Feminist Frequency is tackling video games once more with its newest webseries, Queer Tropes. The entire miniseries, hosted by editor Carolyn Petit, consists of three episodes — and they’re all available to watch now.
Anita Sarkeesian directed all three episodes of Queer Tropes, which tackles the history of queer representation in video games. In the premiere episode, Petit talks about queer coding, a practice that can be traced back to the Hays Code era of Hollywood cinema. Queer coding — or heavily, stereotypically implying that villains are gay — remains common in filmmaking, unfortunately, and it has long held a place in video games. Prepare to see some disappointing examples from games like Dead Rising, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Streets of Rage 3.
Topics broached in the other two episodes include queer relationships (or lack thereof), homophobia, and transphobia in video games. The episodes run for 12-15 minutes, making them a breezy watch. A playlist of the full series is up top.
This is Feminist Frequency’s first video game-related YouTube project since its breakthrough Tropes vs. Women in Video Games, which brought the organization into the public eye. Although it won fans and acclaim, the show also had numerous detractors, beginning with its successful Kickstarter. The ongoing harassment of host Anita Sarkeesian eventually dovetailed with the virulent, hate-mongering, prejudiced Gamergate campaign, making her part of an industry flashpoint.
Tropes vs. Women in Video Games wrapped in 2017 after four years. Prior to its conclusion, Feminist Frequency turned its eye toward influential women in history with the show Ordinary Women.
