[Polyhedron] Are women interested in this type of fantasy?

[SemperJase]

The current issue of Polyhedron introduces the mini-game "Iron Lords of Jupiter" as part of the "planetary romance" genre. Most people here would be familiar with Flash Gordon as an example of this type of adventure.

The genre is defined as a earthman transported to an strange world with no magic that has many races and cultures and is usually an ancient world. It is further defined by the romance. The hero usually immediately must rescue a woman thereby establishing his adventuring career.

The introduction then goes on to say that while the traditional literature has men rescuing women "there is no need to enforce such gender steriotyping in a modern RPG; it is just as proper to have heroic female characters save handsome (but somewhat ineffectual) males as the reverse.

Poly tried to reinforce this suggestion with the cover art for the issue showing a muscular male alien clutching the leg of a heroic female brandishing a gun and a sword.

It seems they are trying to turn human nature upside down. This genre is significant for romance. I just don't believe that women would be romantically interested in a romance with men they had to rescue. I even discussed this with a fellow supervisor at work. I asked her if she would be romantically interested in a man she rescued. She said "no, I would just find someone else".

In this case, the stereotype is based on reality. Men and women are wired differently. Men want to be the protector, women the nurturers. Women want to be protected by the men they are romantically interested in. Please note, this is not saying the women are helpless (my wife is the perfect example of a strong willed, assertive woman). It is just saying that women are generally not attracted to men that are physically weaker than themselves (as indicated by their need to be rescued).

So ladies, I'm curious as to what you think. Is it reasonable to say that women would generally not be interested in romantic adventures in which they would be resuing the men?

 

[randomling]

I don't necessarily think it's a great idea to generalize about things like this. Personally, yes, I'd be interested in playing a scenario like this (it would make a change from my female characters being the butt of sexual jokes). I'm a woman, by the way. Some other women might, and others might not.

I don't know if the "man as protector, woman as nuturer" roles are natural or just socially convenient. That's certainly an interesting description of the roles as surely one is just the flip-side of the other? I know I'm fiercely protective of my friends and family, and if that came down to defending them physically, well, I wouldn't be that good at it but I would do it.

And maybe my tastes are weird, but physical strength or weakness doesn't figure in whether or not I'm attracted to somebody. Mostly my attractions come from people's personality, rather than anything physical, and whether or not they could rescue me from the evil overlord of such-and-such doesn't come anywhere near it.

(All IMHO of course, I'm not looking to start a flamewar! Gender roles are a bit of an interest for me though -- I'm a feminist -- and stereotyping like this gets my goat a little. I say, go Poly -- let's have some tough women and ineffectual men for a change!)

 

[SemperJase]

(All IMHO of course, I'm not looking to start a flamewar! Gender roles are a bit of an interest for me though -- I'm a feminist -- and stereotyping like this gets my goat a little. I say, go Poly -- let's have some tough women and ineffectual men for a change!)

Thanks for your response randomling. I also do not want to start a flame war. The aspect of this that interests me is human nature.

I do find your remarks interesting. Just to clarify, would you be romantically interested in a man you had to rescue or was so ineffectual, he couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag (OK, that last is an exaggeration to illustrate the point).

 

[Agback]

G'day

I have noticed in my long career running romantic adventures that female PCs aren't attracted to male NPCs who are so pathetic as to need rescuing from danger, even when the female characters are played by men.

I have had somewhat more success with male NPC romantic interests who need to be 'rescued' from social entanglements.

Regards,


Agback

 

[Olive]

Thanks for your response randomling. I also do not want to start a flame war. The aspect of this that interests me is human nature.

No offense, but I find this idea of 'human nature' so incredibly difficult to respond to because i reject it out right.

and the idea that men somehow all want a weak inefectual woman i find kinda offensive. So I'm not sure that these boards are the place for this conversation.

Not a flame, just trying to explain why I'm not into the thread.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Sounds like the ghastly spectre of political correctness has reared its ugly head once more in a gaming industry product. Shameful. It's bad enough having to waste my time dealing with PC Nazis in everyday life without them trying to impose their skewed ideas on my fantasy life.

 

[randomling]

Thanks for your response randomling. I also do not want to start a flame war. The aspect of this that interests me is human nature.

I do find your remarks interesting. Just to clarify, would you be romantically interested in a man you had to rescue or was so ineffectual, he couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag (OK, that last is an exaggeration to illustrate the point).

Out of past experience of being very attracted to just such a guy? Oh... hell... yeah.

God only knows why. It's not the physical weakness that turns me on, it's brains, personality, looks (I do tend to go for skinny pasty types with no muscles), whatever.

 

[randomling]

Wow, Olive and Iron_Chef posted while I was posting and I feel the need to respond.

Olive: I feel the same as you, which is why I wanted to challenge it. I don't know whether or not human nature comes into this discussion at all. I think we're more dealing with (how shall I say it?) social nature.

Iron_Chef: I personally don't think this has anything to do with political correctness. What's wrong with challenging outdated stereotypes? If you don't want to put female PCs in a position of power in your game, that's your call. I get Dungeon anyway, but I'll be taking a close look at Poly this month because these kinds of issues interest me a lot.

I'm trying to choose my language carefully so I don't offend anyone, and not be too political about this. I understand why people are concerned about political correctness (and why it seems like Nazism to some people) but remember that the movement did start out with good intentions! They just got twisted by idiots along the way.

 

[SemperJase]

Wow, Olive and Iron_Chef posted while I was posting and I feel the need to respond.

Olive: I feel the same as you, which is why I wanted to challenge it. I don't know whether or not human nature comes into this discussion at all. I think we're more dealing with (how shall I say it?) social nature.

Randomling, there is a human nature - or more specifically, male and female nature. Scientists have recently discovered what wise men and women have known for centuries. That is, men and women are different. Their brains work differently.

I want to clarify again. This post was not about keeping women weak and ineffectual in a game. My wife is just one woman gamer in my group that plays a strong effectual woman.

The point is are those women romantically attracted to weak ineffectual men. Again, I do not generally find that to be true. Of course there are always limited exceptions to every rule. That is why we call it a rule and not a law.

 

[Olive]

Randomling, there is a human nature - or more specifically, male and female nature. Scientists have recently discovered what wise men and women have known for centuries. That is, men and women are different. Their brains work differently.

Link? Cos I've done a lot of reading that suggests otherwise.