A4 Article in conference proceedings
"There Are No Women and They All Play Mercy" : Understanding and Explaining (the Lack of) Women’s Presence in Esports and Competitive Gaming (2018)
Ruotsalainen, M., & Friman, U. (2018). "There Are No Women and They All Play Mercy" : Understanding and Explaining (the Lack of) Women’s Presence in Esports and Competitive Gaming. In DiGRA Nordic '18 : Proceedings of 2018 International DiGRA Nordic Conference (2018). Digital Games Research Association. Conference of Digital Games Research Association. http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/DiGRA_Nordic_2018_paper_31.pdf
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Ruotsalainen, Maria; Friman, Usva
Parent publication: DiGRA Nordic '18 : Proceedings of 2018 International DiGRA Nordic Conference
Place and date of conference: Turin, Italy, 25.-28.7.2018
Journal or series: Conference of Digital Games Research Association
eISSN: 2342-9666
Publication year: 2018
Volume: 2018
Publisher: Digital Games Research Association
Publication country: Finland
Publication language: English
Persistent website address: http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/DiGRA_Nordic_2018_paper_31.pdf
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/82815
Abstract
In this paper, we explore women’s participation in esports and competitive gaming. We will analyze two different types of research material: online questionnaire responses by women explaining their reluctance to participate in esports, and online forum discussions regarding women’s participation in competitive Overwatch. We will examine the ways in which women’s participation – its conditions, limits and possibilities – are constructed in the discussions concerning women gamers, how women are negotiating their participation in their own words, and in what ways gender may affect these processes. Our findings support those made in previous studies concerning esports and competitive gaming as fields dominated by toxic meritocracy and hegemonic (geek) masculinity, and based on our analysis, women’s room for participation in competitive gaming is still extremely limited, both in terms of presence and ways of participation
Keywords: electronic sports; online games; game culture; gender; gender roles; masculinity; meritocracy; participation
Free keywords: gender; esports; hegemonic geek masculinity; toxic meritocracy; Overwatch
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Preliminary JUFO rating: 1