The Grand Theft Auto series is frequently singled out as an example of how darkly misogynistic video games can be, so when feminists play Grand Theft Auto for the first time in a new Buzzfeed video, the results aren't pretty. Unsurprisingly, all of the women who try their hand at the game complain about its lack of "strong female characters" (although the strippers look pretty strong to me), and are generally disgusted by the ways women are portrayed as sex objects to be used, discarded — and sometimes murdered. While it's hard to argue with that take on the game, there is still something slightly problematic about the way this entire experiment is set up.
Most of the feminists Buzzfeed features playing the game are bad at it, which confirms the stereotype of women not belonging to the cliche "guys-only" gamer world of dank basements, hairy palms, and stunted adolescent sexuality. One participant in the video even comments that she hates video games because they "appeal to the male fantasy," which is a pretty reductive take on an entire industry and overlooks the women who often risk their personal safety to make the gaming world more inclusive of different genders and sexual orientations.
"This would be appealing to someone who's never spoken to a human woman"
"I fucking hate video games because...it appeals to the male fantasy"
"I actually had a lot of fun..."
All that said, Grand Theft Auto is hugely popular for a reason, and it's high octane misogyny still didn't stop one girl from enjoying her immersion in the bacchanal of sex, drugs and destruction that the game offers.
Images: Buzzfeed
