One user theorises that girl gamers are more frequent than we realise, but many of them use gender neutral usernames and play without using a microphone or team chat function in order to avoid a barrage of abuse. Scarier still, the same user asserts that their female friends have had people stalk them — simply because they’re a woman who games. Is it any wonder that the next user admits to pretending to be a young boy so that she is able to interact with other players without fearing abuse or harassment? She claims that she would rather be called ‘a ten year old squaker’ than a whore or to have her inbox stuffed full of creepy PM’s… Incidentally, here’s a relevant subreddit that reveals the extent to which some women are harassed or abused on the Internet.

 

While many gamers believe that the scene is changing, there is no denying that there is still a way to go. I interviewed League of Legends e-sports presenter and youtube personality Lamill to gain some insight on what direction the e-sports community is headed in. I was startled to discover that, despite her optimism about the future and assertions that most gamers respect their female peers, she knows of several incidences of female gamers being harassed for streaming their games live. Streaming is something professional players do in order to gain viewers and therefore money. Male gamers don’t have to fear for their safety in order to work in the field they love, so why do female gamers have to hide their own passion behind fake user names and ‘broken’ microphones?

 

My discussion with Lamill opened my eyes to the struggles of female players attempting to enter the professional e-sports community. It also reassured me that things are beginning to change. For this change to happen more women need to be honest about their love of gaming and prove that they aren’t just in it ‘for the attention’ or because their boyfriends wanted them to learn how to play.

 

Girls, get out there and let people know that you are proud of your achievements, especially in male-dominated fields. Demand that you be taken seriously. You deserve to be evaluated for the skills you bring to the table and not just expected to keep it filled with delicious snacks while the guys fool around… But hey, if you want to bring snacks as well, nobody’s going to mind.

 

Are there any girl gamers out there in our readership? Tell us about your experiences.