User:Immora
Gender Disparity in Guild Wars Armor Designs
- Successful designs have equivalent coverage and matching design features for both versions of the armor. While they are tailored to fit the male or female form, they are otherwise the same style. Well done! This is the design level to aspire to!
- The almost-theres have a shared design and almost the same amount of coverage and protection, but the woman's is additionally sexualized with differences such as a cleavage cut-out/"boob window" or a fit that emphasizes the buttocks. This may include more bared skin than the man has, but not necessarily.
- Others come close on coverage but not a matching design; they appear quite different despite having some shared elements or theme. For instance, the Ranger Druid Armor incorporates bamboo and a similar color palette for both versions, but the male version is based around a coat and trousers and the female version around a bodice and skirt.
- Failed designs have increased sexualization and unequal coverage/protection, often in the form of uncovered skin (such as limbs or midriff) on the female version that is not equally exposed on the male. In some cases, the armors differ so much that they don't even look like they're part of the same set.
This is not an evaluation of the quality of any individual armor designs or how much I personally like them. For instance, I absolutely love the female Necromancer Elite Kurzick armor, but I marked it "fail" because it is far more sexualized with its extensive netting cutouts and snugly fitted rear. I also love nearly all mesmer armor, but the male and female versions never look like they're the same design on a different body.
Commentary on fantasy and video game armor disparity:
- Dee at 6D: "Revenge of Teh Feminizimz! (Now with pictures!)"
- Kadomi at Live Like a Nerd: "Guild Wars 2 Beta: Barely Covered"
- Ryan at Mad Art Lab: "Fantasy Armor and Lady Bits"
- Zaewen at The Border House: "Rift: Meet the new MMO, same as the old MMOs"
- TVTropes: "Chainmail Bikini"
Warrior Armor[edit]
Out of 32 armor sets:
- 8 succeed (25%)
- 15 almost have it (47%)
- 9 fail (28%)
Prophecies armor art
Ascalon | Krytan (collector) | Tyrian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Charr Hide | Gladiator | Wyvern | Platemail | Templar | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Charr Hide | Elite Gladiator | Elite Dragon | Elite Platemail | Elite Templar | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Monument | Asuran | Silver Eagle | Deldrimor pieces | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Ranger Armor[edit]
Out of 29 armor sets:
- 14 succeed (48%)
- 5 almost have it (17%)
- 6 came close on coverage, but look like different sets (21%)
- 4 fail (14%)
Prophecies armor art
Rawhide | Krytan (collector) | Tyrian/Leather | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Fur-Lined | Drakescale | Druid | Studded Leather | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Fur-Lined | Elite Drakescale | Elite Druid | Elite Studded Leather | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Monument | Asuran | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Monk Armor[edit]
Out of 31 armor sets:
- 22 succeed (71%)
- 7 almost have it (23%)
- 2 fail (6%)
Prophecies armor art
Roughspun | Krytan (Silk) | Monk/Tyrian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Woven | Censor | Sacred | Dragon | Star | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Woven | Elite Judge | Elite Saintly | Flowing | Labyrinthine | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Necromancer Armor[edit]
Out of 31 armor sets:
- 9 succeed (29%)
- 13 almost have it (42%)
- 9 fail (29%)
Prophecies armor art
Initiate's (Ascalon) | Krytan (Pagan) | Tyrian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Cabal | Fanatic | Necrotic | Scar Pattern | Profane | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Cabal | Elite Cultist | Elite Necrotic | Elite Scar Pattern | Elite Profane | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Mesmer Armor[edit]
Out of 29 armor sets:
- 0 succeed (0%)
- 4 almost have it (14%)
- 16 came close on coverage, but look like different sets (55%)
- 9 fail (31%)
Prophecies armor art
Dilettante's | Krytan (Regal) | Tyrian (Stylish) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Rogue | Courtly | Performer | Enchanter | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Rogue | Elite Noble | Elite Elegant | Elite Enchanter | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Elementalist Armor[edit]
Out of 29 armor sets:
- 2 succeed (7%)
- 2 almost have it (7%)
- 2 came close on coverage, but look like different sets (7%)
- 23 fail (79%)
Prophecies armor art
Apprentice's | Krytan (collector) | Elementalist/Tyrian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Flameforged | Iceforged | Stoneforged | Stormforged | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Flameforged | Elite Iceforged | Elite Stoneforged | Elite Stormforged | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Assassin Armor[edit]
Out of 19 armor sets:
- 7 succeed (37%)
- 4 almost have it (21%)
- 8 fail (42%)
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Seitung | Canthan | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Exotic | Imperial | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Exotic | Elite Imperial | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Vabbian | Ancient | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Ritualist Armor[edit]
Out of 19 armor sets:
- 9 succeed (47%)
- 2 almost have it (11%)
- 5 came close on coverage, but look like different sets (26%)
- 3 fail (16%)
Factions armor art
Shing Jea | Canthan | Seitung | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Exotic | Imperial | Kurzick | Luxon | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Canthan | Elite Exotic | Elite Imperial | Elite Kurzick | Elite Luxon | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Vabbian | Ancient | ||
---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Paragon Armor[edit]
Out of 12 armor sets:
- 2 succeed (17%)
- 4 almost have it (33%)
- 2 came close on coverage, but look like different sets (17%)
- 4 fail (33%)
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | Elonian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Dervish Armor[edit]
Out of 12 armor sets:
- 1 succeeds (8%)
- 8 almost have it (67%)
- 3 fail (25%)
Nightfall armor art
Istani | Sunspear | Elonian | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Elite Sunspear | Vabbian | Ancient | Primeval | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Eye of the North prestige armor art
Norn | Asuran | Monument | Deldrimor pieces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
Core prestige armor art
Obsidian | |
---|---|
Female | Male |
Summary[edit]
- Winningest: Monk (71%)
- Most Mismatched: Mesmer (55% + 31% fails which were also mismatched = 86%)
- Failingest:
- By fewest successes: Mesmer (0%)
- By most fails: Elementalist (79%)