Bioware writers discuss the same-sex relationships found in Mass Effect

[pkbitchgirl]

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/07/same-sex-relationships-in-mass-effect-3/

Sorry, got the right link now, the previous link was to a petition for Garrus m/m DLC

Comments

[soaringsparrows]

Huh, an interesting read.

But if I'm going to be honest, even though I haven't played a Traynormance yet - I'll get around to it at some point, I swear - I've seen the shower scene on Youtube and it just makes me feel uncomfortable. The whole thing smacks of male gaze, "hurr hurr two hot girls in a shower are you turned on yet", and... I dunno. Somehow I prefer the m/m scenes, but I can't put my finger on why...

[pusifoot]

Reading the article now, but I can think of one movie with lesbian characters where they end up neither dead nor broken up: Bound. (So Patrick, if you're reading, feel free to suggest that one!)

[themarshal]

If you ignore the last 10 minutes of Kissing Jessica Stein it's actually a very sweet romance. Until she decides she's not gay, despite having spent the majority of the movie absolutely in love with this woman...

Oh! Better Than Chocolate. I think those two ended up together!

[pusifoot]

Oh yes! I loved "Better Thank Chocolate"! I haven't seen Kissing Jessica Stein, but if/when I do I'll make sure to stop it 10 minutes before the end of the film and headcannon "And they lived happily ever after" my ownself.

[obviouslygeeky]

I love Kissing Jessica Stein (it's one of my favorite films) and I don't think that it suffers from the reveal that Jessica in the end prefers men, her whole relationship ship with Helen is handled well and I see the film as being more about Jessica finding herself and Helen being instrumental part of her journey. The scenes between Jess/Helen are fantastic but I think the end romance does make sense - they hint at the possibility of the other romance throughout the film so while I was somewhat surprised at the twist it's not like it came out of nowhere.

[voyevoda]

Pat Weekes gave me all the feels in that interview (it's very rare you'll see a male dev actually saying things like "Patriarchy" without mocking tones).

I doff my hat to you sir.

[widowblade]

This was really refreshing to read, and something I may link to in the future when the topic of "how do I gay?" comes up, as it invariably does. Bioware has consistently used the most "humanizing" approach to writing queer character and romances that I have seen come out of the video game industry, and it's mostly because the writers end up treating and thinking of the characters as people, first and foremost.

Was really surprised when Mr. Weekes owned up to guffing up, too. Usually that's not something people are all too willing to put out there, but in this case, is a definitely positive and crucial part of the process. This seriously made my day, and I'll second wanting to give them a really big hug after reading. :>

[tersa]

I've read a few things from Mr. Weekes where he's seemed ready to own up to his mistakes. I really like that about him as well.

[misterandersen]

I also suspect that they've seen the sheer visceral hate that's come from other sectors of Bioware stubbonly refusing to admit they made... mistakes... and realise that as a fandom we're far more likely to pat them on the back and buy them a beverage for admiting they weren't automatically perfect than we are to dump on them.

[widowblade]

That's an excellent point, too. >_>

Either way, I'll take it.