Lara Croft: genius feminist icon or an evil misogynist creation?
Lara Croft made her first appearance in the video game Tomb Raider in 1996. In the almost 25 years since, the gun-toting, hot pant-wearing archaeologist has become an icon, appearing in 14 different games, which have sold over 80 million copies, and three Hollywood movies. But is this pixelated woman a genius feminist icon or an evil misogynist creation?
In Radio 4 podcast Evil Genius with Russell Kane, Russell debates with comedians Sikisa, Sarah Callaghan and Ivo Graham. Let’s look at the arguments.
For: She’s a video game feminist icon
Before Lara Croft came along there were not really any female characters leading video games. Any female characters were usually being rescued, like Princess Peach in Super Mario, or just a copy of a male character with a bow on its head, like Ms Pac-Man. Lara was created to be an extremely intelligent woman who doesn’t need anyone to rescue her. One of her creators, says Russell, claimed that he was “trying to counter the usual bimbo and dominatrix characters you usually got. That was a conscious thing…although he was masturbating when he said it.”
Against: She was created for men
As Sikisa says, Lara may have been the first major lead female in a video game but it might be a stretch to call her feminist. She was created by a man and “kitted out like a sexy vixen…It was very much boobs – Page 3 boobs.” Sarah is also doubtful that feminism was the reason to create her: “Are they doing it with the intention of, ‘This is going to be huge for women and we’re going to have a feminist main character’…[or did] they just want to create a fit character?”
Listen to Evil Genius with Russell Kane: Lara Croft on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sounds
Against: She’s a mass murderer
Sikisa says Lara “kills indiscriminately and ruins countless innocent lives”. Throughout her games Lara murders innumerable henchmen but also brings about the deaths of people who have nothing to do with her mission. Says Russell, “her actions often cause events like tsunamis and storms, which kill or displace many innocent people.” As comparison, throughout the entire series of Rambo movies, Rambo killed 552 people. In the space of one game Lara can kill 650 people. And that’s not taking into account all the times you have to replay a level because you messed it up and then kill everyone again. The woman’s absolutely bloodthirsty. “She’s a psycho,” says Sarah.
Lara’s missions mostly involve her bringing back artefacts for the British Museum. She calls this archaeology. Others may call it stealing items of cultural importance from other countries.
Against: She exploits her privilege
Lara is an heiress, the daughter of Lord and Lady Croft. She has enormous amounts of money, which she uses to funds her trips around the world looking for trinkets and people to kill. She has no real reason to go hunting for treasure. Sarah calls her “an entitled white girl who’s disrupting everything and going after things for her own needs…She might be moving things for the good of the planet but ultimately her goal is only for self.” Sikisa adds, “She is a privileged white woman. If she was black she’d end up in prison.”
Against: She’s a thief
Lara’s missions mostly involve her bringing back artefacts for the British Museum. She calls this archaeology. Others may call it stealing items of cultural importance from other countries. Russell questions her morals, while Sikisa asks: “Why is it her business? She’s decided to take on these missions and I’m secretly like, is it your business? Stay home and watch the TV. Mind your business.”
"It's hard to argue that it's pure feminism"
Russell Kane, Sikisa, Sarah Callaghan and Ivo Graham discuss Lara Croft, the Tomb Raider.
For: She takes a stand on feminist beliefs
In 1999, Eidos, the video game company that created Lara, went to court to stop Playboy using Lara’s name and image in the magazine. “They argued successfully that such a public association of the character with pornography would forever ruin her image,” says Russell. Even though Lara became a sex symbol, the people who created her didn’t want her to be treated explicitly sexually. And just because she’s sexy, does that mean she can’t be sexy on her own terms and do what she wants? “I think everyone should be able to live their best life,” says Sikisa.
For: She’s endured
Most video game characters are lucky to have one successful outing. Lara has been a hit for nearly a quarter of a century. She’s been a success at the box office too, with three movies made about her, starring Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander in the title role. That must mean there’s more to her than just good looks. At her peak, says Russell, she was so profitable that she made more money than some of the biggest music acts in the world. In the 1990s she made “£2 billion pounds in sales, beating Madonna and U2…That’s incredible.” As Russell says, “This thing has endured.”
Against: She’s an impossible ideal
Russell says that Lara presented “an impossible aspirational body image for women and young girls. There were reports that teenagers felt pressured to get breast implants in an effort to imitate Lara’s cleavage.” Sarah has limited sympathy with that concern. “It’s a f**king made up character,” she says. “If any girl got intimidated or wanted to change their body shape because of a video game character, I think they’re d**kheads.” Sikisa argues, “When you’re a woman and you grew up looking at that, that’s what you think women are meant to look like.”
