More than just a month - The importance of celebrating pride year-round in esports and gaming [OPINION]

June marks the beginning of pride month across the globe, but supporting LGBTQIA+ people should not be limited to just 30 days. Bryony-Hope dives into the importance of celebrating and supporting queer people all year, rather than just for one month.

Image depicts a PlayStation controller with a rainbow reflecting over the control pad and right thumb stick.

On the surface, the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people has seemingly flourished over the last few decades, however in the current climate, queer people are suffering more than ever. Trans individuals are slowly having their rights stripped away, being queer is still a crime in 65 countries, and organisations continue virtue signalling throughout June but fail to show any support outside of the dedicated month. 

According to a survey by Glaad Gaming, 1 in 5 active gamers identify as being LGBTQIA+, but the industry as a whole is yet to make significant developments in ensuring that the community feel welcome. 

As a proud lesbian, I want to use my platform and presence to empower minority groups, giving people a chance to share their stories where they may not have been able to previously. But, throughout my career this has been met with a wall of ignorance.

From being told that talking about LGBTQIA+ people is ‘too sexual’ to being asked repeatedly ‘why does pride even need a whole month anyway?’ - there has always been a stigma around the topic, and my attempts to make it mainstream were shot down by people who do not understand its importance. This also extended to covering topics such as accessibility, which is chronically under-talked about in the space. 

Unfortunately, a lot of organisations within esports and gaming fall into the virtue signalling trap, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community throughout June and then do not actively engage outside of this time frame. Whilst it is nice to see your favourite teams or brands showing their support for pride, it quickly fizzles when this support is not actioned again for another year. 

There are several groups who consistently work to make the space more inclusive to all, notably the likes of London Gaymers, Queer Women of Esports, Team Liquid, and many others. However there are so many others who need to follow suit. 

Pride is more than just a month-long marketing campaign, it is something that needs to evolve for it to be effective.

SOURCE: ESPORTS FOUNDATION - Image shows a large crowd cheering and watching the Esports World Cup on the big screen.

Moreover, the rise of Saudi Arabia’s presence within the esports and gaming scene in the last few years is slowly making the industry less inclusive - with many minority groups pushed away from events or participation due to the risks associated with their involvement. This has mainly affected the LGBTQIA+ community, as Saudi Arabia is one of the 65 countries where being gender non-conforming or in a same-sex relationship is criminalised.

Take the Esports World Cup for example - the biggest esports event in the world previously held in Riyadh, but a large portion of LGBTQIA+ people felt excluded because they could have been arrested, discriminated against, or harmed by just attending.

Imagine working your way up through the ranks, reaching the top of your game, and you cannot attend the biggest tournament in the industry because of who you are. 

With the upcoming Esports World Cup happening in France later this year, there is some hope about the event being more inclusive as a whole, but the ongoing association with Saudi Arabia does not go unnoticed.

Image depicts a woman in a white t-shirt sat at a computer gaming with a gaming headset on.

So, how can organisations support pride for more than just June?

Inclusivity starts behind the scenes, and working with people who are experts by experience is a great step. Listening to first-hand experiences, ensuring policies are inclusive, and allowing individuals to share their thoughts without fear of being shut down are very basic things, but are incredibly impactful. From there, organisations can begin to show audiences that they care, and support the community through events, initiatives, or spotlighting voices.

Toxicity is still rife in gaming, and calling people ‘gay’ or homophobic slurs is much more common than you would think. Reporting systems in games themselves have been improved over the last few years to counter the rise in toxicity, but a lot of people still get away with homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and so much more on a daily basis.

Challenging inappropriate behaviour is something that needs to happen more often in the space, and bigger organisations, publishers, and prominent figures should actively be doing this.

If change starts at the top, the rest of the funnel will gradually follow along too.