Abstinence, Coming to a Store Near You
One of the most consistent problems with technology is how we use it. Culturally, we’ve been known to abuse virtual and digital technology for social purpose – we are, after all, the Americans that played “The Sims” without batting an eyelash at the absence of homosexuality, and the Americans that released, re-released, and updated “Grand Theft Auto” without removing the violence against women. And now, we are going to use new, modern video game technology to scare women out of their sexuality – and reinforce that unwanted sex is their fault.
The University of Central Florida has developed a full-body motion-control video game that promotes abstinence. It lets tween girls control avatars that are placed in social situations that may lead to making out and, gasp, sex.
HOLD ON A MINUTE. So a new video game that depicts women in sexual situations – well, that isn’t exactly new. But this is certainly a spin on the situation: players, female players of course, are outfitted in motion-tracking bodysuits (think those fancy green-screen suits they use now to make accurate animated character movements) and placed into situations where “sleazy guys and sparkly vampires approach them to make out and pressure them to have sex.”
And, you guessed it- girls get points for saying no.
The premise of the game is to put presumably younger women into sexual situations that are scary and intimidating, and encourage abstinence based on an actual fear of sex. (I’m pretty sure a better game would have sleazeballs wearing suits and not harassing, assaulting, and coercing the women in their lives.) The main messages include: Sleazy men exist and will harass you, and that is okay. Sleazy men exist, and that is okay. Sex is not okay.
Casey Chan ends her Gizmodo piece with the remark, “I’m not saying it’s not going to work, but…it’s probably not going to work.”
Here’s to hoping she’s right.
Just to say that in ‘The Sims’, same-sex couples could exist if they were created, and live as partners….
Hey Clare- that’s a newer feature in the game. Formerly, stark differences existed between attempts at same-sex and opposite-sex Sim coupling:
“The release of the role playing game Sims 3 brought a change to interpersonal relationships: Gay couples can now officially marry.
Lyle Masaki at After Elton writes that when the game debuted in 2000, opposite sex couples could marry, while “gay couples could only move in together.” The Sims 2 allowed gay couples to be “joined.” But now, like in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Iowa, Sims avatars are allowed to say, “I do.”"
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2009/06/the_sims_legalizes_gay_marriag.html
I do apologize for making that sentence a little more dramatic and potentially misleading than necessary.
Thats 100% Wrong to teach pre-teens that sex is wrong and thats its ok that men harrass!! Lots of mothers teach their preteens & teens that harrassment is wrong. I didn’t have to be taught that it was wrong. I observed the men that I met through my parents/relatives and friends(Dads), and How they treated me with Respect.
@Rta – awesome point! If cultural standards made more people’s experiences and influences like yours, we’d be pretty well off, wouldn’t we? Teaching girls to be abstinent because men are sleazes is dangerous, and teaching them that it’s unavoidable is just disappointing.