Statement
of Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D.
On
The Panty Raider Computer Game
May
4, 2000
A
soon-to-be-released computer game - in which the player's goal is to strip
supermodels down to their underwear - got our attention a few days ago, and
now it's come to the attention of a lot of other people too.
Panty
Raider: From Here to Immaturity is due to be released by Simon & Schuster
Interactive this month. In the game, Earth will be destroyed by aliens unless
the players are able to strip supermodels down to their underwear.
I'm
sure this isn't the worst game in America, but there is something about it
that is so offensive, that we are doing our best to mobilize as many people
as possible to express their opinions. In this game, women are treated like
trash, and there are piles of research studies that conclude that these kinds
of media games affect the attitudes and behaviors of the boys and men who
play them. The fact that this game is clearly geared toward young teenage
boys - despite the company's claims that it is for "mature" audiences - is
especially offensive. Either the company has a very low opinion of men in
America, or they are misleading the public when they claim the game is for
adults, not children.
In
USA Today, a spokesman for Simon & Schuster was quoted as saying "These
are obscenely large-breasted women with zero waists," as if that was proof
that the game was "over the top" and therefore harmless. His comment may instead
prove that the company is out of touch with what the public is willing to
accept.
We
have been unable to reach Simon & Schuster by phone, so I am using this opportunity
to offer a challenge. Why not give their 100 top executives free copies of
the game to give to the boys that their daughters or granddaughters are dating.
If the majority of those executives (or their daughters) don't want to do
that, then they shouldn't be selling this game to the rest of us.
I
will also make an offer. The National Center for Policy Research for Women
& Families is willing to find independent scientific researchers at
a major university who can conduct a study of the impact of Simon & Schuster
computer games (including Panty Raider) on boys and young men. Together with
qualified scientists at the company, we will supervise these studies. If these
studies show that the games are harmless, we will be glad to issue a public
apology. If not, the company should show its good citizenship by donating
its profits from the games to rape crisis centers across the country.
