff and good looking? Look at the women, thin(thin doesn't always equal fit, eating disorders and all that) but you would assume that running around all day would do that to you. Lets go in-depth here. Sona, probably Leagues largest fan service, She runs around carrying the equivalent of a full on harp/sitar mixed into one, its going to be heavy. She is meant to follow a marksmen almost everywhere, and marksmen move a lot. Leona, League's sun child is depicted in armor for all but one skin, she was raised in a warrior tribe in a tundra near the top of Runetarra's mount Everest, the tribe had a killing ritual to mitigate the population so no one would starve. Ahir is made from a fox, who are sleek and wile, her body is as it should be. Akali is a ninja, quite a bit of training to be one of those, fit. Annie is a child. Caitlyn is an officer of the law, carrying a 50 cal. sniper riffle, fit. Cassiopia was turned into medusa, who has never been depicted as fat or large, is themed correctly. Shall I continue? Diana is from the religion sect of the same warrior tribe Leona is. Elese is gifted immortality and beauty by a half god, themed. Evelyne is Lust incarnate until her lore is fixed. Fiora is a Duelest, meant to be the best in Demacian culture. Ilioa is a Large women, showing strength and will. Irelia is a swordswomen, fit. Janna is tapped into the element air, she is a wind mage, Themed. Jinx, the anti-boobs of league, is an uncatchable criminal, smart enough and fast enough to avoid Caitlyne and Vi, fit(I would also say anorexic, you are able to see her ribs the splash art) Kalistia is just as small chested as Jinx, and was a general of an army before becoming a specter, fit. karma is from Ionia, a place of balance, mind and body, fit and theme. Lissandra was made immortal during a time a lot like the middle ages, theme. Lux was trained in Demacian military, fit. Miss fortune hunts pirates, lives in a working envirement, and just had an entire lore story around her, fit and theme. Morgana comes isn't human and is running from a war that she fought in, fit. I think I'm going to continue. Nami is made like a mermaid, and so is made to be tempting.(mermaids are said to tempt men and then drown them) theme. Nid lives in the wild, where only the strong and quick survive, fit. Ori is a robot modeled after a ballerina. Quinn is in the Military, as was Riven. Sej is the leader of a warrior tribe. Shyvanna is part dragon and in the military. Siver lives in the desert. Saraka is a starchild, born of gods. Syndra is an all-powerful mage, very easily changed her body to how she wants. Vayne hunts evil. Vi is an officer of the law, fighting with her fists. Zyra is a plant, in a body made of magic and will modeled after the one she found in the jungle. All these women are fit or are made to look like the theme they were made from and all are independent and strong. Please stop trying to make a Justus issue out of nothing, its the reason people think of assholes when they hear the words "Social Justus." You don't see anyone posting about why thinking Taric is gay is wrong, because people have enough common sense to know better.

The Whamboozler12/5/2015, 8:03:37 AM1 votes

Kinda late on the "OMG sexism" wagon. People already complained about it a ton and it's getting much better... with more variety in female champion attire and figures. You're asking for a change that's already happening.

Sejuani no longer wears a leather bikini. Jinx isn't a busty bombshell. Illaoi is a massive beast of a woman. RekSai is sex-appeal incarnate. The game is already on it's way to exactly what you're looking for. Just chill and wait a while.

AdanYEva12/5/2015, 6:30:21 PM1 votes

you are totally right, im in the same boat as you, when i see champs like braum/darius, etc. it puts my self esteem low because i dont have those big muscles as they do :/, i wish Riot can make champs that wont make me feel like i dont live up to those standards, they make each male champ like a bodybuilder and i dont meet those high standards :/

hermescostello12/7/2015, 5:12:44 AM1 votes

I'm sorry about all the hate you're going to get about this. This is a problem that Riot is slowly becoming to address I think. Unfortunately, the majority of players for this game love to laugh at the word "feminism". I've seen them use feminist as an insult over and over again without anyone even saying anything remotely feminist because that's just how they are. Honestly I would not try to fight these people on character designs because it's not worth your time to try to argue with them. The problem is blatant and I hate to say it, but it's better to not try to fight every battle especially since this is such unfriendly territory. Even on Illaoi's wikia you can see people (whose opinions weren't even asked) complaining about her design and about "feminists" when they weren't even brought up in the first place. You're just going to get flamed or have to run around circles with a bunch of teenage boys that spout slurs all over the place and have usernames like "n*gro killer" (I literally played against this person today).

MilfHuntUnitXJ912/7/2015, 5:14:10 AM1 votes

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Reaper Soraka12/5/2015, 2:20:58 AM1 votes

You have no need to be concerned.

TruckFump201612/5/2015, 2:59:36 AM1 votes

I feel what you're saying and I agree, but true league players will probably never interact with a real woman anyways.

Lawl

But seriously though, such stereotypical wording of the original complaint...ugh. it's like you're reading from an intro to feminism textbook.

Are portrayals of women in 95% of created media stereotypical, archetypal, and simplistic? Yes.

Riot's bone they threw at this idea was making illaoi look like a cross between seaweed and Vin diesel and giving her a deeper voice than mine. Lol. Diversity achieved!

I don't think the potrayal of LOL characters will have any sort of meaningful social impact, much the same as it's playerbase.

Swerzz12/5/2015, 3:09:59 AM1 votes

large breasts, large butts, and small waists

Annie .... I can see it

BeatzBoyFTW12/5/2015, 3:44:46 AM1 votes
WyvernEgg12/5/2015, 3:47:04 AM1 votes

RekSai Lol

ThouShaltBePwnt12/5/2015, 5:27:20 AM1 votes

happy to see this thread generating discussion, whichever way you chose to lean

Disneylord12/5/2015, 5:36:48 AM1 votes

Why are you here anyway? and games are meant to be played by boys, if a girl plays video games its not considered normal so having female characters is obvious. League of Legends specific is played 90% by teenager boys around the ages 14-18 but apart from this i cant understand why you think any of that stuff about female characters in a moba that have the smallest models, the only thing that explains it is that you have never been or even talked to a real girl