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New Strong Museum exhibit focuses on Women in Games

The Strong Museum
Credit The Strong Museum

Women in Games is the focus of a new exhibit now open at the Strong Museum.

Shannon Symonds says as a woman and a gamer herself, this exhibit is something she’s been wanting to do for a while.

Symonds, the curator for electronic games at the Strong, says this exhibit focuses on women behind the scenes.

A new exhibit at the Strong Museum opened this weekend, celebrating Women in Games. WXXI's Caitlin Whyte has more from the curator.

"The vast majority of the exhibit is going to focus on women who create the games, and that includes all aspects of game creations, so obviously the programmers and designers, but also the composers, the voice actresses, the artists."

But it also addresses representation of women as characters in games.

"The sort of tropes in terms of, are they a heroine, are they a damsel in distress. We touch on the objectification of women, this highly exaggerated sex appeal."

Symonds says the goal of the exhibit is inspiration for any girl or woman looking to get into the gaming industry and to show that there are plenty of role models to follow.

She says it’s important to always be promoting more diversity.

Credit The Strong Museum

"Whether that’s gender diversity, multiculturalism, getting more women of color involved. Basically anyone who can bring a new perspective or a new set of eyes, I think that’s always to the good of any industry, not just gaming."

Women in Games will be open at the Strong until the spring.

Copyright 2018 WXXI News

Caitlin Whyte
Caitlin joins WXXI after working down the street at Stephens Media Group where, she co hosted a children's radio show, "Saturday Morning CarTunes" on WARM 101.3 and worked as a traffic reporter for various affiliates.