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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsNoblegarden: Sexy or Sexist?
by Robin Torres 
May 1st 2009 at 1:00PM
We are nearing the end of Noblegarden, but haven't discussed here at WoW Insider the most controversial part of the event: Shake your Bunny-Maker. For this achievement, you have to put bunny ears on one female of each race that is over Level 18.
Before we go any farther in this discussion, I would like to state that I am female. Not that I am speaking for all females (no one can), but I think that it is important that you know where I am coming from. I also have a young daughter and would like the world to be a better place for her, as all parents do. It is also worth noting that the title for this post was inspired by one of my favorite movies: This is Spinal Tap. The band wants to release an album called Smell the Glove with a cover of a naked woman who is leashed and is forced to smell a glove. The lead singer mistakes the word "sexist" for "sexy". Hilarity ensues.
Before we go any farther in this discussion, I would like to state that I am female. Not that I am speaking for all females (no one can), but I think that it is important that you know where I am coming from. I also have a young daughter and would like the world to be a better place for her, as all parents do. It is also worth noting that the title for this post was inspired by one of my favorite movies: This is Spinal Tap. The band wants to release an album called Smell the Glove with a cover of a naked woman who is leashed and is forced to smell a glove. The lead singer mistakes the word "sexist" for "sexy". Hilarity ensues.
The name and picture of that fictional album is undeniably sexist and degrading to women. But does that apply to the in-game actions of forcing bunny ears on appropriately "aged" females? Sutro at Feministing.com seems to think so (as do a few of our readers who wrote in about this topic). He calls this achievement "unconscionable", which is a pretty strong word.
Without a doubt, putting the ears only on female characters and having them be the equivalent of legal age to pose nude is a reference to Playboy. And Playboy, as most adults know, is a men's magazine with naked women inside AKA smut or porn. Many people believe that all porn objectifies and is otherwise demeaning to women, even if considered tasteful as many consider Playboy to be.
But while the female characters have no choice as to wearing the bunny ears, which Sutro says makes many female players feel uncomfortable in real life, they are not stripped down into a Playboy Bunny outfit or otherwise affected in any other way. So this really comes down to knowing what the reference is and being bothered by it.
On the one hand, anyone who doesn't know it's a Playboy reference, such as children, just think it's fun to put bunny ears on other players like they forced pumpkins on players' heads during Hallow's End. It is just bunny ears to them and is innocent fun. Other people enjoy the pop culture reference and also mean no harm when participating in the event.
Personally, I wish they had left the gender and level restrictions out of the achievement. Being "forced" to wear bunny ears doesn't bother me at all and I am having a good time in Noblegarden, but I don't think this was the smartest decision Blizzard has ever made. (Edited to add: I tried to present both sides of the topic here, but if you are interested in my full, unbridled opinion, I've expounded on my personal blog.)
| Yes, they should change the achievement to be any gender and level. | |
|---|---|
| Yes, the achievement should be removed. | |
| No, it's all in good fun. | |
| Not in this day and age. | |
| Bunnies are cute! |
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, Virtual selves, Achievements
Reader Comments (Page 19 of 19)
Sabby May 3rd 2009 7:23AM
I haven't read all the comments yet; so if this has been stated already, I apologize.
There needs to be a level requirement for achievements like this; as it prevents people from simply creating level 1 alts so they, or their friends, can earn the achievement. The level requirement makes it slightly more challenging (and rewarding).
Now, in this case, did it have to be level 18? No. But, other than max level, 18 makes the most sense.
almond May 3rd 2009 9:48AM
I'm more bothered by the names of the Sons of Hodir quests than this.
Evi May 3rd 2009 1:30PM
I'm a female, and I was not offended by this. I found it to be in good fun. I rolled my eyes a little, but I certainly was not offended by it.
Mahkara May 5th 2009 1:23AM
I didn't really find it that bad....compared to having to "Blow Hodir's Horn" (yeah, go for it manly man orc warriors) or the paladin bikini plate, eh...
And you can click off the ears if you find them that offensive.
But I did like the article. I think that it's fair to say that if we pretend that video games are allowed to be vilely sexist that it's just fine and dandy that ultimately we end up saying "what next"? I'd love it if WOW was more egalatarian (i.e. 50% female everything) and less racist (how many non blonde haired, blue eyed, Aryan types do you see in the game?). But...it's not overly bad, as far as things go. There's still a way to go, but...eh, it is what it is. And "Shake Your Bunny Maker" is hardly the worst of the "crimes" found in an MMO.
Carien Jun 13th 2009 5:32PM
The more I think about this achievement the more disturbing it becomes. I'm sure that someone has already said something similar, but the Warcraft universe in general (from the lore I have read) has never treated women as anything but objects, and what bothers me is that they keep doing it!
Even now, as World of warcraft has over 9 million players, many of them women and even more playing as women, the developers can't get their head around the fact that women can be more than eyecandy! We are still running around in a world where all of the mobs are male, where female NPCs are there for decoration or to create an illusion of equality, and every single piece of armour shrinks or opns up when put on a female character.
And now this! It's like they want all the women to quit playing, or at least remind us that we are there as guests in a world created by and for men. There need to be some serious changes of Blizzard, I'll tell you that