Gender and Videogames: The political valency of Lara Croft

The Effects of the Sexualization of Female Video Game Characters on Gender Stereotyping and Female Self-Concept

“…Although this type of female character fits the normative characteristics of an action hero (i.e. male action hero) by demonstrating strength, speed, intellect, and independence (Richard and Zaremba 2005), her sexuality is her defining feature, relegating her status to that of an object to be gazed upon (Mikula 2003). In other words, her role as an action hero is tied to her sexuality and body.…”

Effects of exposure to sex-stereotyped video game characters on tolerance of sexual harassment

“…Women in video games also are under-represented and marginalized; games rarely depict female heroes (Dill et al, 2005;Scharrer, 2004). Even when a game has a female lead, she is still likely to be sexually objectified as exemplified by Tomb Raider's Lara Croft (Mikula, 2003). Dill and Thill (2007) asked teenagers to describe typical male and female video game characters.…”

Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles: Young People’s Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media Depictions

“…By the mid to late 1990s, video games had morphed into a persistent, and in terms of gender stereotypes, blatant element in youth popular culture. Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, now an icon among female game characters, arrived on the scene to spark debate about the merits and demerits of a butt-kicking, buxom video game star who was at once agent and object (Mikula 2003). of males, 78.8% of females) and 20.3% of these kids play a video game everyday (MPA 2004).…”