[Coda]

As I said, I had to modify my understanding of the situation in order to account for the fact that some girls like chainmail bikinis. Not just accept them, but like them and seek them out.

The chainmail bikini isn't intended to be armor at all, thematically speaking. (That it provides statistics is simply game mechanics and isn't necessarily correlating with why such equipment is desirable.) It is, rather, psychological -- it says "I'm powerful and confident, I don't need armor to beat you, and I like being sexy."

I wouldn't be surprised if these women are in the minority, but they exist and they deserve a voice too.

But I would love to see more women like Samus Aran or Sgt. Calhoun who wear full body armor yet still know how to hold onto their femininity.