What do strippers, prostitutes, and naggy girlfriends/wives all have in common?

They represent the vast majority of female characters in Grand Theft Auto V, the latest installment of Rockstar Games’ epic open-world crime series. 

Grand Theft Auto V released Tuesday to rave reviews, smashing the industry record in day-one sales with a whopping $800 million.

Critics praised the game’s dynamic open-world, innovative use of a three-protagonist structure, and improved visuals and shooting mechanics.

However one review got tongues wagging in the gaming community.

Carolyn Petit, an editor for the popular gaming news website GameSpot, in a mainly positive review sharply criticized GTA for its treatment of women.

It’s deeply frustrating that, while its central and supporting male characters are flawed and complex characters… GTA V has little room for women except to portray them as strippers, prostitutes, long-suffering wives, humorless girlfriends and goofy, new-age feminists we’re meant to laugh at… Yes, these are exaggerations of misogynistic undercurrents in our own society, but not satirical ones. With nothing in the narrative to underscore how insane and wrong this is, all the game does is reinforce and celebrate sexism.

 Sadly, as happens so often these days, the comments section of her review took an ugly turn.

There were messages of hate and personal attacks on Carolyn for her status as a transgender person. Others claimed her review was “biased” for considering the treatment of women as a factor in the game’s overall score. You can read Carolyn’s full review of Grand Theft Auto V here.

Still it does raise the question, Does Grand Theft Auto V satirize sexism or celebrate it? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

But please everybody. Don’t let it get ugly.