Gender and Intersectionality

John Berger's episode 2  of "Ways of Seeing"  talks about how women are usually depicted as such for the pleasures of men starting that "men dream of women [and] women dream of being dreamt of." In the video, Berger talks about how women dress how they do and look how they do due to the scrutiny of men, and themselves, who ultimately decide if a woman is beautiful, and the prize? That the woman, herself is "won." He states that women are taught or persuaded, from early childhood, that how they appear to others, "and particularly [to] men" is of "crucial importance for what is normally thought of as the success of her life."

It has inspired me to think of a scene in Heavy Rain in which Madison dances on a platform in a nightclub in order to win the affection of Paco Mendez,  the owner, who she needs to interrogate. She has to do this due to the fact that Mendez would not have given her any time of day otherwise. She unbuttons her blouse, tears her skirt shorter, messes up her hair and applies more make up in hope that she would catch Mendez's eye. This suggests the same theme of what Berger had been saying in his video; Madison displays more skin to be judged by Mendez. The player, in this section needs to correctly time and press each button in order for Madison to dance well, and if she completes this, then her aesthetic and sexual nature would win Mendez's attention and affection. Each girl who dances, on platforms or otherwise, are being judged and assessed by Mendez, and as the prize he takes them up to  his office.

Berger's video has been structured well and raises good points in a good manner, and therefore I personally found it easier to watch. His reasoning was interesting and well thought out and didn't contain as many subjective statements and leading suggestions as some other videos or papers that are around to do with this topic, therefore I found the whole thing more reasonable. However, there are some phrases I would not agree with such as "women are taught or persuaded that how they appear to others and particularly how they appear to men is of crucial importance for what is normally thought of as success of her life." Although engaging, I feel like this is less true in society at this stage, though not entirely wrong. This still plays a large part in most women's lives, and women are still aware of their body and how others view it, and how men view it but I find that it is not as significant as it may have been. Many women are of the stance that they wear make up and dress how they do because they want to, but perhaps that's stemmed from something else, but perhaps not, but even so I still feel as though the particularly men part is less significant.

Madison dances to impress Paco Mendez,
Heavy Rain

As for Peggy McIntosh's White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Perona/Account of Come to See Correspondences through Work in Women's Studies... I actually find this paper particularly difficult to read due to how subjective the whole thing is. I'm all for debates and new ideas and this may have been an interesting read had the paper not included such leading phrases such as "I think many of us know how obnoxious this attitude can be in men" and what has come across like very narrow minded ideas. I don't deny that her ideas have basis and can be justified, however she does not do a good job in doing these things.
In her paper, McIntosh suggests that all men are power hungry and deny that they have any privileges just for being male. She also mentions that "[her] schooling gave [her] no training in seeing [herself] as an oppressor" but surely that is right and should be the case. Perhaps it's the wording but in my opinion, schools should not be telling or "training" children to think that they are the oppressors. Imagine having that told to you as a child! Another point on the same subject she raises is that she was not taught that she was an "unfairly advantaged person, or as a participant in a damaged culture" but they were. Schools and the education systems may not use that particular phrasing (as is right) but for every oppressed there is an oppressor, and that is taught. Schools teach about slavery and about the women's rights and in those subjects, there are both oppressors and the oppressed.
McIntosh brings up many points I disagree with, like when she talks about "whites [being] taught to think of their lives as morally neutral." It is true that the history that is taught is subject to who is teaching and the curriculum and where it is taught, but I'm sure many of the people who are taught about history understand what each side has done and what has happened to them and in society nowadays, I do not think that this applies.
Some of the examples McIntosh lists which are "conditions which [she thinks in her] case attach somewhere more to skin-color privilege" brings across her points, especially those to do with harassment and fear, however most of her examples mostly has nothing to do with skin-colour privilege, especially in today's society, and are not affected by what colour skin one may have.
The way McIntosh writes about "privilege" and her examples seem very pretentious and one-sided, and a good paper for me suggests both sides, even if one disagrees with it or with at least less suggestive phrases. This paper dates back to 1986, which is just 20 years ago now. While I understand this paper is still relevant as it has suggestions of issues that may have been brought to light 20 years ago, I do not think that it is a good paper to completely educate and influence oneself with in the times and society we live in now, especially with the way it has been written. It is however, one to get someone thinking.

Booker DeWitt,
Bioshock

Due to the fact that I do not play that many games, it is rather difficult for me to go into any depth really to do with this subject however, there are noticeably more protagonists in video games who are white and male, like Ethan from Heavy Rain, Joel in The Last of Us and Booker in Bioshock: Infinite to name just a few, but there are also an increasing number of female protagonists.

Ethan Mars,
Heavy Rain

Joel,
The Last of Us