Saria

It sadly depends on what part of the USA you're in. We're a country that prides itself on being 'free and equal' but there are a lot of area's that really make you cringe. Down in the southern states (especially Georgia) it's still very much expected for women to marry young, have children and 'stay in the kitchen' if you will. Our standards on women are pretty... sexist, not even going to lie on that part. A lot of women I know joke around about their 'place', and I know a whole family who think a woman should stay home and raise a family. Yeah I don't think it was anything intentional and you're right about the cultural difference. I would hope IS didn't mean anything bad by it's word choice at least. America is pretty terrible with sexism. On the outside women are declared free and equal, but a lot of men and women (especially in southern states, as I stated above) only reinforce older thoughts. Having had a father who's tried to reinforce why a woman can't be equal and why they belong at home, it's really freaking ridiculous how much people still honestly believe that nonsense.

Sachiko Wada is the name I believe

Yes I agree, I've been saying her dress is very impractical for a battlefield, I was just stressing that the dress itself isn't sexist. Even if they didn't bring her back in her old outfit, an updated version would have been much more practical than a ball gown style wedding dress. Exactly, they had a different title after getting married, but Bride is going to be something that sticks for a class name. It's the implication of the name; As other people have stated, it's very unfair that a female class got a name such as Bride, which has been a stigma for a long time of what a woman should be (instead of being career oriented and focusing on herself) and there isn't a male counterpart like a Groom. I appreciate your views, but a lot of people are going to still see sexism in this, myself included. While I don't think it's the end of the world, I really only believe it's the name and the implications it brings that even make Eirika's DLC any form of sexist or problematic.

Insulting people doesn't help prove your point. The dress isn't the real issue here, don't make it out to be so horrible of a thing. You also have to remember that this game is supposed to take in a mock medieval era, where women were barely ever fighters and always wore dresses, with how rich you are causing them to be more elaborate. Her dress is still a ridiculous thing to be tromping around in on a battlefield, but just because she's wearing a dress doesn't make it sexist. While impractical, it's only so bad because of the implications the name gives off. Also I think you're looking past the fact that the Bride class isn't just a healing class. Eirika has bows for sure, she's going to be able to fight for herself, provided the player doesn't move her unwisely and get her stuck in a cluster of enemies.

I've been a fan of Myrmidons/Swordmasters since I first got into the series and it's never changed, though Awakening seems to be bringing in quite a bit of new, interesting classes too (Battle Priest? Yes thank you I'll take one)

Thinking of it theoretically, you can't win wars without support type fighters, ie. combat medics, archers/ranged shooters, etc. Yes, in the broader perspective it is misogynistic to make the new female-restricted class a support class when the male class was a frontline unit, but there isn't anything wrong with having a support class. I'm pretty sure most people can't beat an FE game without using a healer (possible on easier modes, but it's not going to happen in harder modes face it). We don't even know yet if this is a solely support class anyways, it might still come with swords or lances. Just don't forget the Eirika's class isn't just restricted to healing, regardless if she gets a third weapon, she DOES have bows which makes her a physical unit, impractical dress and all. And you can't say her having bows is just shoving her into a strictly female role, this game has Viole after all.

Serge's birthday is 2 days after mine and Ronku's is five days before. Pleased with this analysis.

Out of any of the actual female lord characters, it probably fits Eirika the most (though Elincia might have also been a good fit). I think more people would have been upset for very good reason if Lyn had been shuttled into this class, and while Micaiah could fit if you think in terms of her ending with Sothe, then I suppose she would fit, but not as well. I don't see anything wrong with the bride class being a support class though. Yes, in Sacred Stones Eirika was a frontline fighter, but that was more out of necessity on her part. The class looks like it takes some ques from the Princess class at least (with the staves and a physical weapon counterpart), and Eirika really does seem the type that'd want to know healing magic to help her friends and brother. So I don't get why the actual class is unfitting for Eirika outside of the poor choice in naming.

Eirika's DLC doesn't red flag me as sexist nearly as much as Micaiah's redesigning did, but it's still there for quite a few people. My point is this: Alm's specific class got a name fitting for a fighter. Eirika's specific class was given a name fitting for... well a Bride, not so much a fighter. Barring everything else, I'm at least pleased that they seem to be giving her a wide range of weapon's, her class definitely looks like it will be useful to have around. It's just the naming of it that's a problem.

It doesn't work reverse though is what I meant by Queen and Princess not being fitting for the others, such as turning a myrmidon into a Lord or anyone else. Especially since Lord is specific to only two characters in the game, and Star Lord if you count Marth in as well.

I think the very obvious problem with Eirika's DLC is just the name choice. I haven't seen many people actually say her dress was horrid, but most of what I've seen people complain about is the practicality (you can't tell me that's not an impractical thing to wear). If Eirika truly is in the middle of her wedding when she's teleported into the scenario, then it's understandable for her to be wearing it then, but she seems the type to want to change out of it afterwards? Anyways, not my point. It really is fairly sexist to use the term 'Bride' for the brand new female-specific class when Demon Fighter was made as a male-only class. It seems like it was shafted, and is reaffirming of what a lot of people feel a woman's place is; Though I suppose Eirika doesn't seem all that odd of a choice for it given their naming. I feel Princess or Queen would be most fitting, but given that barely any of the other female units you recruit are actual royalty, I can see how that wouldn't work in a logical sense. However, a different word maybe could have been chosen that would have settled better for her class name? Such as Maiden, if they wanted a female oriented name after all. I don't know... It really is the choice of the word Bride that tips this into a problem area for a lot of people, me included. And while the dress is impractical, at least Eirika's artwork was treated a lot nicer than Micaiah's or Elincia's.