Sims 4 adds 'top surgery' scars and chest binders as character options

Popular game Sims 4 which has an age rating of just 12 adds the option for kids’ characters to have ‘top surgery’ scars and chest binders months after adding they/them pronouns

• Sims 4 has included ‘top surgery’ and binders as options for game characters
• The move has been met with backlash – people concerned for children playing
• It comes just months after EA released they/them pronouns on the video game

A popular video game series which has an age rating of 12 has been slammed by critics after a recent update allowed for ‘top surgery’ scars that come from breast removal and chest binders to be added to characters.

The Sims 4 developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts (EA) is a game that describes itself as the ‘ultimate life simulation’ and announced the update among several bug fixes on Tuesday.

The announcement drew fierce backlash online, with many expressing disappointment and shock that a game marketed to children would allow the promotion of transgender surgeries.

Libs of TikTok, a far-right Twitter account that often posts left-wing content with opposing commentary, reposted the updates with the caption ‘They’re teaching young healthy girls that it’s ok to chop off their breasts.’

They wrote with a snapshot of examples: ‘The Sims game announced a new update which has the option to make a teen character non-binary or transgender by giving them double mastectomy scars and chest binders.

A popular video game series which has an age rating of 12 has been slammed by critics after a recent update allowed for ‘top surgery’ scars that come from breast removal and chest binders to be added to characters

The Sims 4 developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts (EA) is a game that describes itself as the ‘ultimate life simulation’ and announced the update among several bug fixes on Tuesday

‘The Sims is advertised for ages 12+ They’re teaching young healthy girls that it’s ok to chop off their breasts.’

Political commentator Ian Miles Cheong tweeted moments later: ‘God this sucks.’

‘Atrocious,’ wrote America First Legal President Stephen Miller.

A Twitter user who identifies as a ‘Transexual Intermediate man with female biology’ couldn’t understand the changes.

‘Why? This is actually making a joke of those of us who have dysphoria and do transition,’ the tweet read.

‘This is not ‘inclusive’ kids play these games, why the hell are you encouraging this? The only kids who need to know about people like me are my relatives!’

Meanwhile another user wrote: ‘Well… there goes my positivity of The Sims series, right out the door.

‘Just ridiculous. I’m okay with people being who they want to be – however not when it comes to a video game that loads of kids play. This is just too much.’

The announcement drew fierce backlash online, with many expressing disappointment and shock that a game marketed to children would allow the promotion of transgender surgeries

The changes also prompted some gamers to delete or uninstall the game and boycott the series.

‘Just deleted the app and telling all my family and friends to do the same. Bye,’ said one user.

Another said: ‘I am uninstalling @TheSims and I will never play it or any of their products ever again. And I recommend you do the same. This is pure evil.’

The number of gender reassignment surgeries being carried out on American children has increased in the last decade, a study suggests.

Researchers looked at the number of mastectomies, sometimes called ‘top surgery,’ performed on girls under 18 at a major health system in California since 2013.

The operation involves surgically removing breast tissue and flattening the chest of biological girls who are trans, so they can feel aligned with their gender identity.

Others supported the move to make more inclusive characters

The rate of children undergoing the procedure rose since 2013 (left). Some patients were as young as 12 (top right). The vast majority had no regrets about the surgery, with only two children saying they wished they had not gone through with it

Results showed children as young as 12 were offered irreversible operations between 2013 and 2020. The overall incidence of mastectomies among minors rose from 3.7 per 100,000 persons-years to 47.7 per 100,000 in that time. 

Xbox supported the changes for a more inclusive game and said alongside a heart emoji: ‘Vadish, we love it!’

‘Vadish’ also means ‘thank you’ in ‘Simlish,’ the made-up language that ‘Sims’ characters use to communicate.

Mashable said it was: ‘an exciting addition for transgender and disabled fans.’

While gaming website Kotaku praised ‘The Sims 4’ for reaching out to disabled Simmers.

‘There are also medical wearables, such as glucose monitors and hearing aids, which makes The Sims 4 all more inclusive for the disability community as well. It’s good s***.’ 

Changes can be made to characters ‘under the same Body category, all players can find a Body Scars category with an option for Teen and older male Sims (masculine or feminine frame) to add a Top Surgery Scar to their Sims’ EA explained

The updates come months after the popular video game allowed for, they/them pronounce in May 2022

One Twitter user wrote: ‘Thank you for ignoring all the bigots and their loud, obnoxious voices.

‘The increase in diverse inclusion in the Sims is a great thing to see.’

Another said: ‘Binders, top surgery scars, hearing aids and glucose monitors? This is the best update since we could have feminine clothing on masculine frame and vice versa.’

EA announced the changes among several bug fixes on Tuesday and explained to gamers how they could access the option.

Under the headline Top Surgery, they wrote: ‘Under the same Body category, all players can find a Body Scars category with an option for Teen and older male Sims (masculine or feminine frame) to add a Top Surgery Scar to their Sims.’

Under the headline Binders and Shapewear, they wrote: ‘With this update, players can find two new assets in Create a Sim. Under the Tanks, in the Tops category, you will find a Binder top asset for your Teen and older Sims. In the Underwear category for Bottoms, there is a new shapewear asset for your Sims as well!’

The updates come months after the popular video game allowed for, they/them pronounce in May 2022.

Meanwhile, in 2014, the game allowed for Sims to have same-sex relationships prompting Russia to slap the best-selling PC franchise with an R18+ rating.

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