Before we begin, simply let me say this: I think this is one of the least rational controversies that has ever been sparked in the World of Warcraft community (all trolling in General included). However, I feel that someone needs to offer the voice of reason, and so, at the request of Katarnas and Apple Cider, I’m posting this blog, both to illustrate my own views on the subject and to offer a platform for a lengthier discussion on the topic that doesn’t involved spamming the Twitter feeds of our collective followers. Feel free to sound off regarding your thoughts on the subject, and on this post, in the comments at the bottom. Just be sure to keep the discussion civil and light-hearted, and my finger won’t feel the need to twitch toward the “Delete” button 🙂
This morning (or perhaps late last night) Blizzard opted to change the dialogue for an NPC in the Mists of Pandaria beta, Ji Firepaw. Originally, Ji made some rather, well, I’m to be honest here—I think his remarks to both genders were about as idiotic a thing as Blizzard has ever written (and I’m including the original BC Belf lore in that). This image, courtesy of WoW Insider’s Josh Meyers, shows the original Ji dialogue for both genders. The dialogue for both genders was changed to read as follows:
“You seem poised and ready. I can tell we are going to be good friends.”
Both my Twitter feed and the MMO-Champion forums blew up this morning with opinions regarding the change, and the discussion quickly polarized into two camps: ultra-feminists zealously defending the change, and hyper-sensitive misogynists claiming that anyone who called for the change in the first place was over-sensitive and overreacting to the original dialogue.
Seriously?
Now, the discussion of sexism and gender inequality in World of Warcraft has been raging for quite some time in the WoW community, but I am absolutely taken aback by the genuine hostility toward the change (and toward those who support(ed) it) that I’ve seen from some sectors. One only has to glance through this morning’s MMO-Champion posts to notice a rather sickening amount of ad hominem attacks directed at main proponents of the change like Apple Cider Mage (who, by the way, has my full support in this) which is simply disgusting. It is never permissible, ever, to attack someone’s character and value as a human being simply for disagreeing with you. Everyone has their own unique set of experiences and beliefs that makes them who they are—who the hell are you to judge those experiences and beliefs (or opinions) as invalid?
I’m not going to bore you with another rant on the foolish inertia of the patriarchy. I’ll leave that to others, because others do it far more credibly than I. I, however, do wish to offer my own opinions as to the dialogue.
Get ready for a deal-breaker: from my perspective, there is no gender inequality in Ji’s original dialogue; however, I do see how it could be construed in that manner. Now let me explain that before you start chasing me with your torches and pitch forks. When I read the original dialogue, the dialogue for both genders strikes me as a comment on the toon’s appearance—one is based on curves, the other is based on muscles. “Gorgeous” and “strong” are both words that can be used to describe appearance, and that is how I interpreted the dialogue. However, Ji’s vague reference to strength in regards to male Pandaren led many players (both male and female) to the conclusion that Ji was praising female Pandaren for their looks and male Pandaren for their prowess in battle. It’s not my place to say who is right or wrong—everyone has an opinion that is valid for their own preferences, beliefs, and experiences.
However, Ji’s original dialogue was still offensive to me—not because I construed it as gender-biased, but simply because of how absolutely fucking ridiculous it was. What the hell does my physical attractiveness or sexual prowess (or lack thereof) have to do with anything that is going on in the Warcraft story during the Pandaren starting quests? Ji’s comments were an insult to my intelligence, and quite frankly, incredibly sleezy. Regardless of gender, his comments boil down to: “You’re physically attractive, so let’s be friends.” This brings a whole other issue into play—the valuation of human beings based solely on physical appearance. Sure, he’s talking to Pandaren—being played by real, living human beings.
And to be honest, the revised dialogue isn’t much better. “You look poised and ready. I can tell we are going to be good friends.” So, because I know how to stand up straight, you want to be my friend? How in the world does that make any more sense than wanting to be my friend purely because you think I’m physically attractive?
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m glad the dialogue was changed and I’m happy for Apple Cider Mage and all the members of the community who helped make the change possible. But let’s not pretend that Blizzard did anything other than re-wrap the same old package in a slightly less offensive kind of paper. I see what you did there, Blizzard. I really do.
But more importantly, I see exactly what is occurring in the reactions to the change. Because so many players are set in their belief that they are not inherently misogynistic (which, being raised in an inherently misogynistic culture by inherently misogynistic parents, makes that an almost certainty), any time someone raises their hand and says, “By the way, that’s gender bias,” they immediately pounce upon that person and attempt to silence him or her. The truth is, they don’t have a valid reason for their bias, and they know it, but they also have no desire to admit that they have a bias in the first place; their embarrassment, coupled with their denial, leaves them but one response—two little words, “Fuck you.”
So how about, instead of immediately assuming that people who find things offensive are only looking for things by which to be offended, or hyper-sensitive to a certain subject (which they may well be, but who are you to judge them if they are?), or simply seeking attention, why not step back for a moment and try to see things for their perspective? Because really, that’s the only difference between you and them—an almost imperceptibly tiny shift in perspective.
Oddly enough, it’s that small, seemingly inconsequential shift in perspective that we call a miracle. Who’d ‘ave thought, eh?
The Heart of a Lion 