The Gendered Game
Gaming culture mirrors much of society,
With women valued less than men, how is this still reality?
She plays the same game but pays a higher emotional fee,
Just to exist in a space that claims to be free.
Cameras confirm his skill, applause flood the stream,
For her, they rewind, dissect, and demean.
Gaming’s a space where masculinity is uplifted,
But women play Overwatch being doubted and restricted.
(Choi et al., 2020)
They question her skill and accuse her of cheating.
Geguri proved them wrong however still takes a beating.
Use her real voice? Then no one would team up,
Skill only counts if you are a guy showing up.
(Choi et al., 2020)
She has to hide her voice and continue the gender mask,
Constantly doing safety work, a never ending task.
Buddy systems, silence, playing discreet,
While all female gamers want is to truly compete.
(Witkowski, 2018)
The emotional and social labour of “doing gender,”
Is a weight she must bear to be seen as a contender.
Women’s participation in expert gaming,
Pushes back on the norms society is maintaining.
(Witkowski, 2018)
Sexist working environments are no safe space.
Female creators experiencing derogatory language is sadly commonplace.
(Baldino 2021)
Reports and complaints stack high behind corporate walls,
But silence and shrugs answer each call.
(Ubisoft Employees Have “Grave Concerns” Over Toronto Studio’s Misconduct Allegations, 2020)
The number of women keeps rising still,
Even if systems try breaking their will.
The burden shouldnt be hers to carry alone,
Institutions are responsible for changing the tone.
(Witkowski, 2018)
Although female gamers feel hopeless there will never be change,
With some key solutions, battle can be waged.
Stronger moderation, accountability, and visibility,
Can reshape the gaming world closer to equity.
(Crothers et al., 2024)
Reflection:
As someone coming from a high-level sports background, I was both surprised and intrigued by how much overlap I found between the experiences of female athletes and female gamers. Before reading the articles, I had little exposure to the intricacies of gaming culture but as I dug deeper into the readings, I was saddened to discover the harsh realities women face within gaming. Realities that although different, mirror some of my own encounters with sexism and marginalization in sports.
In particular, the articles by Choi, Slaker, and Ahmad (2020) and Witkowski (2018) shed light on the concept of gendered surveillance in esports, revealing how female gamers are subjected to ongoing scrutiny that goes beyond evaluating skill. These readings highlight how women in gaming are often expected to continuously perform femininity in ways that follow along with conventional gender norms, a process Witkowski (2018) refers to as “doing femininity.” This surveillance is not simply about monitoring performance but about regulating how women appear, speak, and engage within gaming. I have felt many of these same feelings in a male dominated arena and was unfortunately not surprised reading about the experience of Geguri. As the first female professional Overwatch player, her story illustrates how exceptional skill from a woman can be met with suspicion rather than praise. Geguri was accused of cheating not because of any real evidence, but because her performance defied gendered expectations of what women could achieve in competitive gaming (Choi et al., 2020).
What emerges from this is a pattern where female gamers are not just evaluated for their gameplay, but also judged according to how well they conform to “femininity.” In both esports and traditional sports, women’s legitimacy is tied to their ability to both perform well in (e)sports as well as the gendered expectations. As the research shows, gendered surveillance reinforces hierarchies that marginalize women, especially those who challenge or resist normative femininity, and reveals the persistent barriers that limit full inclusion in gaming culture.
Interestingly, this dynamic is not limited to the gaming world. In sports, particularly in leagues like the WNBA, the most popular and marketable female athletes tend to be white women who fit the mold of “beautiful”. These athletes are celebrated for their athletic ability, but possibly more for their appearance. This parallels the way women in gaming, especially those who are seen as “outliers” like Geguri, are scrutinized for not fitting the mold.
The readings also opened my eyes to the emotional and social labor that women in esports take on just to protect themselves. Many use voice-masking software or hide their gender entirely to avoid harassment (Witkowski, 2018). That really struck me because these environments do not rely on physical ability, so I would not have originally thought it would matter. It’s not just about performing or competing; it’s about constantly managing your identity, safety, and mental well-being in spaces that aren’t always welcoming. Still, I felt hopeful reading about some of the solutions, like women-only leagues or efforts to make female gamers more visible (Crothers et al., 2024). However, true inclusion means women should feel safe and supported in all competitive spaces, not just the ones created specifically for them. Unfortunately the issues that women face in gaming, harassment, exclusion, and abuse, are part of a systemic problem in our society. The more we challenge the dominance of traditional masculine spaces, the closer we get to creating environments where women can not only feel safe, but truly equal. Unlike some of the gamers, I am hopeful that although seemingly slow, there is change occurring to make this a reality (Crothers et al., 2024). Including this IP in ETEC 544 is an amazing step to help change this problem, so thank you for including it!
Baldino, M. (2021, December). We just want to play; What it’s like for women in eSports [Video]. TEDxDayton. https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_baldino_we_just_want_to_play_what_it_s_like_for_women_in_esportsTED
Choi, Y., Slaker, J. S., & Ahmad, N. (2020). Deep strike: Playing gender in the world of overwatch and the case of geguri. Feminist Media Studies, 20(8), 1128-1143. doi:10.1080/14680777.2019.1643388
Crothers, H., Scott-Brown, K. C., & Cunningham, S. J. (2024). “It’s just not safe”: Gender-based harassment and toxicity experiences of women in esports. Games and Culture. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120241273358
Ubisoft employees have ‘grave concerns’ over Toronto studio’s misconduct allegations. Kotaku. (2020, July 6). Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-employees-…
Witkowski, E. (2018). Doing/Undoing gender with the girl gamer in high-performance play. (pp. 185-203). Cham: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-90539-6_11