SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the perhaps-men-don't-like-losing-to-a-woman dept.
On Monday the e-sports industry awards take place in London to applaud the top players in the business but not one female player has been nominated.
Competitive gaming, also known as Electronic Sports or e-sports, is growing at an incredible pace. In 2016, revenues from e-sports are predicted by professional services firm Deloitte to rise by 25% to $500m (£406m). Its regular global audience will likely top 150 million people.
Unlike in traditional sport, physical advantages in e-sports are non-existent yet the most popular games are still overwhelmingly played by men.
Recent research by the Pew Center shows men and women are equally likely to say they play video games but men are twice as likely to consider themselves "gamers". It is when gaming becomes competitive that the number of women playing drops dramatically.
Steph Harvey is one of the most successful gamers in the world. She says that the number of women in e-sports is as low as 5% and the main reason is the stereotype attached to gamers. "It's still a 'boy's club' so as a woman you're automatically judged for being different," she says.
Online abuse has been prevalent in the gaming community for years and even led to a misogynistic hate campaign.
Steph has even received online rape threats in the past: "The way I get harassed is about what they would do to my body, about why I don't deserve to be there because I use my sexuality - it's all extremely graphic."
[...] Julia Kiran is the leader of Team Secret, which in October became the top female team in the world. She thinks this reflects a common attitude: "It's always felt that female teams are not a real scene. Male players see us as a side game that doesn't count."
One of the solutions has been the creation of female teams and female-only tournaments.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by aristarchus on Wednesday November 23 2016, @07:36AM
Sorry, not buying it.
OK, jmorris, don't buy it. But could you please shut up after you have not bought it? I, for one, am not terribly interested in your reasons that brought you to such a profound non-purchase decision. Sorry, didn't read beyond the first line, 'cause, I not buying your not buying it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @09:31AM
It would be better if you refuted his points, I for one would be interested in reading such a refutation, because at the moment I find myself in agreement with him, and I'd really rather not be cos mostly he's a complete fruitloop.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday November 24 2016, @08:44AM
It would be better if you refuted his points,
Points? jmorris has points? Other than the top of his head? No, AC, there are no jmorris points. You are sadly deluded, and should ask for your money back. jmorris is saying women are inferior. This is exactly what is in dispute, so his "point" is exactly a petitio principii. Go look it up. I, and everyone else on SoylentNews cannot expect you to understand out refutations of jmorris, if you do not understand exactly what the argument, or lack of argument, that jmorris is making. So do try to keep up. Jmorris::begging the Question. "Hilary threatened to repeal the Frist Amendment"! Oh, reilly?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @10:19AM
I am interested in his opinions even when I disagree with him. If you want an echo-chamber you are welcome to join or make one. SN is not your personal liberal circle-jerk.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday November 23 2016, @04:24PM
Careful, oh most bouyant AC, if you hear the liberal echo, it may echo within you, and SoylentNews may be a place where just not buying something does not pass for rational argument. It happened to me!