Photo credit: Charlotte Peers
Black Twitch UK and Nox Lumina hosted women in games event HerStory at London’s Red Bull Gaming Sphere last week, honouring Women’s History Month. Hannah Marie reports from the night.
Influential women spanning the esports and gaming industries gathered to discuss navigating their respective fields, breaking barriers and the overall value of diversity. Attendees included esports and gaming host Frankie Ward (recent host of the 2023 BAFTA Game Awards), Women in Esports manager Billie Purdie, and streamer/presenter Cyborg Angel.
Despite efforts to encourage diversity in esports, women are estimated to make up less than 1% of professional players and around 5% of the overall workforce. So for young girls seeking inspiration, a role model, perhaps, in esports and gaming, women in the scene must stand even taller to be seen among the crowd.
Standing tall was precisely the energy surrounding HerStory– one of pride, support and enthusiasm. The entire night radiated an atmosphere of hope.
Downstairs, away from the busy streets of Shoreditch, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere offered a haven for women to connect and celebrate their collective achievements.
However, accompanying the relaxed environment was a palatable drive to extend the opportunities available for gender minorities. Struggles, challenges and obstacles were acknowledged, but with an attitude of determination rather than defeat.
Navigating the journey to inclusivity – where are we falling short?
Among the crucial topics raised during HerStory was performance activism. As a buzzword circling in many male-dominated industries, performance activism is a classic tripwire for organisations to stumble onto, especially in tokenism.
Tokenism creates an illusion of equality. Where the phenomenon occurs, women or other marginalised groups are included with the condition that they remain confined within their role set by the dominant group and generally do not disrupt the status quo.
HerStory was the opposite of this – it celebrated the unique qualities that women bring to esports and gaming. It championed moving away from tokenism toward true inclusivity, where women are recognised for their talents and campaigns for a platform to display their worth.
Time to tackle toxicity
Another hot topic in gaming and esports – toxicity – was discussed among attendees of Black Twitch UK and Nox Lumina’s HerStory evening. Studies show that women are less likely to engage in voice chats due to toxicity and harassment and are more likely to stop playing a game because the toxicity is overwhelming.
In particular, panellists Bryony-Hope Green from British Esports and Billie Purdie from the federation’s Women in Esports initiative (which recently announced a new manifesto) discussed how education, both within esports and beyond, impacts the issue.
Overall, changes in how we approach gendered conflict, such as shifting responsibility from women’s reactions to toxic individuals for their actions, would likely benefit esports and gaming scenes. Additionally, educating about toxicity at a younger age could also be influential.
“Black Twitch UK and Nox Lumina presented an inclusive, encouraging and positive environment where women, gender minorities and men alike could discuss what it really means to be a woman in gaming and esports.”
Final reflections on the HerStory event
The final panel of the night ended on a positive and uniting note, with an audience member reflecting on the experience provided by Black Twitch UK: “It reminds us of why we are doing what we are doing… it is the hope I was looking for.”
Plenty of time was left for networking, socialising and support between those attending, allowing new connections to be forged in the wake of the event.
Black Twitch UK and Nox Lumina presented an inclusive, encouraging and positive environment where women, gender minorities and men alike could discuss what it really means to be a woman in gaming and esports.
As women continue to grow in strength, boosted by community support, we can spotlight the talent that has worked so hard to be seen. The power of women in esports has been cemented – and the future of esports is bright!
Read more women in esports content on Esports News UK here
Hannah is a writer specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for companies such as Lionscreed Esports, Esports Insider, and SideQuest Hub she has developed a love for wider esports and Apex Legends, although it may never surpass her drive to passionately beat her friends in every game of Mariokart. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ESI London, EGX, Discover: Esports and many League of Legends watch parties.
