EA puts sexual bounty on the heads of its own booth babes

[ccharles000]

I can't imagine what it's like to be a booth babe, especially not at a show like Comic Con. You're being pawed at by huge amounts of sweaty geeks, you have to smile and be pleasant to people who may or may not have showered... it always seems like a hellish existence. What doesn't help? Having your employer offer a bounty if people sexually harass you.

At Comic Con, if you commit "an act of lust" with an EA booth babe and take a picture, you could win dinner with said babes, as well as a great big pile of prizes related to the upcoming Dante's Inferno. That's right, the babes won't just get the standard behavior and awkward advances—if someone is really obnoxious, they get rewarded for it, and then you get to see them again socially!

Technically you're only supposed to take a picture to be entered, but I can't even start to imagine how people are going to get creative with this one. I hope they gave their models a can of mace or, better yet, an actual mace. Or maybe just a few sharpened sticks. Going into that throng, in a thong, with prizes being awarded for lustful actions being enacted upon you? Dear Lord.

This may fit in with the theme of the game, but those poor, poor women. *shudder*

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/07/ea-puts-sexual-bounty-on-the-heads-of-its-own-booth-babes.ars

[alarimer]

1. That is sick.

Sounds like a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. +1

[Occulus]

101. Bayonetta

This.

This right here.

A strong female character that kicks ass all over the screen with the weapons that are her clothing that is her hair? Yes, please. Every Bayonetta video I see makes me want the game more. Too bad there's no PC port...

[seabeyond]

2. ah, the guys respect them, the girls like it, no worse than working in mcdonalds

yada yada yada

[imdjh]

7. I was thinking more of strippers nt

[seabeyond]

9. humiliation, degradation, dehumanize, a thing....

all in a day of fun....

[imdjh]

17. It's actually a pretty good deal when you think about it.

The customer gets a sexual experience for a fraction of the price and risk of hiring a hooker.
The stripper makes pretty good money for dancing and getting groped but doesn't actually have to put out or worry about disease.

I would do it if I could make good money at it.

[omega minimo]

95. that's fucking idiotic

wait -- I'll bet you're male :think:

[imdjh]

114. why is it idiotic?

I have been to many strip clubs and tucked many a dollar bill into the underwear or socks of a go-go boy and some go-go girls. I have also cavorted (by invitation) with drag queens and other performers in the course of having a good time.

What is your problem with that?

[Maru Kitteh]

122. This story isn't about you, genius.

[imdjh]

123. No, but Omega's post was, twit.

[omega minimo]

93. "yada yada yada"

:spray: you funny :pals:

[EOTE]

121. Brilliant and rational response! NT

[bobbolink]

3. Isn't sexism GREAT??!!

:puke:

And don't think for one instant there aren't men on DU who would participate in that shit!

[Iris]

5. maybe the real question is are there any women here who would?

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Only the socially inept comics/computer nerds.

Oh, wait...

[Odin2005]

11. Hell, there are DUers that think date rape is OK.

:puke:

[seabeyond]

14. there are duers that think once a girl hits puberty (that is 10 for some) they are free game

the exact words one poster used

[Odin2005]

18. Yuck, that is just WRONG.

Which thread was THAT? :puke:

[seabeyond]

22. there are a lot of just wrongs that a lot of guys like to pretend doesnt happen

it was a thread about 6 months ago about a 12 yr old girl found in a strip club in dallas. the guys as a whole were defending the men paying this stripper and the club not knowing that she was a kid. after all.... how would a grown man recognize a naked 12 yr old kid. she had boobs after all.

one of the poster let it be known, once a kid hit puberty, free game.

[Odin2005]

24. Oh, THAT thread. Now I remember that sick comment.

:puke:

That date rape thread 3 months ago involving that movie scene showing the guy screwing the unconscious drunk woman is still stuck in my brain because that thread was started just a week after my friend had been raped. I still haven't forgiven a "certain DUer" that was arguing that it wasn't date rape: :puke:

[seabeyond]

27. i remember that one too. right there with you. nt

[Skittles]

40. I tend to think that people who find that kind of stuff acceptable

are those who have done it themselves

[bobbolink]

60. Very good point---I suspect you are right!

Yuck......that makes me even more uncomfortable here!

[Odin2005]

64. And is why I don't like that "certain poster" who was defending date rape.

[Skittles]

74. what I cannot figure out is

don't these guys have mothers, sisters, female friends? How they can rationalize garbage like that, it makes me ill :puke:

[Odin2005]

75. To be honest, I was "one of them" before a close friend was raped.

I was one of the DUers that routinely bashed the "Femi-Nazis", not anymore. They can rationalize it because they don't truly understand the consequences of their beliefs.

[seabeyond]

77. and the knee jerk comment... you hate men. god, all i do is take care of men and boys

but the easy as i dont have to listen to what you are saying cause

you hate men

[Odin2005]

79. BINGO!

[seabeyond]

81. how is

your friend doing anyway. it has been a couple months. is she getting any better handle on it

[Odin2005]

87. She's slowly getting better.

Less panic attacks and nightmares. Still lots of PTSD symptoms, though. :(

Totally unrelated, but the motor on her electric wheelchair that raises and lowers the height of her seat is not working and place from where she got the wheelchair says Minnesota Medical Assistance doesn't cover it. I suggested that she call her country social worker and the county worker said that she is sure MNMA covers wheelchair maintenance, so she's been trying to dead with this bureaucratic clusterf*ck. :grr:

[seabeyond]

89. i had

panic attacks for a while. you think you are just gonna die.

hope she can get the cluster fuck unfucked

[seabeyond]

76. i was talking to nephew, 16

he had his dads cell phone that had naked pictures of his girlfriend 18, on it. he is 48. when the nephew told me he saw the pictures i told him what an unbelieveable invasion of privacy that was to the girl, that he looked at the pictures. forget the creepiness of a 48 yr old man with an 18 yr old girlfriend adn 16 adn 14 yr old sons living in same place. shaking head... lol lol and we wonder why the kids are messed up.

anyway, i told nephew, you had better not have shown those pictures to anyone else. no no he says. wouldnt do. he showed them to 14 yr old brother, his brother in law and sister and emailed them to friends.

later i told him, someone that has so little regard for a female and her privacy is a step away from date rape. can justify that invasion, can justify date rape.

[Odin2005]

78. OMG, that is outrageous!

That nephew needs a swift kick in the rear end, and so does that cradle-robbing father of his! :puke:

[seabeyond]

83. .

wink

[omega minimo]

98. All of what you're talking about involves never thinking what it's like to be THAT person

i.e. female.

[seabeyond]

99. yup. inability for empathy. same with the poster that thinks prostitutes just really really like

sex, down below. all "pretty woman" fantasy.

[Odin2005]

108. Ding, Ding, Ding!

[seabeyond]

110. clarification. what i learned 48/18. he looked for a decade one his age. none would have him

they arent stupid, lol. 18 yr old wanted someone pay her way and he had to do a lot of settlin having an 18 yr old

it isnt the story/fantasy i hear. it was probaby worse for 48 yr old by far than the 18 yr old. to be used. ha, thinking it thru. in the prostitute, pretty woman fantasy. he was trying to commit heart, hers was hard cold cash

[omega minimo]

96. Someone is paying him to be a fucking slimebag. No one is that venal for real.

[KamaAina]

129. You have my permission to KICK THEIR ASSES!!

:hi:

[bobbolink]

63. It took a HUGE struggle here to get the "C" word banned---that's the level of awareness here.

Just about as much as racial and poverty awareness.

:(

[omega minimo]

86. same with the "B" word which showed up last week in an OP title.

:thumbsdown:

[Odin2005]

88. Oh, I remember that.

:banghead:

[bobbolink]

128. Yet, if we protest, we're "whiners" and have "no sense of humor"

The sexism on DU is worse now that what we women were protesting of the anti-war movement during Vietnam!

With no hint of abating...........:cry:

[seabeyond]

130. a thread

a mama with her daughter and another daughter, 10. told the mother of 10 year old took her to stripper bar and girl made it into 5th grade gone wild film. then told mom, just kidding. they are sittin in car. little girl got to be sexualized at the womans tease to her mom

and then wonders why people are bothered about sexualizing a 10 yr old girl

then... we are told, she is joking, a joke, lighten up

no

truly, not funny

[bobbolink]

131. It's really nice that there are responses I can't "see".

:rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

6. Is this vegas? Are they prostitutes? I don't get it.

[anigbrowl]

20. It's part of a promotion for a computer games called Dante's Inferno

Inferno - sins - seven deadly sins - lust. Whether anyone will take this at its absurd face value I don't know, since comic-con attendees are in general a tad more sophisticated than, say, a crowd of football fans, but on the other hand geeks are famous for having underdeveloped social skills.

My guess is that this will result in decreased attendance at EAs booth since attendees are likely to be hostile to such cheesy commercial tactics and feel insulted by some marketing drone's insinuation that they can't get laid, but who knows. Anyay, the geek community will police this one itself, which it has a pretty good track record of doing.

[Odin2005]

26. Hey, not all of us geeky people with Asperger's are rude assholes!

:P :rofl:

[BuelahWitch]

138. If it is THIS Comic Con, it's San Diego

http://www.comic-con.org/

[Odin2005]

10. WTF? That is outrageous!!!

Who's sick, twisted, misogynistic idea was THIS?

:wtf: :puke:

[seabeyond]

12. damn good thing we have females to use like this to control the rape, dontcha think

just guys playing and having a little fun. of course they respect these women tons. and the women are really getting off on it. not like they arent drugged up or desperate to play such a game.

[omega minimo]

102. This appears to absolutely foster a rape mentality

"Oh I was encouraged to grope and win and look for more "babes" and chances to "win" and now someone -- the woman -- says the Rules of the game changed what the fuck is up with that and I didn't drink THAT much but she insulted me and I had to defend myself so I..................................."

[Redneck Socialist]

13. yeah, because we all know geeks are too socially inept to act like decent human beings.

The author of that piece makes some pretty broad assumptions, none of them good.

[seabeyond]

15. use females however you like. be creative. and what.... we are to have hope of what...

a conscience

[seabeyond]

16. what other new fun entertainment can we think up using the females body?

this truly, makes me sick. almost or just as sick as those that defend the simulated rape games from japan with little girls, crying. oh the joy.

[TygrBright]

19. ummm.... What is "EA" and why are they at large in a public place?

Seriously, who ARE these people and why do they think it is legal to subject their employees to sexual harrassment?

confusedly,
Bright

[RaleighNCDUer]

37. EA = Electronic Arts. Gaming company.

Kind of like that 'hair club for men' - "We not only cater to socially inept customers - We decision makers are socially inept too!"

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Ooohhh boy

that and a few other things, Comic-Con was fun this year, but there are days

As to the not showered... lordly... we stood in line behind a guy in need of a shower three weeks ago... as well as change of clothes... my tummy goes queasy just thinking about it.

[JBoy]

23. I smell a PR problem for EA, and predict someone will get shitcanned over this.

Will be interesting to watch for the apologetic news release tomorrow, no doubt blaming a rogue marketer.

[Toasterlad]

25. Whoever Is Forcing These Women To Do This Should Go To Jail!

Slavery is illegal and immoral, and forced prostitution is DOUBLY illegal and immoral! How come no one has freed these girls yet? Why hasn't anyone sawed their ankle chains off? Where are...wait, what?

No one is forcing these women to do anything? They're adults who are completely capable of deciding what they're willing to do? You mean we don't get to turn them into victims who aren't capable of thinking and acting for themselves?

Well, shit.

[seabeyond]

29. oh joy. a play thing to use. n/t

[Curtland1015]

35. +1. To act like these women are mis-treated animals is really what's demeaning.

Do I think it's creepy and kinda weird? Yeah.

But these women are adults fully capable of deciding what they want and do not want to do.

[seabeyond]

38. right cause it is really wonderful to encourage our oh so clever males to sexually harass females

they have such insite to be able to differentiate these females that like it and all others females. cause our males really dont get into harassing females as a whole, just in a game like environment. lets not only encourage but reward this behavior. as long as the men are having fun and the gals dont care.

nah, us women should not be bothered in the least.

[Toasterlad]

44. Yeah, Us Men Are Too Stupid To Know the Difference Between Women Being Paid to Fool Around

and those who aren't.

Is it ALL men that you hate, or just the straight ones?

[lukasahero]

116. I can't believe it took 44 posts for the 'hate men' meme to make an appearance

Quelle surprise!

[seabeyond]

118. cause of course

just gotta be... i hate men.

that is so lame.

i can equally say, countlessly, ... that the men that have a chip on shoulder, too many rejection, hate women, have had bad experience and so have something against women, little penis syndrome.

but i dont

cause firstly i dont know them

and secondly

its lame

[Toasterlad]

135. And Yet, You Managed To Say It Anyway.

Although I'll agree with you on one thing: it was lame.

[seabeyond]

139. i said it to you?

no i did not. i do not do that to people. there has to be a way to be able to say out loud to make a point. your statement truly fails. i dont know you. so why in the world would i be so very stupid to give you something like that when i dont have a clue.

you could have a very loving and respectful relationship with wife, work in feminist org and raise five confident secure daughters who know hteir self worth thru your efforts and examples.

that is why it is lame to pin it on someone on the internet when i am clueless

[Toasterlad]

140. I Would Have Preferred You Say It To Me, Rather Than Generalize About All Men

Typing what you wanted to say, and then saying "but I wouldn't say that" is EXTREMELY lame.

And, for the record, I will never have a wife or daughters, although I do consider myself a feminist, in that I believe society's puerile, immature view of sex causes women, especially. to suffer. I therefore believe that women should refuse to be bound by antiquated and hypocritical standards of what is and is not appropriate behavior, and make their own CHOICES about what to do with their lives and bodies.

[seabeyond]

141. your post is bullshit. you dont get to say, "i wanted to say". you are clueless

this is the stupid i am talking about. if i wanted to say it i would. i am not shy. and this is the part of clueless. i wasnt generalizing it to all men or any men. reading comprehension is a good thing

and really matters not to me rather or not you have wife or kid. irrelevant. it was an example.

[Toasterlad]

134. Whereas the "All Men Are Sexual Harassers" Meme Showed Up Right Away.

No surprise there.

[comrade snarky]

45. I find it interesting that you cant imagine

An hours worth of dinner conversation that doesn't involve sexual harassment.

What you want to bet that if a guy acted like a ass the woman couldn't walk out on the dip?

[tblue37]

82. In a recession, many people will take whatever jobs there are and feel

as though they dare not complain about being forced to suffer inappropriate tretment just to keep their job.

It is the essence of sexual harassment on the job to be forced to put up with such things in order to have tr to keep your job.

[seabeyond]

84. when i was 18 living in san diego, first time on own. without job, without money

i was offered a job at a kinda restaurant. scanty little bikini type pirate outfit. and i took the job. that bight looking at the costume, and thinking about the creepy, gross owner that hired me, i had to decide if i was that desperate.

i know the feeling

[RaleighNCDUer]

39. Ah, with this economy the offer of a paying job may override other

concerns - like self respect.

Just because they are getting paid for doing this doesn't mean they WANT to do it.

How quick would you be to turn down your first check in 3 months?

[Toasterlad]

42. So, Women Who Enjoy Sex and Sexual Games Automatically Have No Self Respect?

How presumptuous of you to force your own sexual hangups onto people you've never even met?

Have you asked these women if they couldn't find other work? Have you asked them if they want to do what they're doing?

No. You just assumed that no woman would be comfortable playing sexual games with strangers if she had any "self respect". Thank god those women are legally able to decide for themselves what they're willing to do, and are not subject to your misogynistic views on what is or isn't appropriate.

[seabeyond]

43. right cause that prostitute is really getting off.... rollin eyes. n/t

[Toasterlad]

46. How Many Do You Know?

Ever asked one? Ever spoken to one at all? Or do you just turn up your nose at any woman who doesn't fit your definition of moral?

It doesn't matter whether a woman LIKES being a prostitute or not. What matters is if it's her CHOICE. Women should be allowed to do whatever they want with their own bodies, despite what small-minded people like you think.

[seabeyond]

47. keep on believin dude. n/t

[Mari333]

48. actually I knew a lot of hookers when I was young

they lived in the same crappy housing I did when I was a student..and no, they dont enjoy it..they laugh their asses off at johns and think they are scum..
no, they dont enjoy it..not the ones I met. they hate the guys they service.

[seabeyond]

49. this is the stupid of today. prostitutes do it cause like sex. not a pros, dont like sex

wtf is that. if i dont let some man use my body however he wants without consideration to me at all, i dont like sex.

bet i like sex a whole hell of a lot more than these prostitutes. at least my man smells good aND brushes his teeth

[Toasterlad]

56. And Yet, They Did It.

If they are unhappy with their profession, they're certainly free to find other work. Sorry if that's an oversimplification, but I refuse to subscribe to the forced victimization of women in the sex industry. With rare exceptions, none of those women are being FORCED to do what they do.

To assume that women are helpless, optionless, objects who have no choice but to be victimized by men does more to keep women servile and powerless than any sex act they engage in with a paying john.

[Odin2005]

67. This is an issue that has bugged me for a while.

I think prostitution should be legalized simply because there is no way to stop it from happening and driving it underground makes sex workers vulnerable to exploitation and sexual assault with no legal recourse. On the other hand most women that are prostitutes do it are only doing it to help make ends meet, not because they actually like doing it, and THAT'S the problem. I find it a bit disturbing that you seem to be implying that prostitutes are "nymphomaniacs" that like screwing random guys for a living, that and the Libertarian "if you don't like it find another job" BS you are spewing. :puke:

[Toasterlad]

70. That's Not At All What I'm Saying.

I'm saying that whether a woman enjoys having sex for money or not, it is - or it SHOULD be - her choice. I'm also saying that there is nothing wrong, in theory, with prostitution, and that the only reason it is a dangerous, seedy, socially unacceptable profession is because of our unhealthy societal view of sex...and women's sexuality in particular.

[Odin2005]

80. Point taken.

:)

[Mari333]

133. when I think of womens sexuality i dont think of hookers

the ones I knew hated sex. often they had been molested as children and now saw sex as user/used. for money, otherwise it meant nothing to them.
I agree tho, its their choice, if thats how they want to make money why not. politicians do it that way too. and many married women.

[Mari333]

132. well its kind of like marriage but with better money

or like being a politician .

[RaleighNCDUer]

50. It doesn't matter whether a woman LIKES being a prostitute or not.

What the fuck is your problem?

[Toasterlad]

53. I Notice You Didn't Read the Sentence Immediately Following That

I don't like MY job, but I do it anyway. Does that mean I should be ashamed of it, or that I have no self-respect?

I'll say it again: women should be allowed to do anything they want with their bodies. The only reason that prostitution isn't considered morally acceptable is because of the unhealthy attitudes about sex - and women having sex - that people like you embrace.

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Toasterlad]

58. Then What's It About?

Besides your judgmental attitude about what acts are morally appropriate for "self-respecting" women to engage in?

[RaleighNCDUer]

69. It is about those women who are forced, by poverty, to do what THEY THEMSELVES believe

is wrong.

And when they do it, believing it wrong, it is damaging to their own self respect. HOW FUCKING HARD IS THAT TO UNDERSTAND?

[Toasterlad]

72. How Do You Know These EA Women Believe What They're Doing Is Wrong?

Let alone, how do you know they're being forced to do it?

[imdjh]

125. Is there only one kind of prostitute?

I know a male prostitute who works for a publishing company in the daytime and turns tricks on the side.

Does he count? Is he some poor drug addicted victim of society? No. That doesn't mean that there aren't poor, drug addicted, desperate people working as prostitutes, but it does mean that not everyone who is a prostitute falls into that category.

[Missy Vixen]

51. And of course, every woman at that booth consented to whatever would be done to her

You know what? If they knew about the marketing campaign and consented with all information up-front, fine.

If they didn't, this will be a HUGE gaffe on EA's part.

Women are not playtoys. If they choose to participate, it's their decision. If they don't, it's harassment, plain and simple.

[Toasterlad]

55. And Yet, It Seems As If Everyone Is Assuming That The Women DIDN'T Consent.

No one bothered to question whether or not the women were informed of - and okay with - the boundaries of the campaign. Because for most people, women + sex automatically equals degradation. Which is society's problem, not EA or the women they're employing.

[Missy Vixen]

100. It's a workplace

We are in the midst of the worst recession in over forty years. Gosh, I wonder if anyone there is behind on her rent, her car note, has to feed the kids... :eyes:

If women choose to use their bodies to make money, without coercion and with full consent, great. Let the good times roll. One of the nicer people that posts on DU is an exotic dancer (I hope this is the correct term.) She enjoys her work, she does it because she enjoys it, and I'm always going to support that choice.

What I DO not support is any entity, be it a gaming company, an espresso stand owner, or a television network, that believes it's okay to force ANY woman to use her body and her sexuality without her consent.

[Odin2005]

109. Exactly. economic necessity is itself coercion. It's not called "wage slavery" for nothing.

[Gwendolyn]

52. It's not sexual games. It's about taking pictures with the booth babes.

The more pictures you take and enter into the contest, the more chances you have to win.

EA already apologized for the poor wording of the advertisement, but in essence, the contest has nothing to do with touching, poking, salivating on, raping, groping, or anything else anyone can think of. It's pics.

[Redneck Socialist]

59. Shhh, you'll ruin their outrage. n/t

[seabeyond]

61. i, for one, appreciated reading it down below #41. calmed me down right fast.

until the poster started telling me how the prostitutes enjoy their john so. nah, that is just stupid and more a smirk than outrage

[Tim01]

66. And all of them HATE attention from their own peers.

They get paid to get attention from the very small group of people they consider their own. Finally they are with people they can relate to, and they get paid for it. AWFUL!

[me b zola]

28. What is "EA"?

I'm guessing that Comic Con is short for comic convention? :shrug:

Please help me understand the who, what, and why of this story.

[JBoy]

30. Electronic Arts - big company that makes video games.

[me b zola]

34. Thx

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Comic-convention, EA, electronic Arts

[me b zola]

36. Thank you

:fistbump:

[nadinbrzezinski]

62. You welcome, I was in that zoo all weekend

but if I HAD seen that, I'd call them on it.

Gaming Companies being gaming companies. Yes I work in the industry, in the paper and pencil side of it, and I can tell war stories about that stoopid. Gamers say, don't paint with a broad brush... well game companies have been known to get a case of the stoopid every so often, why? SEX sells.

Yes, it is that simple, unfortunately.

Now here is the funny comment of the day... sex sells, but gosh darn it, let's not show it for real.

[boppers]

31. Uh, it's comic-con.

Don't count out the white knight contingent, the nerdy guys who are the "regulars", workers, and bouncers at strip clubs, and will quite happily extract a chunk of flesh from *anybody* treating women poorly.

[Book Lover]

65. You mean we get to wait and be saved from men by other men? Oh goody! (nm)

[boppers]

105. LOL, I get where you're going.

Not "saved", though, assisted as needed. Most of the women I know who work in the sex-related trades (everything from modeling to actual sex-work), and the men who work with them in those trades, are pretty tuned in to when a situation requires other parties or not.

[chrisa]

33. Gotta love EA.

Or not.

[JBoy]

41. EA appears to have issued a "clarification" (or a bullshit apology, if you prefer):

http://twitpic.com/bityg

"We understand there's a lot of debate right now around our "Sin to Win" promotion at Comic-Con and wanted to clarify a few things. We created this promotion as part of our marketing efforts around the circle of Lust (one of the nine sins/circles of Hell). Each month we will be focusing on a new Circle of Hell. This month is Lust. Costumed reps are a tradition at Comic-Con. In the spirit of both the Circle of Lust and Comic-Con, we are encouraging attendees to Tweet photos of themselves with any of the costumed reps at Comic-Con here, find us on Facebook or via e-mail. "Commit acts of lust" is simply a tongue-in-cheek way to say take pictures with costumed reps. Also, a "Night of Lust" means only that the winner will receive a chaperoned VIP night on the town with the Dante's Inferno reps, all expenses paid, as well as other prizes.


We apologize for any confusion and offense that resulted from our choice of wording, and want to assure you that we take your concerns and sentiments seriously. We'll continue to follow your comments and please let us know if you have any other thoughts or concerns. Keep watching as the event unfolds and we hope you'll agree that it was all done in the spirit of the good natured fun of Comic-Con."

-----------------

I will bet serious money that someone at EA headquarters will be apologizing for this "apology" on Monday.

[nadinbrzezinski]

71. Why am I reminded of Ral Partha back in the day?

They know they did a booboo...

A serious one.

They got a case of the STOOPID.

And yes I think I just dated myself as to how long I have been involved in gaming. Actually the Ral Partha Slave Pit collection (if you don't know what it is, fine, leave it at that), I first saw it at a Women's Studies Course, well before I started gaming. My teacher got it at a local gaming store, didn't even know they existed... and showed it as a perfect example of the objectification of women.

Funny thing I saw her a couple years back. She still uses the models. I actually offered her to paint them, to make the point even better.

I work in the damn industry and it feels like I am tilling at windmills at times.

[redqueen]

120. I've never heard of the Ral Partha Slave Pit...

I guess I'll leave it at that.

Though I am curious, I doubt it would do me much good to know. :(

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

54. Publicity stunt.

A couple months ago they hired actors to play Christian conservatives protesting their came.

[Tim01]

68. Wow. Some people have too many hangups to have a good time with friends. nt

[Odin2005]

90. Gee, kind of hard for my friend to have a good time with us at the bar when...

...some obnoxious jerks spew rape jokes, triggering my friend's PTSD. :eyes:

[Tim01]

111. I am very sorry about your friend, which has nothig to do with comicon.

You are hostile and emotional about 2 issues that are not related in any way at all.

I was at comicon because a friend is a clothing designer. Those folks were all thrilled to be with their peers.It is a fantastic environment for socially awkward people to feel part of a group, and you think they should be ashamed of that.
You are judging and criticizing people because they are different than you.

[seabeyond]

112. i ahve a house full of geeks. none are socially awkward.

do you really find that to be the case? seems more stereotype created by media.

more on edit... hubby works for company full of geeks and they dont seems socially awkward at christmas party by any means

[Tim01]

113. My post was a very specific response.

But, many of the geeks are awkward,certainly not all. Especially if they are around their own. I have lots of them at my house from time to time. A bunch of them recently spent 2 days here at the house playing some kind of boardgame. One of those was an IT guy and he was doing tech support on his phone while he was here.

I was at a party recently, I was wearing a shirt on which I had painted a UV reactive kodoma on the black shirt.
A shy pretty girl mentioned to me that she liked my shirt as I came past, so I stopped and talked to her for quite a while.
I have seen her at a couple parties and I have never seen her talk to anybody before, not once. But she was well versed in anime.

[seabeyond]

117. cute.... i bought hubby a shirt that say "no place like ............."

a bunch of numbers. in computer talk means home in some way or something. lol. see how computer literate i am. all the geeks love that shirt.

maybe i dont notice the shy, cause i talk to all. they dont have a choice unless they run away

[Odin2005]

127. The two are connected because that's the same reasoning those people joking about rape had.

"Oh, but it's just a joke, that doesn't hurt anyone, you have too many hangups and need to chill out, why can't you take a joke?". :eyes:

[Iggo]

73. Gross.

Just gross.

[omega minimo]

85. YOU FORGOT to CREDIT the actual WRITER you are OPing the work as your OWN

:evilfrown:

[ccharles000]

103. No I am not I added the link to the article.

I guess I will add that persons name next time just to be safe. But I never said that I wrote this.

[Name removed]

107. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Eric J in MN]

126. You can make it clear what is a quote...

...like this:
========================================================
I can't imagine what it's like to be a booth babe, especially not at a show like Comic Con. You're being pawed at by huge amounts of sweaty geeks, you have to smile and be pleasant to people who may or may not have showered... it always seems like a hellish existence. What doesn't help? Having your employer offer a bounty if people sexually harass you.
========================================================

or like this:
(in brackets on top: div class="excerpt")

I can't imagine what it's like to be a booth babe, especially not at a show like Comic Con. You're being pawed at by huge amounts of sweaty geeks, you have to smile and be pleasant to people who may or may not have showered... it always seems like a hellish existence. What doesn't help? Having your employer offer a bounty if people sexually harass you.

(in brackets below: /div)

[flvegan]

91. This thread went about as expected.

[petronius]

92. On the contrary - 91 (now 92) posts in and not a single 'Name Deleted'

I'm kinda shocked, to be honest...

[tjwash]

104. LOL

Great minds and all that...

:thumbsup:

[Parche]

94. you are my booth babe

:woohoo: :rofl::hi::hug: :loveya:

[Liquorice]

97. EA Games was my favorite game maker. I've lost all respect for them now. :-( nt

[Confusious]

106. Total freaking overreaction to this

"You're being pawed at by huge amounts of sweaty geeks, you have to smile and be pleasant to people who may or may not have showered"

You have to smile and be pleasant to a-holes if you work in retail. There's a lot worse things then someone who hasn't showered. Overreacting customers who get up in your face screaming about things not working and then you showing the moron its his own damn fault.

"sweaty geeks" are generally a lot nicer then the general public, I've found, and as a ratio shower/not shower its about the same as the general public ( probably better ).

As far as "sexual harassment" the worst is probably going to be..

can, uh, you, uh, take, uh ( looks down at his shoes and mumbles ) a, uh, picture with me, please?

Calling them "booth babes" seems a lot worse.

[imdjh]

115. This all hinges on the conditions under which these people were hired.

If you were hired to be a "booth babe" which I would normally define as an attractive woman whose job it is to work a booth in the manner one would expect at any trade show, then the employer is in the wrong.

If you were hired with the understanding that there would be a promotion where attendees were going to steal kisses or be photographed in suggestive poses with you, and you agreed to that, then there is no objection.

Jesus people, stop being so paternalistic. Grown ups get to make choices.

[redqueen]

119. They could always quit.

But yeah... this is the path we're on. Huzzah.

I wonder how many geeks think this is just ducky, and how many see how very fucked up it is.

[Marr]

124. Why is it alright for the OP to insult these ComicCon-goers in this way?

They're "sweaty geeks", they "haven't showered", they're just overall boors? Have you been to one of those things? Know anyone who has? I haven't been myself, but in my line of work I meet lots of people who do, including "booth babes". They've all said the crowd at ComicCon or E3 (it's video game equivalent) makes the event fun.

These women often spend time at car shows and beer-themed promotionals. They've told me that the ComicCon/E3 crowds are just a bunch of nice people and easy to get along with. The car show/beer crowds are the troublesome ones.

[Toasterlad]

136. You're Missing the Point.

This thread isn't about reality. It's about wallowing in men as slobbering sex-crazed would-be rapists and women as pristine, empty-headed, thoughtless objects of lust.

[anonymous171]

137. Meh, Comic book nerds tend to be more respectable than other kinds of nerds.

Many are older, established individuals. It's the anime/manga "otaku" that you have to watch out for.