My open letter to Notch: why Minecraft is sexist and needs to be banned

Hi Notch - can I call you Markus Persson or are you too high and mighty for that now? I know you're busy throwing fancy LA parties with your billions and all, but maybe you can find it in you to lend your ear to a 20-year old feminist who works as a humble barista for a few minutes. Or is that too much to ask of someone who recently sold his company to Microsoft? Anyways, there's something you need to know... It must feel awful nice – awful nice to have gone from an overweight, socially awkward nobody to a billionaire in like 5 years for creating ONE game. Now you get to reap the fruits of all those sweaty, Cheeto-filled coding sessions and enjoy the good life in the American Rivera. However, you need to know now...you need to know that your success is built on something disgusting, something demeaning and something that hurts millions of people everywhere. It’s time you knew what your blocky empire is built upon and I must say I’m disgusted – both at what it’s built on and by the fact that more people aren’t calling you out on this.

Minecraft is incredibly sexist. There, I said it. I don’t think you’re surprised either, because you KNOW deep down, and have from the very moment you sat down at the computer that Minecraft was going to be a game that excludes half of the population. Maybe you’ve tried to suppress this fact, or maybe you’ve tried to tell yourself that you didn't do it deliberately, or maybe, as I suspect is reality, you simply don’t care. Let me tell you exactly how Minecraft is misogynist.

Minecraft does, from the outset, strive to appeal to traditional masculinity. The simple act of building is a millennia old gender-coded act that has caused men since the beginning of time to take it upon themselves to build buildings and other stuff. Historically, women who’ve been eager to build their own Basilicas, Pyramids or Big Bens have been told that building is “a man’s domain”, that they’re too delicate to get their hands dirty with brick and mortar. Minecraft perpetuates that Patriarchal stereotype, by making building stuff the central theme of the game, you're making women feel inadequate. Notch, you’re excluding women who have been told their entire lives that they aren’t allowed to build stuff! How do you not see this? Also, the aesthetics of the game are very repulsive to women and this was clearly a conscious decision so as to scare women away from the game. There’s absolutely zero definition, pretty backdrops or nice clothing in the game - it’s all pixelated, gritty ugly sprites running around in an ugly, masculine world. Markus, did you really think blocks would appeal to women? No, of course you didn’t and that’s exactly why you went with them, it’s all part of your effort to turn women away at the door and keep women from experiencing the comradery that male gamers have felt for decades. The square itself is often associated with masculinity while more rounder shapes are linked with femininity. I see no rounded corners AT ALL and nothing that appeals to women in anyway. Notch, you really went all out in keeping gaming a Boys club only with this game, you’ve actually put zero effort into making women and queer individuals feel welcome and accepted in the community. Also, how do you expect any woman to be able to identify with and feel comfortable with a game in which the default character is a blockheaded male? There is no option to be a female or any gender and this is of course deepy problematic. In order to enjoy a game, one needs to feel like one is welcome to play it, or at the very least, feel like you can recognise yourself within the game. Where are the fierce, sassy female characters that can kick but while at the same time wearing a pretty, flowing dress? That’s right – NOWHERE – and you made sure of that Markus! Seeing the brutish nature of the game without even an infusion of something that could appeal to women is deeply triggering to most female gamers.

I am not only angry with you Notch - I am hurt too. Hurt that you have created an experience that could have been very tolerant and open to everyone, but purposelly excluded half of the population. You don't get to do this. You don't get to set female gamers back 30 years. Minecraft needs to go, like, I am serious. Minecraft needs to be banned before it hurts more women. I know a lot of anti-feminists will get angry at this because their precious male privileged game is going to be taken away from them - but guess what - I DON'T CARE. This has gone far enough as it is! So everyone, please help me spread the word! Tweet under #Misogycraft and make sure this letter reaches Notch! Together, we can help bring Minecraft down! I