SRIG 23-29B : The Hateful Side of Electronic Sports: Misogyny and Transphobia in a “Man’s Space”

What was the issue being addressed?

This research project will analyze controversial topics in electronic sports (esports). These topics are misogyny, sexism, and transphobia. The participants would all be adults that identify as women who have competed or currently compete in esports.

Provide a brief, lay description of the work undertaken/initiative.

The ultimate goal of this research project is for the experiences of cisgender and transgender women in esports to be heard. This will be done via semi-structured interviews that will be conducted with participants that fit all the criteria that this project will set when trying to approach and veto potential interviewees. The purpose of this research would be to analyze and interpret whether sexism, misogyny, and transphobia exists in the field of esports, and if they do, how commonplace they are among other competitors and followers of esports. The outcomes of this research would add to a big gap in literature where hearing actual esports competitors that identify as women share their experiences in this field is desperately needed. Their experiences would add to literature that focuses on sexism, misogyny, transphobia, and potentially homophobia in esports. Shining a light on these topics could also influence future understanding of how notable these issues may be in the field and even impact future North American policy to confront said issues. It should be noted that the shockingly low number of women of colour could be attributed to all the hate and abuse women in general receive in esports which leads to their lower participation in the field (Ruvalcaba et al., 2018, p. 300), and women of colour would arguably receive even more abuse due to their ethnic background. Chess is the best example of a traditional sport that fits this definition, while a traditional sport like formula 1 would also be viewed as similar enough to. Chess is also notably a sport in which transgender women have been recently banned from competing in international women’s events by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) (Kim, 2023). It has done so alongside rugby, swimming, and track and field (Kim, 2023)., and this ruling is one that this project views as a very alarming precedent for esports and their treatment of transgender and nonbinary individuals competing in esports tournaments.