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Bayonetta's Female Empowerment

Female Empowerment in Gaming

By Chloe GilholyPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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I've come across many articles and videos about feminism and video games mixed together, but they always seem to have a very bitter undertone to it. Instead, some of these great characters are being labelled as damsels in distress, fan service, or simple love interests, and I think that's a shame. There doesn't seem to be much about how female video game characters can empower and inspire women in real life. If there is, it's completely hidden.

One woman that I feel has shaken things up in the world of video games is Bayonetta. The Bayonetta game is sexualized and has a lot of innuendo in it, but behind all that lies a tale of an Umbra Witch. The reason I feel that she can be great for female empowerment. There are a lot of mixed feelings about Bayonetta, but I think she's fantastic, well written, and wonderfully designed. There's a lot more to Bayonetta than meets the eye.

She's sexy with her beautiful curves and makeup. The way she walks and the way her clothes disappear in one of her special moves. She knows she's beautiful and she knows that she's sexy and she isn't afraid to flaunt what she's got. For me, that's such a great thing to see.

As avid female gamer, I didn't find Bayonetta sexist or insulting at all. I found Bayonetta to be uplifting. I know the innuendo isn't for everyone, but I've played both games and I enjoyed them both. I liked Bayonetta 2 more than the first one because I feel like we get to know about her as a character. I'm very much looking forward to Bayonetta 3. I think the people behind Bayonetta are on a very thin line so it's understandable why Bayonetta gets so much controversy.

Many women struggle with body image. If you flick through your social media feeds, I'm sure you will find at least one post promoting body confidence. Bayonetta oozes with body confidence. It's quite clear that she's proud of her body and I think that's why many people find her attractive. So women can see Bayonetta's body confidence as a source of inspiration.

She's a very strong fighter as well. In Super Smash Bros. 4, she's one of the most powerful players on the game. In one of the trailers that introduced Bayonetta as a playable character, Palutena Now she was voted in as DLC content. And fans rejoiced. Maybe you, the reader, were one of the people who voted for her in the ballot.

Her attitude is also awesome as well. Her humour is great and a lot of her dialogue is very entertaining. She always acts like she's in control of a situation and she's headstrong. She utilises her skills by having four guns, and her hair contains a lot of magic in there. She's also bold and daring. In Bayonetta 2, when her dress gets ruined, she doesn't cry about it. The way she handles it is badass, don't you agree?

I also love how she goes from really long hair from the first game to super short hair in the second game. Her style changes and costumes available for her in each game proves that she's bold and daring and isn't afraid to experiment with styles and fashion.

So Bayonetta is much more than just a fantasy designed for men. She's a dominatrix. I hope that everyone can overlook the sexual innuendo and see Bayonetta as a wonderful role model for women and girls alike. Because the core value that Bayonetta teaches us is not to be ashamed of our bodies.

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About the Creator

Chloe Gilholy

Former healthcare worker and lab worker from Oxfordshire. Author of ten books including Drinking Poetry and Game of Mass Destruction. Travelled to over 20 countries.

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