But I view stereotypes more as empty templates. They define expected attributes of a character.
For instance, I would define the canonical rogue as being limited in a follow way.

- a rogueish character is more likely to be young then old.
- a rogueish character is more likely to be agile and thin.
- a rogueish character is more likely to have a sharp wit.
that kind of thing.

But I’d refute it also means a character should be skimpily clothed or automatically default to sexuality or seduction when female. Even though that does often happen in media. The obvious scene in which the female thief is caught stealing by guards and says some seductive line before jumping out of the window, that kind of thing.

But I don’t think it detracts from the stereotype if that behavior is left out.

Perhaps there is something to be said for specific stereotypes vs. generic ones. i.e. the scantly clad seductive rogue vs. the rogue.

Also, looking at portrayal rather than simply stereotypes, a convincing argument could be made that in society as a whole the most commonly held male ideals about women are physical, and objectify, whereas the most commonly held female ideals about men are mental or emotional, and specifically do not objectify.

I am actually relatively comfortable with what I’ve seen of the portrayal of Lara in the new Tomb Raider, though I admit I’m less happy with a lot of the discussion and the way the producer has spoken about things.

Although in one game the focus is on delivering cheeky one-liners while jumping off some cliff into a lake, and the other one meticulously portraying the hero coming out of said lake while no doubt showing the shaking of the hair in slow motion while the water drips … well no matter let’s not end this in fan/fic.

I think it’s quite possible to have a lara croft game be essentially the same as a drake’s fortune one with the gender swapped.

I do remember reading they are going to make a new lara game with less sexism, but unfortunately they chose to go the gritty reality route, instead of just taking the sexism out. Oh well.