A current study within the U.S. revealed that of the 31.4 million gaming fans, only 30% are female. As a full-time streamer on Twitch, Autumn Rhodes has made a name for herself in the male dominated gaming world. This Toronto based streamer, who started playing games with her dad at a younger age, talks about her experiences in an trade not always open to the fairer sex.
1. How did you get into eSports?
I started enjoying video games at a very young age because of my father and my brother, and zaniolo02 ever since then I’ve never been able to stop. When I was introduced to the eSports world I used to be astonished about how it all worked. Being a very competitive particular person, I decided it was time to take my love for gaming to the following level, and once I discovered Twitch.tv and all of the superb possibilities I had in front of me.
2. What precisely do you do within the eSports arena?
I am a full time streamer on Twitch. I play games akin to CS:GO, CoD, LoL, and so many more. I dedicate hours and hours a day to those games, always working towards, and always trying to be the very best I can be. I’ve played competitively in lots of games and I always have such a great time doing so.
3. What do you think of girls in eSports, specifically in your region?
I think the women involved in eSports round my region, which is Toronto, give a good name for all of us. They know how tough it could be in this trade as a woman, they usually work hard to take care of their image as not only a critical competitive player however as a girl who can play just as well as any man. Because Toronto has such a high inhabitants there is a lot competition within the eSports world.
4. What has been some of your experiences of being in a subject that has been dominated by males?
Some of my experiences in this field haven’t always been great, however different instances they’ve been fantastic. I keep in mind being within the Cineplex World Gaming CoD tournament last year, and as I walked into the theater the men have been just shocked as to why I was even there. The male I faced was so terrified because he never had to play in opposition to a girl earlier than and he didn’t know what to expect; it made him so nervous. Meanwhile, another men on the tournament figured because I am a girl that I’d easily be crushed because there isn’t any way I might be good at any games. Being in an business the place we’re told we “can’t probably play video games because we’re girls” is really disappointing in today’s society. There are just SO many men who hate on women who’re concerned within the gaming industry, and I don’t know if this is because society has taught those that ONLY boys can play video games or if a few of them are just too ignorant to realize that our sex has absolutely nothing to do with our capability of being great at something.
5. What’s your favorite thing about being part of the eSports community?
My favorite thing about being a part of the eSports community is how well all of us understand each other. It’s such an amazing feeling going to competitions and events and having a lot in frequent with everyone. All of us can relate in one way or another.
6. What’s the most tough part of being in eSports?
The most difficult part about being in eSports as a woman is how so many males look at us. They rarely take us seriously and it’s quite annoying because we have worked just as hard as them or harder to get the place we are within the gaming industry.
7. Why do you think it’s so necessary that ladies be represented in eSports?
I think it’s very important that more women are represented in eSports because we need to break the stereotype that it’s only a man’s world. SO many women avoid the gaming trade because of the fact that so many get harassed and bullied for showing an curiosity in gaming. It’s nice to see that persons are lastly starting to shed light on this subject and speak out about it.
8. What are your hopes for women in eSports?
My hope for girls in eSports is that one day males won’t choose us for being a part of the gaming community and that they will realize we are able to play games just as well as them and even better. I can inform over the previous couple of years more and more individuals are opening as much as females within the gaming world, which is such a aid because it is not honest to the ladies corresponding to myself who put so much time and dedication into competitive gaming to just be shut down because society says we can’t be good at games.