There’s an online community, called out by the folks at Destructoid, called “Men Going Their Own Way”. According to the site, it’s  “the Internet’s biggest and best Men’s forum.” According to what I’ve read there, it’s really just a place for angry people with penises to berate and moan about women.

In a thread called”WTF is with empowered women in video games now?” disgruntled user “I Am” starts the proceedings with an almost valid, but inappropriately laid complaint about PC strategy title Shogun 2.

It all goes downhill from there.

“I recently bought an upgrade for the game the other day and guess what one of the strongest military units was?”, he asked rhetorically. “Nuns. I shit you not. The nuns had an attack 20% -40% higher than most units in the game. Somehow I doubt that in real life a nun would have swung a sword or used a spear faster and harder than a feudal warlord, and this game was based on history.

I think I have the right to ask steam and other gaming companes (sic): WTF with the subliminal brainwashing? What now when I buy or play a game women will be doing all the ass kicking? I seen some similiar (sic) patterns on the game advertisements on television and the internet recently and want to know if anyone else is seeing the pattern?

I call bullshit on this subject. Video games are the last place for guys to hang out and now women are taking over. Why not just save us the trouble and instead of eliminating our fantasy world just throw us in work camp to provide for thier (sic) bastard children (literally speaking) while they shit all over us…wait they already do that.

End of rant.”

Of course, that was just the end of his rant. while not voiced particularly nicely, the point of overpowered nuns is valid (though any of you who’ve attended Catholic school might disagree).But it gets worse. The misogynists who frequent the men’s-only forum quickly sprang in to woman-hating action.

“I’ve noticed this too, and it drives me insane. Was co-oping Gears 3 last month and there’s a point where 2nd player has to take over a female character. Almost ruined the game for me. It may seem minor, but once you’re aware of this type of brainwashing it’s impossible to ignore. There’s no way a slim female could keep up with the massive battle-hardened male Gears in that kind of environment. They would be a liability as they are in real life combat,” said one angry testiculared gamer.

Yes, because Gears of War has a completely realistic depiction of men, right?

“You’ll see the same thing in most stat-based role-playing games as well, where you have the option of a female player character – like Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, D&D, etc. The women never have any strength or intelligence penalties compared to the males…”

Their suggested stats for a woman in RPGs?

-4 STR
-2 CON
-1 INT
-6 WIS
+8 CHA

SKILLS
-2 Intimidate
-4 Listen
+3 Sense Motive
-4 Survival
+10 Profession: Prostitute
Spell-like ability to cast create baby once every 9 months

“It would be hilarious,” says another manly man, “to portray the female characters realistically. If you chose the female character in your FPS she would have to move very slowly, dragging the gun around. You could build in some extra shake to the crosshairs to represent hopeless accuracy. Every time you needed to reload your gun, instead of just pressing a button, you’d have to find a male character and go through some flirting dialogue options to persuade him to do it for you. One out of every four missions the game would tell you that you were sitting out this one due to ‘women’s issues,’ “said another.

Responding to the ire he’s received the original poster tried to clarify his position.

“The thread was about how unrealistically women are increasing portrayed in video games and the media. Period. That is all. Don’t take it as hate speach (sic), bigotry, or sexism. It’s not.
Nuns and girls, with the exception of some lesbians in the county prison, cannot kick anyone’s ass unless a desperate mangina/white knight who is trying to get laid does it on their behalf. Don’t hate nature over it.”

No. Not sexist at all. While there are a few valid points throughout the thread – like equality not really being equality – most of it is just misogynistic tripe. We’ve often been fingered for sexism for our habitual, daily posting of nearly naked ladies – but it’s because we love women, and the fine female form, not because we think women belong in kitchens making us sandwiches.

Fellas…I think it’s time you went back to your caves and scratch your balls. It’s what you do best.

You can read the entire thread here…though you may end up wishing you hadn’t.