The necessary fight against GamerGate continues, with critic Anita Sarkeesian making one of her most prominent media appearances yet and game developer Brianna Wu announcing her intentions to start a “legal defense fund for women targeted by Gamergate.”
Sarkeesian appeared on The Colbert Report Wednesday night to talk about sexist stereotypes in video games and the misogynistic harassment campaigns that are the response to girls and women “challenging the status quo of gaming as a male-dominated space.”
Here’s how their conversation begins (Transcript courtesy of Bitch.)
Colbert: “Let’s call this what it is. You and the other feminazis in the gamer world are coming for our balls, to snip ’em off, put them in a little felt purse, and take ’em away so we have to play your nonviolent games.”
Sarkessian: “There is something going on and it’s women being harassed, threatened, and terrorized — “
Colbert: “After you first attacked male gamers for enjoying looking at big-breasted women with tiny armor that barely covers their nipples. What is wrong with that? I’m a man, baby! Newsflash, I like it!”
Sarkeesian: “One of the problems with this is it actually reinforces this cultural myth that women are sexual objects and sexual playthings for male amusement. And we’re not.”
Colbert: “We’re saving them! They’re damsels in distress! Am I supposed to let the princess die? That seems kind of hostile.”
Sakessian: “Maybe the princess shouldn’t be a damsel and she can save herself.”
She also discusses the school-shooting threat at Utah State University and why “ethics in journalism” is merely a cover for misogyny. (Watch the video below.)
Meanwhile, Wu declared on Twitter and Tumblr this morning her plan to take the battle against GamerGate twerps to the courts. She wrote,
“One of the biggest ways Gamergate operates is character assassination. Well, we have laws protecting you against that. I’m not a lawyer, but the fund will pay lawyers to find cases on libel and defamation and prosecute them in civil court. These cases might be mine, or they might be other women targeted by Gamergate. It will be cases the legal team feels they can win.
Sadly, fighting back is all these bullies understand. I’m in the process of making sure the fund complies with our legal and tax structure. My suggestion to anyone in Gamergate is to think very carefully about saying something libelous or defamatory about the women you target.
If you are a lawyer that specializes in these kinds of cases, or you know one, please do not hesitate to email me at brianna@giantspacekat.com.”
