Rant About Clothing in a Facebook Application
So, I let a friend convince me to start playing/using/adding the "Knighthood" application of facebook. Okay; the basic idea of the game is that you're a fudal lord/lady and you want to become as powerful as possible. Not a problem. I mean, there are some problems, but I don't have a real problem with the basic idea of the game. What bothers me is the outfit my character is wearing. It's a sleevless fitted tunic, that slightly flares out from under the breasts. It ends just below the hips and is slit slightly on the side. Then I'm wearing ankle boots. Nothing else. The hair is long and falls forward. One hand is holding a dagger. Let's start with the impracitcality of said coustume. First, where am I supposed to put the dagger that I am holding? I have no sheath, no belt to put one on. So, I have to walk around carrying a naked dagger. Practical. Not to mention, in the world this game is based on, completely insulting (of course, given that I'm female in the first place makes importing the manners slightly absurd, I do realize that). And you wouldn't have much freedom of movement, not to mention the fact that it would be freezing.
But that's not even my real problem. Most coustumes that you characters in books and ectera wearing are not exactly practical. It's that such an outfit embodies every bad fanstasy warrior woman cliche. The men aren't dressed like that. One is wearing armor, stylized of course, and another one is wearing what was clearly inspired by a crusader uniform, complete with red cross. While up to a point the same practicality arguement applies, it is much closer to something that a) might be useable and b) is historically accurate. I know that the historical accuracy arguement is slightly bogus, given the fact that this game is essentially gender nuetral. But if the game is gender netural, why are the females dressed essentially like sex sterotypes while the guys get real clothing?
But that's not even my real problem. Most coustumes that you characters in books and ectera wearing are not exactly practical. It's that such an outfit embodies every bad fanstasy warrior woman cliche. The men aren't dressed like that. One is wearing armor, stylized of course, and another one is wearing what was clearly inspired by a crusader uniform, complete with red cross. While up to a point the same practicality arguement applies, it is much closer to something that a) might be useable and b) is historically accurate. I know that the historical accuracy arguement is slightly bogus, given the fact that this game is essentially gender nuetral. But if the game is gender netural, why are the females dressed essentially like sex sterotypes while the guys get real clothing?