Because, of course women can dress any way they choose, but this is not a case of women choosing to dress sexy. This is a case of someone choosing that a depiction of a women should show her as sexy rather than as competent, cool, scared or something else. Also, women are often "required" to be sexy or good looking no matter what they do. So while one of the male minis have a beer gut, the women have tits and asses. Again, it's not a big deal and not wrong in itself, but it's part of a large trend that dictates how women should dress and look, ant that is - in my opinion - why it's wrong.
I've often wondered the same thing about female minis, female representation in anything sci-fi/fantasy, really. I think it is because the only way to easily tell they are female. Go look at a mixed gendered modern combat patrol and pick out the women. Almost impossible under the helmet, body armor, and gear. Same for a realistic medieval setting. Or spacesuits.
So instead you get this stylized look emphasizing female attributes, which is usually derived from some male version made first that just showed broad shoulders, bulging biceps, or whatever. Maybe a great codpiece
So blame the need to at least attempt to visually differentiate the genders. Virtually identical lab coat scientist guy and lab coat scientist lady (with a pony tail!) just doesn't cut it. He might be the scrawny nerd but she has a mighty bosom fighting to escape that jacket!
Thank goodness they introduced female characters to minis games. I mean, before that, it was so confusing to tell those male minis apart from one another. Now at least I can tell this 1 mini apart. It's the one with the boobs and tiny waist and shorts. I still struggle with the guys though.
(Translation: what's the problem with saying : this is a female character, this is their mini? Why the need for the "shape"? I dont think the answer is "to make it clear that the game has female representation", somehow, or for pure differentiation.)
Heh heh, I'm not saying it's a good reason, but probably a big part of why female minis look the way they do. The need to add "sexy" in front of almost any female character description is a co-issue, but it is really just exaggerated female sexual characteristics, just like lots of male minis have biceps, shoulders, or a set of abs that would dwarf a Mr. Olympia bodybuilder. Games don't feature average people as the star minis, they are all extreme examples of some physical characteristic to some extent.
Are there any recent minis from WOTC or some other fairly progessive company that doesn't put females into busty tops or skin tight pants? Or that have elaborate hairdos or that slit to the thigh long tunic? It's just the visual language we have accepted. I'd be interested to see a successful minis line that doesn't do this. I'm sure there must be some?
I dunno... I'm looking at most of my skirmish minis and seeing a lot of moderately fit dudes in fatigues and women who mostly look like Quiet from Metal Gear Solid.
:/
I'll admit there's a cultural turn happening where more men are being sexualized based on their body image, but in the case of board games with minis, most of the body signifiers for men are "body as armour" and/or just their uniforms, whereas most of the ones for women are "body as T&A." Sorry to be crude.
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