I made a topic back in the old country about guys not really getting it on a level beyond the intellectual because in geek media, even when dudes are drawn half naked, it's in a way dudes are comfortable with. I don't have the freedom to recreate that entire post at this very moment, but to sum it up, the first time I ever got a real, visceral sampling of that feeling was here
Because
that is the kind of costume we should be putting 40-50% of male characters in if we're talking about coming to an inkling of understanding of how the other side feels.
The operative word here is 'gratuitous.' Down to his waistline this would be standard 'look at my perfect masculine form' fare. But then it keeps going, letting us definitively answer the question of 'how's Namor's manscaping?' The sleeves and pauldrons making sure to cover every bit of flesh that isn't at least a little scandalous and potentially titillating.
Talking to my fellow men at this point, especially the ones who don't get it: Imagine that costume, or a variation thereof, in almost every single game. Not as an alternate, but as the male lead's primary 'iconic' look.
Imagine that, since this is the primary character, there is at least one male character in the game that dresses even more provocatively. I'm talking full on assless pants and the camera makes sure to get good and tight on that crack whenever he steps on screen.
Now put those dudes on the cover of every other god damned box on the shelf.
You wouldn't want people to catch you
holding that game, let alone playing it. You'd be uncomfortable every single second of it, right? Amd worst of all, you couldn't do anything about it. If you want to play games you just have to shut up and deal with it. And occasionally the devs would throw you a main character with a functional pair of pants and a working knowledge of what a shirt was.
You'd be pretty dissatisfied and I haven't even saddled you with all the real world systemic issues women have to deal with yet.