Thank You All For the Overwhelming Support!
I'd like to extend an extra big thank you to everyone for sticking with me and especially to those continuing to back this project amid the torrent of misogynist bullying and intense harassment. I'm overwhelmed and encouraged by the support from people of all genders. Every one of you is an inspiration to me in my determination to make this project as amazing as possible.
Wow! We've now reached over 2000 backers. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
As you can probably imagine, over the past few days I have spent the
majority of my time dealing with all this ongoing harassment and trying
to secure and tighten up as much of my internet presence as I can. It
looks as if this type of backlash will be an unfortunate and continuing side effect of
this video series as we move forward. As some of you might be aware, in
addition to the threatening messages sent through, literally, all my
social media channels, the wikipedia page about me was vandalized last week (*Trigger Warning* that link is pretty disgusting!).
There have also been a few more alarming incidents over the past couple of days but I don't want to publicly disclose them for safety
reasons (but don't worry I'm still okay!). At the very least, this
story is being picked up and sparking some "discussion" on a few gaming blogs
like Destructoid, Kotaku, and The Escapist.
All of your support and pledges over the past few of days have gone above and beyond my wildest imagination! I also want to thank you for your comments and suggestions about possible future additions to the project. We have some exciting plans and ideas for how Tropes vs Women in Video Games is going to evolve from here. I'll be sure to post more details as soon as I have a moment to catch my breath!
6,968
Backers
$158,922
pledged of $6,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
May 17, 2012 -
Jun 16, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 13 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: feministfrequency.com
Pledge $1 or more
1128 backers
A big heartfelt thank you!
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $10 or more
1680 backers
Your name credited as a donor on the Feminist Frequency website (plus a big heartfelt thank you!)
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $25 or more
2635 backers
Your name in the video credits, a free high res digital download of the video series & access to some research materials. (Plus your name credited as a donor on the Feminist Frequency website and a big heartfelt thank you!)
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $50 or more
522 backers
A pack of custom designed stickers featuring a reimagined Zelda and Peach plus a few more with the Feminist Frequency logo! PLUS all of the above! (Check out Update #2 to see what the stickers look like!)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $100 or more
165 backers
A random postcard from one of my many travels with a handwritten message from me. (Plus your name in the video credits and access to a free high res digital download of the video series, your name credited as a donor on the Feminist Frequency website and a big heartfelt thank you!)
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $250 or more
38 backers
A DVD copy of all Tropes vs. Women in Video Games episodes in the web series. PLUS all of the above!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $500 or more
13 backers
A DVD set of the entire Feminist Frequency video collection. PLUS all of the above!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012
Comments
Creator Crispina Chong on June 12, 2012
The backlash is precisely why your project needs to happen.
Creator Orlando28 on June 12, 2012
I'm literally appalled by the amount of abuse thrown at you: can't these haters get a life?
Nice choice of picture ! Jade's a truly engaging character, and BGE one of the most poetic games I know; besides, it's a French game! Yeah, I'm French ;-)...
What are your thoughts on April Ryan, from The Longest Journey/Dreamfall? I'm currently playing TLJ, and I'm finding the writing amazingly deep and engaging: April is probably the finest female video game character I know.
Good luck on the project!
Creator Viktor Engholm on June 12, 2012
Stay strong!
Creator Crystal Corrigan on June 12, 2012
I am very excited about the project, but it was the reaction to the work that spurred me to donate sooner than I'd planned. Good luck on your project, I'm looking forward to the series!
Creator Travis Teitsch on June 12, 2012
I'm looking forward to this. I checked out the videos that you have lined up and am interested to see how some of them are misogynistic (particularly the voodoo priestess). I tend to think of the word misogyny in the most literal sense, so it'll be a good eye opener for some of us how many things we've come to accept in gaming culture are actually harmful. I wish you luck and can't wait to see the final product!
Creator Ayte Elle on June 12, 2012
holy shit, you used a pic of Jade from BGE (one of my FAV. video gaming heroes EVER) - AH!H!!!!!!!!!HH!!!! so amazing!
Creator Brian Tetirick on June 12, 2012
I'd been thinking about pledging to this for the last few days. When I read about the trolling going on I decided that it was time to just go ahead and do it.
Creator thegreyarcher on June 12, 2012
I plan on upping my pledge before all is said and done. Anita, you are awesome. Continue to do what you do best and make this video series! Not only has this Kickstarer been wildly successful, but the video series will be a hit as well. Can't wait to hear your thoughts and research on this topic! :-)
Creator Leah Raeder on June 12, 2012
I'm glad high-traffic gaming blogs are picking up the story, but reading the comments on Destructoid, Escapist, and Kotaku is like reading the YouTube comments all over again, except the misogyny is thinly veiled.
If nothing else, it proves the harassment isn't relegated to a small group of trolls--it comes from an endemic, widespread bigotry in gaming culture.
So heartened to see the support your project is getting. Aside from the planned videos, I hope this is the start of some critical examination of the deeply entrenched misogyny in gaming culture.
Creator Wendy Whipple on June 12, 2012
I'm sure you probably already know to do this, but just in case... save every threat, every bit of nastiness, keep hard copies in a folder. Be sure close friends or family know where those are kept. In the hopefully unlikely event that something bad becomes reality, you will have ample evidence for the police and prosecutors. I sincerely hope that this is overreacting, and it makes me so unhappy that you should have to take this kind of action for daring to speak your mind and share your thoughts with the world, but I'd rather you over- than underreacted. In the meantime, you go, grrl! If I lived in the area, I would totally volunteer to be part of your bodyguard team. ;)
Creator Lesofa on June 12, 2012
I'm sorry you have to deal with all the harassment. That shows how important and relevant this project is. On the bright side, it seems the Streisand effect is on our side.
Creator LukasM on June 12, 2012
Thank you for doing this. Hopefully, efforts like yours will help bring change, so that in the future, women won't have to go through what you're going through.
Creator ragnarokz on June 12, 2012
I happily backed your project, mostly because there is a fairly serious problem in the gaming culture, when it comes to women.
Even if i disagree with your LEGO point, but I am a Dane, we have to defend LEGO and HC Andersen to beyond the point of sense.
Creator Shane Ching on June 12, 2012
Up my pleage because of this harassment.
Stay strong. :*)
Creator Björn on June 12, 2012
You are a absolutely fucking incredible person, and I my life seems better off for just knowing about you.
Creator Michael on June 12, 2012
This harassment highlights everything that is wrong within the gaming "culture" and I immediately backed this project after hearing about it. Stay safe and congrats!
Creator Benjamin Strandli Fermann on June 12, 2012
Gnosblax stole all my words. Congratulations :)
Creator Duncan on June 12, 2012
I can't imagine how you deal with all that bullshit without losing heart/your mind but you do and that's awesome. I'm gonna up my pledge in support.
I think Nick brought up a cool idea with creating an indie game or something that's an example of how to do it right. If not a stretch goal for this project maybe that could be an idea for another Kickstarter project somewhere further down the line?
Creator Daniel Schealler on June 12, 2012
YOU LOOK SO HAPPY IN THIS PICTURE!
SQUEE!
^_^
Creator Gnosblax on June 12, 2012
Congrats on reaching 2000 backers! And I love that you used a BG&E image. It's one of my favourite games of all time.
Creator Matt Paxton on June 12, 2012
Along the lines of Nick's comment - a final video installment detailing this mess? Not that it would be fun to have to revisit this garbage! It might make for a nice little "well, here's why this is a thing" capper?
Keep up the excellent work Anita! :)
Creator Nick Johnson on June 12, 2012
So, at nearly $60k donated, and all the stretch goals met, do you have plans for the rest of the funding? It seems to me you just about have enough for a modest indie game that's an exemplar of better design at this point.
It seems ironic that you've probably got a lot more funding as a result of the publicity from all the harassment. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I love the idea of misogynists' brains exploding when they realize their deplorable attacks have made the project more successful.
Creator Pewter on June 12, 2012
Wow. Big props to all the other backers! Since I pledged the support has actually doubled. It's amazing to be able to help with something like this.
Creator Atarun on June 12, 2012
Gah, I don't dare imagine what happened to you that you can't disclose... >_<
Stay safe, Anita.
Love you! <3
Creator Mkzamel on June 12, 2012
Wow
You gained a lot of bakers to make two projects
Creator scamper on June 12, 2012
I hadn’t heard about the harassment, but it’s just inexcusable. I’m now upping my pledge in the hope that your light will shine a bit brighter (and perhaps scare off the knuckle-draggers in the process).
Kenats’t!
Creator Moeez Siddiqui on June 12, 2012
Beautiful BG&E poster!
I wouldn't pay attention to the Internet trolls, although they always seem to go too far, and are only proving your points. They're not worth reasoning with, just ignore it or keep it all as evidence.
Creator justin boden on June 12, 2012
I didn't notice this project until after it had received enough funding and so I wouldn't have bothered making a pledge, but after seeing a sample of all the misogynistic vitriol this has received I wanted to make my support explicit. It will be an utter privilege to have my name on the Feminist Frequency site when this project goes ahead; keep doing your thing, and I'll keep supporting it.
Creator X-pert74 on June 12, 2012
I just backed the project; I watched through all six of the Tropes vs. Women videos, and really enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to this new series too once it's made!
Creator Chrone on June 12, 2012
I really hope you will be fine. Can't help but thinking about Madalyn Murray O'Hair now all the time :( Wish you luck. Looking forward to this project! A big fan of your videos on You Tube. After seeing those I actually started to think about the issues for the first time. I'm from Belarus.
Creator Chocobobo88 on June 12, 2012
I'm glad your not letting the trolls get to you. I only heard of this when I saw the post on DTOID and I don't even like the term "feminist" - because I like the more inclusive, less divisive term "equalist" - but thats me nitpicking, didn't stop me backing the project . I'm a guy and feel sad that there are still gamers out there who act so childish and offensive.
Congrats!
Creator Lisa Holliday on June 12, 2012
Congrats! Haters gonna hate & some people just don't have anything better to do. Keep making your videos, I love 'em!