Sexism in Thedas

[Lehcar]

The Character Creator says that men and women in Thedas are pretty much equals. But I think it becomes quite clear after not even a few minutes of playing that this is not true at all. Not in the least.

 

Let's see... where to begin? If your character is a human woman, you get a ton of snide, put down remarks from people throughout the game about the fact that... you're a woman. Like Murdock in Redcliffe Village (what an arse).

 

And in the Dwarf Noble origin. If your character is male, and you decide to fight in the Provings, there's a lot of extremely sexist things that are said towards Adal Helmi because she is a woman. When the Proving Master tells you that you're up against her next, he seems to stutter. And before you fight her you can even say to her face "There is no honor in fighting a woman." And then after you defeat her, the Proving Master is like "Well done! Many were eager to see that woman put in her place!" Uhh... that's just awful, people.

 

And in Human Noble origin where Oriana says to a female PC that the notion of a woman in Antiva fighting is "unthinkable".

 

And what happens to the elven women (and a female PC) in the City Elf origin just says it all. Plus what is said when a female PC meets the guard captain and some of his goonies: "Should we keep the knife-eared bi*ch alive?" "Stupid wench. We'll show you how men fight!"

 

And does anyone else find it strange how when Rica takes a Dwarf Commoner PC to meet Vartag Gavorn in the Assembly Chamber, the first thing he says is "This is no place for a woman"... despite the fact that several members of the Assembly are women. And even if the Dwarf Commoner themself is a woman.

 

And in Awakening, if you start as a new Warden, and are female, when you meet Oghren he snidely says "So you're the new commander? Hmph. They said it was a woman..."

 

Yeah. On quite the contrary to what CC says, Thedas is very discriminative towards women. :mad:

[Chiramu]

I don't remember hearing that line when playing City Elf (I did nothing to alter my dialogue in the game).

And you have to remember that this is a sort of medieval time (even in today's society there is a lot of this crap); you've got to remember Sten's question to a female Warden.

It is the time that this is set in, "War is the province of men, Eowyn" quote Boromir from the Lord of the Rings.

[Lehcar]

Oh yes, the qunari's attitude towards women... urgh :verymad:

 

And believe me that line in the City Elf orgin is there I've played it tons of times and did nothing to alter it.

[brokenergy]

Well it is a medieval fantasy land, so seeing discrimination against women or against anything is kind of the norm around that time. Have you heard all of Leliana's stories? It's not uncommon for women to be put down, in that time and the codex does lie from time to time. Besides CC didn't lie that much, it did say that women are pretty much equal, how much it depends to be seen.

 

Edit: Please put

/

when you are giving in game stuff.

[Chiramu]

Ah I only heard "She killed our boys, she dies" line really. And the "see elves travel in packs" and when he was cussing our Nelaros. Maybe it is the dialogue you chose.

[Thandal]

I always took the CC line to mean only that the inate capabilities of male and female PCs were equivalent, not that they would receive equal reatment from others.

[DarkeWolf]

The only remarks that I remember were from Howe or Sten. So my guess is that its dialog or game choices. Tho I usually play human noble, and played elvish mage once. All femme.

[brokenergy]

Also remember the Ferelden is more moderate when it comes to female equality. Other nations, like Orlais have more harsher views about women.

[RustyBlade]

In the game, just like in real life men and women have never been, are not and never will be equal. They are too different, each having qualities in certain physical and psychological areas that far surpass the other's and vice versa. Calling them equal is as insulting as saying either one is better than the other. They are what they are.

 

As far as the game goes, from a game mechanics standpoint, women are equal in that they are capable of reaching the same level of abilities, skills and talents but from a perceived standpoint, Thedan society considers them to be the weaker sex and the truly bigoted among them will always make their views known the loudest. Just think of it as a target tattooed on their foreheads :wink:

[dragon6510]

I agree with "brokenergy", I dont think that Dragon Age developers are full of sexism I think that they wanted to make it look more like medievel time, and this is god at one point because than you can prove that woman can be equal to man, probably even better :thumbsup: