Staff Reports
In The Sims 4's latest update, players can now give their trans characters chest binders, penises-covering pants, and mastectomy scars.
The Sims 4's base game update has just been revealed on Twitter, allowing players to create their own visually trans characters.
Electronic Arts also noted that male characters can now have a "top surgery" scar on their bodies. This is a euphemism for mastectomies, which are procedures that can be carried out by biological women who identify as transgender.
In addition, male characters who identify as transgender can now wear a binder top, which can be used to squash their breasts and hide their appearance. They can also have penises-covering pants.
A base game update is here with new content including medical wearables, binders, shapewear, a light switch & more including bug fixes & console gameplay improvements 🥳💚
Read more about today’s update in the latest patch notes! https://t.co/4c4vZdfWBY pic.twitter.com/GYbQYijIIm
— The Sims (@TheSims) January 31, 2023
The Sims 4 was first released in 2014. It allowed players to customize their characters' appearance and gender. In May 2016, the game added non-binary options and other forms of pronoun recognition. In July, players were also able to alter their Sims' sexual orientation.
According to the developers of The Sims 4, the game's userbase is very unique. Around 60% of players are women between the age of 18 and 24 years old. Women make up 41.5% of all video game users in the US, while only 9% of gamers are women under the age of 29 years old.
Conservatives were disturbed by the game's message about body image, especially since it's for kids aged 12 and up. They argued that it encourages young women to have plastic surgery.
The group Gays Against Groomers also criticized The Sims 4 for encouraging kids to have body mutilation and self-harm. They claimed that it is a gateway drug that can have real-life consequences.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1620624343767330817
If grooming in the real world wasn’t bad enough, now there’s grooming in the metaverse.
Why is @TheSims now promoting body mutilation and self harm to boys and girls? This is not “inclusive” or “affirming” it is a virtual gateway drug with real life consequences. https://t.co/jHT7WISu16
— Gays Against Groomers (@againstgrmrs) February 1, 2023
Sounds like law enforcement needs to raid some hard drives over at EAhttps://t.co/BVp4EFERs6
— Auron MacIntyre (@AuronMacintyre) February 2, 2023
Do the Sims characters visit doctors weekly for treatment of leaking urine and dead tissue like the real life victims of the mutilating surgeries? https://t.co/YmOzf8BP05
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) February 2, 2023
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Valiant News.
