Purely Cosmetic

I am actually not going to start this off with an angry rant as I intended.  This is in part because I am incredibly busy at the moment and I just do not have the energy for anger. (Sad but true.)

I just have noticed, in many games I've played (And I've at least started many) that perhaps one of the least infuriating trends is the idea that the gender differences between characters are purely cosmetic.  I actually do not mind this.  While I would like to see someone incredibly girly yet incredibly tough, it is far easier to just program things one way and make the gender choice purely aesthetic.  There is still the problematicness of the fact that if there is a gender choice you are limited to two genders (There are so many more) But still, I can agree with the idea that it's an aesthetic difference.

What kind of gets me is this though - even when it's just an aesthetic difference, there is something that can bug me... I often find that female outfits, in comparison to male outfits, are blisteringly impractical.  I'm not saying there needs to be perfect practicality, but I will quote the classic mmo armor trope:  Why is it, that hte same armor, on a male character and a female character, looks VASTLY different, down to basically being a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ITEM?

I guess I can understand the point of male gaze but still, I do enjoy practicality!

All things considered though?  I'll be glad for more games that the difference is aesthetic, and I'll even cover a game right now that I think did gender actually quite right, for all it can be gross in other ways.  Saints Row the Third.  Yeah, I said it.  But the way it handles gender for the player character is really quite nice.  While you still end up choosing male or female, you're at least not locked into your voice choices.  I can actually make a body somewhat like mine, also, which in a game?  Have you ever seen a fat girl that's not a joke?

However that, my friends, is a story for next time (So I can get screen shots, mostly.)  I do want you to weigh in though - Do you think I'm just delusional?  I won't mind if you do... much.

But seriously -

I don't see how the female PCs are supposed to be climbing mountains and all over creation in some of these outfits... At least they have practical shoes... so Pokemon is actually quite progressive in that regard.