It makes me sad and bitter to know that Frances would be almost universally disliked, if not hated, if his name were a proper reflection of his gender. I'd like to think otherwise, but given the appalling level of vitriol you can see...I just don't. :(
Your more familiar with the Maxis premades than I am, but the impression I've gotten is that many of them do get strong armed into "traditional" situations with women playing second fiddle to their husbands/brothers/lovers/guy friends/whatever. Though, like you said the game is open ended enough, and the back stories tend to be vague enough, that you don't necessarily have to accept this. But still. I will say, in the two examples you listed:
I think a large part of the impression of Dina as a gold digger is powerfully perpetuated in game, with the suggestion that her and Nina's interest in Morty is "fiscal," her memory of a big insurance claim after Michael's death, her wanting to "make it big" without thinking. And I do think a lot of this would carry over if she were Nino instead, though the term gold digger might not be used - it doesn't seem to be used in association with men much at all. But I do think there would be a general impression that "Nino" was only marrying for money. People would probably be more sympathetic towards him, though, and I have to wonder what the opinion of Mortimer would be if he were Morticia? Somehow, I expect she would take a lot more blame for "stupidly" falling for Nino's tricks.
You have no idea how much I wish Don had been Donna instead. :< Against all logic, I love him, but I'd love her so much more. Chastity Gere comes close to being a girl!Don, I think, in that she's in a "successful" demanding career (business vs. medicine), and a description that suggests a casual approach to sex and serial heartbreaking. The nonexistence could be explained away as laziness on EAs part, in that the stories for the new hoods aren't nearly as well put together as the old ones. But that's still a problem.
I would love to write, or see written, stories about the gender-bent PView. It changes a lot of how the characters are perceived, but also how they're developed. Looking at Don again, he's intended, so it seems, to be strongly defined by his masculinity. If you accept that you're assuming a world where those gender roles exist, and at the least it makes it difficult to carry that same characterization and "manliness" over to a female character. Which begs the question, can you even have a Don-like character who's defined by her femininity instead?
My own personal preference is towards female characters who are badass, possibly "too" badass. This is pretty strongly driven by my love of fantasy/action/scifi genres, where the hero kicks ass and takes names. Every now and then I like to think the Big Damn Hero/BAMF can look like me (because I am not like those heroes at all). But it makes me physically angry when people when people say a woman can't be a good character if she's weak or sensitive. The theory I've seen behind that is that a female character is usually seen to represent EVERY FEMALE CHARACTER EVERYWHERE EVER, so if she's weak, she's perpetuating stereotypes. But at the same time, if she's a bitch she's also perpetuation stereotypes, and if she's too assertive she's a bitch. If she's not assertive enough she's weak. So she has to be perfect, but then she's boring.
I while back I actual saw a question on ffrantsrants asking if it's even possible to write a good female character. The answer is yes, so I'd think the more appropriate question would be "Is it possible to write a female character that will be perceived as 'good'?".
no subject
It makes me sad and bitter to know that Frances would be almost universally disliked, if not hated, if his name were a proper reflection of his gender. I'd like to think otherwise, but given the appalling level of vitriol you can see...I just don't. :(
Your more familiar with the Maxis premades than I am, but the impression I've gotten is that many of them do get strong armed into "traditional" situations with women playing second fiddle to their husbands/brothers/lovers/guy friends/whatever. Though, like you said the game is open ended enough, and the back stories tend to be vague enough, that you don't necessarily have to accept this. But still. I will say, in the two examples you listed:
I think a large part of the impression of Dina as a gold digger is powerfully perpetuated in game, with the suggestion that her and Nina's interest in Morty is "fiscal," her memory of a big insurance claim after Michael's death, her wanting to "make it big" without thinking. And I do think a lot of this would carry over if she were Nino instead, though the term gold digger might not be used - it doesn't seem to be used in association with men much at all. But I do think there would be a general impression that "Nino" was only marrying for money. People would probably be more sympathetic towards him, though, and I have to wonder what the opinion of Mortimer would be if he were Morticia? Somehow, I expect she would take a lot more blame for "stupidly" falling for Nino's tricks.
You have no idea how much I wish Don had been Donna instead. :< Against all logic, I love him, but I'd love her so much more. Chastity Gere comes close to being a girl!Don, I think, in that she's in a "successful" demanding career (business vs. medicine), and a description that suggests a casual approach to sex and serial heartbreaking. The nonexistence could be explained away as laziness on EAs part, in that the stories for the new hoods aren't nearly as well put together as the old ones. But that's still a problem.
I would love to write, or see written, stories about the gender-bent PView. It changes a lot of how the characters are perceived, but also how they're developed. Looking at Don again, he's intended, so it seems, to be strongly defined by his masculinity. If you accept that you're assuming a world where those gender roles exist, and at the least it makes it difficult to carry that same characterization and "manliness" over to a female character. Which begs the question, can you even have a Don-like character who's defined by her femininity instead?
My own personal preference is towards female characters who are badass, possibly "too" badass. This is pretty strongly driven by my love of fantasy/action/scifi genres, where the hero kicks ass and takes names. Every now and then I like to think the Big Damn Hero/BAMF can look like me (because I am not like those heroes at all). But it makes me physically angry when people when people say a woman can't be a good character if she's weak or sensitive. The theory I've seen behind that is that a female character is usually seen to represent EVERY FEMALE CHARACTER EVERYWHERE EVER, so if she's weak, she's perpetuating stereotypes. But at the same time, if she's a bitch she's also perpetuation stereotypes, and if she's too assertive she's a bitch. If she's not assertive enough she's weak. So she has to be perfect, but then she's boring.
I while back I actual saw a question on
*rambles*