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Kayle's new splash: that's not a boobplate

Solideus·10/29/2014, 1:32:04 PM·83 votes·14,804 views

Boobplate is criticized for sacrificing functionality for sexualization. It does go against realism and functional design, but it's not inherently bad. Sometimes sexy-fun is appropriate; there are seductive archetypes like Ahri and Miss Fortune. Even chainmail-bras can be appropriate in the right context. (Although it's used a lot more than it should.)

Now, boobplate is not appropriate for a character like Kayle. However, Kayle's new splash doesn't have a boobplate in the sense that it is sometimes accused of. It is stylized, but obviously functional. The "breast" shapes are extra plating for a female shape-language. Notice how no one is leaping to tear down Pantheon's choice of abs-plate, where functionality also can be in question. Women have breasts, and they can be non-sexual icons of womanhood.

The design choice was in all probability done to make her gender more obvious, like Samus' design has evolved to a more feminine shape-language; *not *a sexualized one. (Well, sadly there's also Zero-Suit...) These strong, female warriors shouldn't have to "hide" behind a "male design" to be taken seriously.

TLDR: Feminine =/= sexualized. It's unfair to by default equal feminine traits to sexualization. It can easily approach shaming if that's the default mindset.

238 Comments

Stars Shaper10/29/2014, 1:56:29 PM24 votes

One word about Pantheon. Abs armor were used by ancient greeks and romans

Final GirI10/29/2014, 4:10:47 PM21 votes

Riot has time and time again disappointed me in their decision that it's necessary to, or that it's even okay to, push tits on every single female character in a franchise. I made this complaint with Vi , who is in no way built enough to be the tough girl she claims to be and manage those giant fists. I made this complaint with Nami , who is a fish and yet is bursting out of her own skin (into her other, mammal-mammaried skin?). I'm going to make the complaint with Kayle now, because she's better than this.

Vi is using Hextech gauntlets, so obviously they have the technology to make it so she can hold them up without them being heavy. She is obviously a woman, you don't have to be an obviously butch lesbian to be a fighter, you can be strong and still have feminine qualities.

Nami is not just a fish, she is a mermaid, go back through any movie about Mermaids, they all have tits. Obviously Nami is a more stylized mermaid so her fish aspects continue up to her torso and so on, but it's not like Mermaids have to be exactly 50-50 when it comes to the fish human ratio.

Now let's talk about a none sexualized champions for a moment.

Jinx Flat chest, crazy personality, weird face, not sexualized. Obviously they can make champions who are not for the point of being sexy, i.e. Yordles, Jinx, the children Champs (If you find the children champs sexy, please get help)

Now, I see everyone always talking about the sexualized female champions. Yes, most of the bodies the women in this game have are very sexualized and unobtainable in real life normally. Everyone always seems to forget that the Male Champions are just as sexualized as the women in this game.

Jayce Jayce, hot. Yasuo Look at that smolder, hot. Braum Look at those muscles, those are obviously sexy and unobtainable for men in real life. JarvanIV Those cheek bones, I would never be able to get those without cosmetic surgery. Garen Everything about Garen, that heavy armor, that sleek hair, that face that looks carved out of perfect stone.

So yes, there are sexy women in this game, there are sexy men. You guys can't let that outweigh everything though, everyone is always talking about how the women are to sexy. Look at the men! They are equally as sexy as the women are! Of course there are always the ugly people as well.

Evelynn Cassiopeia Urgot Shaco

Start looking at the good and diversity in this game, rather than nitpicking about Kayle's breasts!

Baval10/29/2014, 2:51:19 PM17 votes

A woman on the battlefield would need to keep their breasts taped down, or they would lose a lot of effectiveness when utilizing a sword as Kayle does. Therefore, the boobplate design seen on Kayle, modest or not, is bad design. It takes the problem of having large breasts on arm mobility and makes it immobile. Id post my reference but it seems Skallagrim has made it private.

ValyrianBlade10/29/2014, 1:48:26 PM13 votes

Have to agree with this.

In all honesty I thought kayle was a guy at first.

Nothing wrong with making her obviously female, it's not like having a curve or two suddenly sexualizes her.

Pandemic Punch10/29/2014, 8:17:15 PM8 votes

Batman had nipples on his suit.