In most walks of life sexism is not as socially acceptable as it used to be, but there's one place where it remains rife - gaming. Girls playing online multiplayer computer games report sexual harassment, derogatory comments, and even teammates abandoning or intentionally losing the game as soon as they find out they’re playing with a girl.
Every time a high-profile figure in the games community speaks out, dozens of girls come forward to share their experiences. However, the gaming scene has recently taken steps to actively become more welcoming to women, with many competitive scenes pushing for more diversity in talent panels and for players to encourage girls into esports, whilst also showing men there's no place for outdated views.
Whilst most of these changes have been made by international companies, HOST in Media City has joined the drive too, launching the Women in Esports initiative to give girls trying to make it in the gaming scene a space where they feel like they belong and can share their experiences.
