Tropes vs Women in Video Games — A Damsel in Distress: Part 3

The third video in the Tropes vs Women in Video Games series by Anita Sarkeesian wraps up the discussion of the Damsel in Distress trope by examining rare situations in which the trope is used deliberately for the purpose of irony or switched to the Dude in Distress. You can watch part one of the Damsel in Distress series here, and part two is available here. According to the project’s Kickstarter, Sarkeesian will be exploring the trope of “The Fighting F#@k Toy” in her next series of Tropes vs. Women in Video Games.

In this episode we examine the rare Dude in Distress role reversal and then take a look at the use of “ironic sexism” in retro inspired indie and mobile games. We conclude with an investigation of some titles that attempt to subvert or deconstruct the traditional damsel narrative.