Women in video gamesIn the beginning, according to some, there were Adam and Eve. The story is familiar. It is taught to the faithful from an early age. However, the account of Genesis and Paradise has a deeper meaning regarding the roles of its main characters. Think of Adam. He was created in the image of God and is the default model upon which the rest of humanity is based. Think of Eve. It was created as an afterthought, using Adam's rib, and is of lesser importance and strength. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, it is Eve who gives in to temptation and gets them both kicked out of paradise. It is logical that a patriarchal society would develop such a belief system. Indeed, the mythologies and culture that the modern world holds to are both intentionally and unintentionally created to reinforce patriarchy. Video games are an ever-growing presence in popular culture, reinforcing patriarchal values ​​present throughout society. The gaming industry often uses harmful narrative devices and inappropriate representations of women, which not only reflect patriarchal values ​​but contribute to sexism. Before describing the details regarding patriarchal notions within video games, it would be prudent to explain what a patriarchy is. . Simply put, a patriarchy is a society in which men constitute the socioeconomic and political majority (Lindsey). Women are systematically oppressed in patriarchies, often through agents of socialization, including popular culture, which now includes video games (Maitra). More specifically, agents of socialization are responsible for the ideas and beliefs that members of a society develop over time. In a patriarchy, where masculinity is lauded and femininity shamed, all the agents of… middle of the paper… The New York Times. Network. 4/7/1991.Rasmussen, Mary. “‘He’s so gay!’: a study of the use of sexual and gender identity signifiers in secondary schools in Australia and the United States.” Social semiotics. December 2004, vol. 14 Issue 3, p289-308. 20p. Print.Rupaul, Charles, Wu, Jason. “The TRANSFORMER”. Interview. September 2013, vol. 43 Issue 7, p314-321. 8 p.m. Print.Sarkeesian, Anita. “Feminist Frequency: Tropes vs. Women in video games”. Youtube. November 18, 2013.Schewe, Elizabeth. “Serious Play: Drag, Transgender, and the Relationship between Performance and Identity in Rupaul and Kate Bornstein’s Life Writing.” Biography: an interdisciplinary quarterly. Fall 2009, vol. 32 Issue 4, p670-295. 26p. Print.Staskiewicz, Keith. "Lara Croft's Next Adventure." Entertainment weekly. 8/3/2013, number 1249, p58. 2p. Press.