technsolution

Identity and Avatars

I created an avatar in Second Life.  I have never created an avatar before, but I thought there would be more choices.  From the front page, it seemed like you could create an avatar that looked almost exactly like you, in cartoon/game form. The (free) Second Life avatar-creator gives you about 10 choices in several categories.  I did not realize that you could be an animal: this generic avatar would not immediately give much detail about you.  Meanwhile, the female avatars (both people and vampires) are extremely sexualized, which seems to be a recurring theme in gaming. 

Looking at race on the Second Life Avatar list, the white people clearly outnumber the black or brown people.  I was hoping to be a Latina avatar, but couldn't find a good match. Why were the people already set up for you to choose, instead of a list of face shapes, body shapes, clothing, hair types that allowed you to create your avatar?

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  1. Yes, I was struck by the limitations in the avatar selection process. I, too, noticed that there was only one avatar of color - and it was obscure as to what color that even was. I also picked up the highly-sexualized/fetishized representation of both the male and female prototypes. As some of our readings this week suggested, even in the seemingly uncolonized space of the internet, there are still covert power structures exerting their influence. Even the "ugpgrades" that can be purchased in the SL marketplace are visual representations of the unrealistic notions of beauty and/or attractiveness. Maybe instead of a "gift" economy, we might regard this as a "fetish" economy? And I think the animal options are for the Furries out there!