Looking at the designs of the Pokémon, certain gender stereotypes become evident. As discussed in “What Makes a Pokémon Female?”, the division of gender is made based on the gender ratio. While the fact that female Pokémon are always less strong than their male counterparts is problematic in and of itself, further stereotypes are revealed when looking at which Pokémon are classified under which gender ratio.
Looking at the selection of “female only” Pokémon (“List of Pokémon by Gender Ratio,” 2024), it becomes clear that the design of this set of Pokémon is highly defined by stereotypes and feminine ideals. Lilligant, Steenee, Vespiquen, and Jynx all wear dresses as innate parts of their being, with Jynx’s dress having very pronounced breast cups. Tsareena, Florges and Salazzle feature defined, voluptuous thighs referencing the ideal body of a mature woman.
Beyond the physical attributes of these female-only Pokémon, Chansey—and their evolution Blissey—are the most used Pokémon for nursing and healing practices (“Chansey (Pokémon),” 2018), which are still predominantly tasks performed by women. They are the go-to helpers of the nurses who restore a Pokémon to full health. Here, it is also worth noting that this job is also only performed by female characters in the Pokémon world, which further highlights the gender stereotyping in the game design.
Chansey (Pokémon). (2018). In Bulbapedia. Bulbagarden.net. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Chansey_(Pok%C3%A9mon)#Biology
List of Pokémon by gender ratio. (2024). In Bulbapedia. Bulbagarden.net. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Pok%C3%A9mon_by_gender_ratio
Nurse Joy’s Blissey. (2023). [Online image]. In Pokémon Wiki. Fandom, Inc. https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Nurse_Joy%27s_Blissey?file=Nurse_Joy_Blissey.png
