Final Zine

Immersion in Video Games: Why I can’t wait to play a queer or, for some, get married. Later on in the game, you get their
protagonist children (a feature unique to FE: A), and their stats and
appearances are determined by who you married to whom. I’ve
“Oh my – Katie, there’s gunna’ be a lesbian option in the next played through the game so many times partially because I want
Fire Emblem! I’m gunna’ marry her so fast, no shame, bring it to marry different units each time, unlocking new support
on!!” conversations and trying to make the best possible kid per
parent.
My friend looked up at me, clearly tired with my constant
stream of information about a game she didn’t play. “Yay, Sadly, the support system only allows heterosexual marriages. I
progressive values?” wasn’t expecting anything different when I got the game, but I
was still sad that I couldn’t pair my unit (the customizable
“More like yay, I can finally romance another girl without protagonist) with another girl when the unit was female or with
having a male play-through.” another guy when I was male. Even if this meant losing the kid,
I would have been happy with unlocking the supports and
“You always do a male play-through though, don’t you?” She getting married.
asked.
The discussion of representation in media needs to include
“Well… yeah, but…” I muttered, looking away from my laptop video games, especially games that involve a customizable,
so I could make eye contact, “It’s validating to be able to marry personal protagonist. As a player, I want the immersion
a girl as a girl? Like, it’s supposed to be an immersive experience on my personal play-through, and for me, that
experience, and the protagonist is supposed to be me, and I involves being able to be queer. I am an avid gamer, and as
would marry a girl. So it’s cool to be able to marry one in my every new title comes out from my favorite series, I find myself
game too.” checking and hoping that I’ll be able to marry a girl.

This past summer, I was eagerly researching information about It’s starting to happen – there’s queer love options in Dragon
the newest game in the Fire Emblem series, since it had just Age, there will be in the next Fire Emblem. But I’ll keep
been announced. The last Fire Emblem game, FE: Awakening, eagerly awaiting for when I can have a queer marriage in Rune
has over 100 hours logged on my 3DS; I’ve played through the Factory, Harvest Moon, and some of my other favorite titles,
game three time and am mid-run for my fourth. The game is a because if I’m the protagonist, then I want to be as queer in the
turn-based strategy RPG that uses grid-based stages and lets game as I am in real life.
you customize the units you use in each fight.
By: Sam Nousak
One of my favorite parts of the game, however, is the support
system, which lets you make your units friends with each other

“When it comes to the subject of feminism, I’ve remained ever- perceived as offensive. As she stated, a man does not need to
so-slightly quiet,” stated Jennifer Lawrence regarding her recent worry about how his request for higher pay is received, but a
limelight on equal pay. Lawrence says for over a year she failed woman does need to consider these things.
to speak up about not making the same amount as her male
costars because she was by no means low on finances. However, Lawrence is now fighting for equal pay and
Lawrence said that she didn’t want to fight over millions of bringing light to the problems not only in Hollywood, but also
dollars that she does not need. Earning $52 million last year, across the nation. Lawrence considers herself in a safe position
Jennifer Lawrence is ranked the world’s highest paid actress, by being in the public eye. She has the ability to fight for
yet this amount is $28 million less than the world’s highest paid equality yet still be respected, and her statements can encourage
actor, Robert Downey Jr. Lawrence said that when women in other women of various professions to stand up. If Jennifer
Hollywood making this much speak up about unequal pay, they Lawrence is facing these issues in work, the entire rest of the
are labeled ungrateful or entitled. Other women, including Katy female population is facing them too, though on a different
Perry and Gwyneth Paltrow, have since come out in agreement scale. Lawrence is in a financial and social position where she
with Lawrence on this injustice, saying that word gets around can advocate for equality, and bring light to this injustice that
the business that you are “hard to work with” or “difficult” after all American women are facing, and she seems to be using this
trying to negotiate more equal pay. These labels prevent the power in a positive way.
female stars from speaking up about earning less than their male
costars, or in Perry’s case coartists. Today, women in all forms of work still earn less than
men for the same jobs. For every white man’s dollar, white
“I’m over trying to find the ‘adorable’ way to state my opinion women earn 78 cents, black women earn 64 cents, Native
and still be likable!” Jennifer Lawrence declared to interviewers American women earn 59 cents, and
  Hispanic women earn 56
on the topic of her movie American Hustle. “I don’t think I’ve cents. Everyday women struggle for financial equality, and the
ever worked for a man in charge who spent time contemplating famous, successful women, such as Lawrence, who voice these
what angle he should use to have his voice heard. It’s just issues can help inspire other women to speak up. No woman
heard.” Lawrence made this bold statement following the public should settle for less than what she deserves. Jennifer
Sony payroll leak showing the men Lawrence worked with in Lawrence’s statements about the injustice she faced can help
American Hustle earned 9% of the movie’s profits- while she promote much needed change for women of all professions so
and her female costar, Amy Adams, only received 7% of that one day men and women will earn the same pay.
profits. Lawrence attributes this million-dollar pay-gap to her
failure in negotiating a higher percentage. She says that she is By: Elizabeth Patterson
mad at herself for not trying to get the equal portion her male
costars received; Lawrence says she felt if she openly expressed
 
her opinion in the same way a man would, she would be

“Like
 A
 Boy”
 

In
 2006,
 Ciara
 made
 a
 song
 called
 Like
 A
 Boy.
 
 Even
 though
 the
 
song
 may
 be
 relatively
 old,
 a
 lot
 of
 the
 things
 in
 the
 song
 are
 still
 
very
 relevant.
 
 A
 lot
 of
 the
 things
 she
 talks
 about
 in
 the
 song
 are
 
things
 that
 women
 still
 go
 through
 with
 men
 and
 let
 them
 get
 
away
 with
 it.
 
 I
 am
 sure
 though,
 if
 the
 roles
 were
 switched,
 men
 
would
 not
 be
 so
 willing
 to
 deal
 with
 it.
 
 What
 makes
 it
 so
 okay
 for
 
a
 man
 to
 mess
 up
 in
 a
 relationship
 and
 think
 things
 will
 be
 just
 
fine,
 but
 it
 seems
 as
 if
 all
 hell
 has
 broken
 loose
 if
 a
 woman
 does
 
something?
 I
 am
 tired
 of
 hearing
 the
 “boys
 will
 be
 boys
 excuse”
 
because
 these
 are
 grown
 men
 and
 they
 should
 have
 more
 respect
 
for
 their
 relationship,
 and
 if
 they
 do
 not,
 then
 they
 do
 not
 need
 to
 
be
 in
 one.
 

By:
 Bria
 Johnson
 

The
  Harry
  Potter
  Series
  by
  J.K.
  Rowling
  took
  the
  world
  by
  So
 even
 though
 Hermione
 wasn’t
 the
 perfect
 feminist,
 she
 
storm
 and
 the
 characters
 were
 loved
 by
 many.
 Even
 though
  represented
  the
  goals
  and
  aspirations
  that
  feminists
  have
 
the
 series
 revolved
 around
 Harry,
 Hermione
 Granger
 was
 a
  and
  will
  be
  fighting
  for
  until
  there
  is
  clearly
  equality
 
major
 character
 who
 was
 always
 saving
 the
 main
 trio
 from
  among
  all
  genders.
  Hermione
  was
  just
  a
  character
  in
  a
 
danger.
  Hermione
  stood
  for
  empowered
  women
  chapter
  book
  but
  she
  stood
  for
  more
  than
  that.
  Her
 
everywhere.
  She
  was
  intelligent
  and
  well-­‐mannered,
  but
  character
 showed
 the
 struggles
 of
 what
 it
 would
 be
 like
 for
 
could
 hold
 her
 own
 when
 she
 needed
 to.
 She
 was
 confident
  a
  female
  wizard
  (witch)
  as
  well
  as
  being
  from
  a
  different
 
and
  wasn’t
  afraid
  to
  prove
  anyone
  wrong.
 
  However,
  we
  “race”
 a.k.a
 the
 struggles
 of
 being
 born
 to
 Muggle
 parents.
 
saw
  her
  experience
  backlash
  just
  like
  all
  women
  who
  We
  can
  see
  the
  intersectionality
  of
  “race”
  and
  gender
  in
 
frighten
 insecure
 men
 experience.
 She
 was
 seen
 as
 a
 know-­‐ Hermione’s
 character,
  but
 again,
 she
 doesn’t
 let
  that
  stop
 
it-­‐all
  and
  a
  suck
  up
  when
  she
  was
  successful.
  No
  fear
  her
  from
  being
  one
  of
  the
  best
  students
  at
  Hogwarts
 
though-­‐
  Hermione
  didn’t
  let
  that
  deter
  her
  as
  she
 
continued
 to
 play
 a
 critical
 role
 in
 the
 series
 by
 guiding
 and
  School
 of
 Witchcraft
 and
 Wizardry.
 
aiding
  the
  trio
  closer
  to
  successfully
  defeating
  He-­‐Who-­‐
Must-­‐Not-­‐Be-­‐Named.
  There
  was
  a
  point
  where
  Hermione
 
was
  enraptured
  by
  a
  visiting
  wizard
  during
  the
  Triwizard
 
Tournament.
 In
 fact,
 she
 even
 played
 the
 role
 of
 damsel
 in
 
distress
  during
  the
  Second
  Task
  of
  the
  tourney.
  I
  think
  we
 
can
  excuse
  the
  isolated
  event
  and
  know
  that
  even
 
Hermione
  Granger
  isn’t
  impervious
  to
  the
  power
  of
 

hegemonic
 masculinity.
 
 


 



Carl’s
 Jr.
 Problematic
 Patriarchal
 Promotions
  Where
 the
 commercial
 gets
 problematic
 is
 when
 the
 only
 woman
 
By:
 Shannon
 Turner
  in
 the
 commercial
 actually
 enters.
 In
 the
 midst
 of
 bullets,
 
explosions,
 and
 a
 conversation
 between
 this
 large-­‐solider-­‐kind-­‐

  of-­‐man
 and
 the
 Carl’s
 Jr
 server…
 que
 the
 woman
 to
 slide
 in
 
The
  Carl’s
  Jr
  company
  has
  never
  been
  known
  for
  its
  female-­‐ wearing
 half
 a
 shirt
 and
 shooting
 two
 small
 guns
 at
 her
 
friendly
  commercials,
  if
  you
  can
  imagine
  girls
  in
  bikinis
  eating
  surroundings.
 Women
 are
 actually
 allowed
 to
 enter
 this
 
oversized
  burgers
  on
  a
  truck
  inside
  a
  car
  wash…
  that’s
  Carl’s
  Jr.
  commercial
 but
 only
 if
 they
 are
 the
 typical
 body
 type
 which
 the
 
for
 you.
 Yet
 this
 happens
 all
 the
 time,
 there
 are
 these
 subtle
 anti-­‐ media
 portrays
 for
 women
 and
 must
 be
 highly
 sexualized.
 But
 
feminist
  phrases
  and
  images
  that
  plague
  our
  media
  daily.
 
  As
  wait
 it
 gets
 better…
 as
 the
 main
 character
 takes
 the
 meal
 tray
 
“political
  correctness”
  has
  flooded
  America
  commercials
  have
  from
 the
 server,
 the
 woman
 looks
 right
 at
 his
 food
 and
 delivers
 
gotten
 a
 little
 better
 at
 hiding
 patriarchal
 promotions
 so
 they
 are
  her
 only
 line,
 “Nice
 package.”
 
 Quickly
 the
 man
 thanks
 her
 but
 
down
  played
  a
  bit
  yet
  they
  are
  all
  the
  more
  real,
  seeking
  to
  tap
  then
 looks
 at
 his
 food
 and
 realizes
 that’s
 what
 she
 means
 so
 he
 
into
 old
 and
 harmful
 patriarchal
 ideals
 for
 a
 cheap
 shot
 at
 gaining
  gets
 a
 confused/embarrassed
 look
 on
 his
 face.
 
a
  buck.
  These
  subtle
  ideal
  promotions
  are
  also
  all
  the
  more
 
dangerous
  because
  they
  then
  soak
  into
  young
  minds
  and
  This
  commercial
  is
  problematic
  for
  several
  reasons
  but
  one
  huge
 
subconsciouses
  generally
  without
  being
  out
  rightly
  noticed
  or
  one
  is
  that
  literally
  the
  only
  purpose
  women
  have
  in
  Carl’s
  Jr’s
 
talked
 about.
 
 
 
  commercials
  is
  for
  eye
  candy.
  Specifically
  in
  this
  commercial
  it
  is
 
incredibly
 obvious.
 What
 kind
 of
  message
  is
 being
 sent
  to
 young
 
One
  Carl’s
  Jr
  commercial
  I
  had
  the
  unfortunate
  experience
  to
  (and
 old)
 boys
 and
 girls,
 that
 women
 are
 for
 eye
 candy?
 That
 you
 
watch
 was
 a
 dual
 advertisement,
 for
 both
 their
 new
 meal
 deal
 and
  are
  most
  valuable/only
  valuable
  to
  others
  when
  you
  look
 
the
  Call
  of
  Duty
  Black
  Ops
  3
  video
  game.
  So
  tie
  burgers
  and
  first-­‐ this/that
 way?
 
 
person
  shooter
  games
  together
  and
  apparently
  you
  get
  complete
 
objectification
  of
  women
  for
  the
  sake
  of
  the
  dollar
  and
  a
  Men
  in
  Carl’s
  Jr
  commercials
  get
  to
  advertise
  food
  and
  video
 
commercial
  aimed
  specifically
  at
  men
  yet
  is
  unfortunately
  games,
 while
  women
  get
  to
  speak
  sick
 jokes
  that
 affirm
  the
  idea
 
harmful
  to
  those
  of
  both
  genders.
  If
  you’d
  like
  a
  better
  idea
  of
  that
  they
  are
  there
  for
  men’s
  entertainment.
  Men
  get
  large
  guns
 
what
 I
 mean,
 head
 to
 the
 link
 of
 the
 ad
 below
 but
 for
 now
 what
 I
  for
  battle,
  women
  get
  tiny
  pistols.
  Men
  get
  bullet
  proof
  vests,
 
can
 tell
 you
 is
 the
 ad
 opens
 with
 a
 portrayal
 of
 burly
 men
 in
 some
  women
 get
 half
 a
 shirt.
 If
 this
 supposed
 to
 be
 a
 real
 battle
 ground,
 
kind
  of
  deadly
  shootout.
  Picture
  explosions,
  bullets,
  fire,
  guns,
  the
  woman
  literally
  gets
  no
  safety
  measures,
  as
  if
  her
  life
  isn’t
  as
 
very
  large
  guns…
  Call
  of
  Duty
  on
  steroids.
  In
  the
  middle
  of
  this
  valuable
  in
  comparison
  to
  the
  men’s.
  She
  gets
  no
  dignity
  or
  even
 
battle
  field
  in
  walks
  a
  young,
  male,
  Carl’s
  Jr
  server
  yelling
  out
  a
  food
 or
 lines
 to
 advertise
 anything…
 she
 gets
 to
 entertain
 men.
 
pick-­‐up
 number
 for
 the
 burger
 meal
 deal
 he
 carries
 until
 he
 runs
 
into
 the
 main
 character
 of
 this
 commercial.
 Women
 don’t
 exist
 in
 
 
this
 commercial
 but
 this
 usually
 isn’t
 a
 huge
 deal.
 


 

Long
  story
  short,
  these
  patriarchal
  promotions
  are
  all
  over
  the
 
media,
  watch
  for
  them.
  Refuse
  to
  soak
  in
  these
  everyday
 
messages,
  refuse
  to
  raise
  children
  who
  devalue
  others
  or
 
themselves,
  refuse
  to
  enforce
  media
  portrayals
  like
  these
  in
  the
 
minds
 of
 friends,
 encourage
 media
 literacy
 and
 the
 building
 up
 of
 
others.
  Encourage
  and
  actively
  treat
  others
  with
  dignity,
  give
 
grace,
  and
  give
  love-­‐
  people
  are
  not
  entertainment,
  they
  are
 
worthy
  and
  in
  need
  of
  love,
  not
  conditional
  love
  based
  on
  looks
 
and
 entertainment
 value.
 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8APTjOOblvI&feature=yout
u.be
 

Everybody
 Cries
  This
 graphic
 and
 inaccurate
 representation
 of
 birth
 is
 being
 
used
 by
 parents
 to
 teach
 their
 children
 about
 birth.
 This
 is
 
By:
 Lindsay
 Bolding
  problematic
 for
 children
 to
 learn
 about
 birth
 this
 way.
 While
 
it
 is
 very
 visual
 and
 it
 can
 teach
 children
 about
 how
 the
 
Snuff
 Puppets
 are
 known
 for
 their
 giant
 puppets
 and
  actual
 act
 of
 birth
 looks,
 it
 dramatizes
 the
 process
 and
 is
 
displays
 in
 Melbourne,
 Australia.
 They
 create
 performances
  being
 used
 as
 a
 scare
 tactic.
 The
 idea
 behind
 Everybody
 is
 
in
 the
 streets
 of
 cities
 around
 the
 world,
 and
 wish
 to
 create
  that
 if
 they
 use
 disgust
 and
 exaggeration
 in
 their
 display,
 
social
 change.
 Snuff
 Puppets
 hope
 to
 break
 all
 types
 of
 social
  they
 can
 scare
 young
 children
 out
 of
 having
 sex
 and,
 in
 turn,
 
taboos
 by
 being
 rude,
 vulgar,
 and
 violent.
 One
 of
 their
 most
  having
 children
 at
 a
 young
 age.
 Essentially,
 Everybody
 is
 
recent
 projects
 is
 known
 as
 Everybody.
 Everybody
 is
 a
 street
  being
 used
 as
 a
 tool
 for
 sex
 education.
 Rather
 than
 trying
 to
 
performance
 involving
 a
 giant
 puppet
 that
 is
 26.5
 meters
 in
  teach
 these
 children
 early
 on
 that
 there
 are
 safe
 ways
 to
 
length,
 or
 approximately
 87
 feet.
 There
 are
 four
 different
  have
 sex,
 but
 it
 is
 okay
 to
 choose
 to
 not
 have
 sex,
 Snuff
 
segments
 to
 Everybody,
 but
 the
 aspect
 that
 we
 will
 focus
 on
  Puppets
 hopes
 to
 scare
 children
 out
 of
 having
 sex
 
is
 Everybody
 Cries,
 as
 it
 pertains
 most
 to
 women’s
 studies.
  altogether.
 By
 making
 the
 birth
 very
 graphic,
 it
 is
 supposed
 
What
 this
 entails
 is
 the
 giant
 puppet
 giving
 birth
 in
 a
 very
  to
 make
 young
 people
 believe
 that
 birth
 is
 a
 very
 painful
 
graphic
 manner,
 where
 after
 the
 birth,
 the
 baby
 cries
 and
  process
 that
 should
 not
 be
 desired.
 
latches
 on
 the
 mother’s
 breast.
 Not
 long
 after,
 the
 baby
 
becomes
 violent
 and
 tears
 off
 the
 mother’s
 breast.
 This
  Sex
 education
 should
 not
 be
 used
 in
 this
 way.
 While
 
shows
 a
 very
 unrealistic
 representation
 of
 what
 birth
 is.
  Everybody
 could
 be
 seen
 as
 entertainment
 and
 not
 an
 
attempt
 at
 sex
 education,
 many
 are
 taking
 their
 children
 to
 

  scare
 them
 from
 having
 sex.
 Studies
 have
 shown
 that
 
comprehensive
 sex
 education
 is
 the
 best
 way
 to
 prevent
 
teen
 pregnancies,
 and
 Everybody
 does
 not
 fall
 under
 this
 
category,
 as
 it
 is
 being
 used
 as
 an
 unrealistic
 scare
 tactic
 and
 
is
 far
 too
 reductionist.
 Snuff
 Puppets
 is,
 essentially,
 taking
 a
 
step
 back
 in
 the
 progress
 we
 have
 made
 in
 sex
 education
 
over
 the
 last
 few
 years.
 If
 people
 want
 to
 take
 their
 children
 
to
 see
 this
 show,
 we
 can
 hope
 that
 it
 is
 just
 for
 
entertainment.
 Hopefully
 Everybody
 will
 be
 used
 as
 a
 tool
 to
 
teach
 children
 how
 birth
 isn’t,
 rather
 than
 teaching
 that’s
 
how
 it
 is.