"Women are not good with technology, let alone gaming. Gaming is for 'boys' only."- A common phrase to strike against younger girls who want to play online games. Since the advent of Artificial Intelligence, we have gone beyond many of its uses. Recently, people have been pursuing e-gaming as a career. In the male-dominated field of e-sports and e-gaming, women are carving out their own space and winning it. Despite the cyberbullying, gender biased issues, and societal obstacles, women are reclaiming their identity.
In our country, young girls are no less than the boys in e-sports. They are creating their names in the national sphere as well. I hope this community reaches international runways, too.
Nishat Shama (bluecloudedgrey) from team The Covenant Esports GC shared that, "I started competing in 2023, saw a female-only Valorant tournament match being livestreamed on Facebook, that's when I got to know that there is a scene and girls here compete. I thought to myself- I can do that too, and here we are."
Breaking all barriers and reaching a greater goal is supposed to be the motto of our girls in e-sports. They find it to be their passion. They are trying their best to make our nation's name bright in the future.
How does being in this field professionally feel like?
Nishat Shama shared, "It feels great. Of course, the amount isn't much yet in our country for pursuing e-sports as a career. But since all of us are passionate about it, having a name here and a purpose to achieve our next goals works as the biggest drive."
Our e-sports ecosystem is not particularly well nourished, but the initial stage of making it a full-time career is. This does not prevent them from lagging. The material remuneration is not that big for them, given their passion.
How can someone overcome the issues as a female gamer in male male-dominated field like this? (like bullying, sexism and sexist societal pressure)
Nishat Shama's words in this matter suggested that the misogynistic bullying and sexist comments are supposed to be discarded by beating them (the people who bully and use sexist remarks) in the game. She says, "Jokes apart, it still gets to me when I come across such sexist people, it makes me feel sad that a big part of the community still thinks that way."
She added that she hopes this sexist environment changes. Moreover, in almost 40% of her ranked games, she faces harassment from random people in random parts of the world she doesn't even know. She assures that it happens to the other girls as well. It gets bothersome, but there is a mute and report button in-game, which can be used to ignore them and focus on the game, she suggested.
Twenty-four years old Shusmy Ahmed (Sachiko#neko) who plays Valorant casually with her friends shared, "I started playing for a while, watched some tips and tricks on how I could get good, so that I don't have to hear the problematic slurs and one day, I reached diamond 3, I played better than most of the men on my team and if anyone said anything, I could throw the slurs back. Because of my voice, my teammates sometimes called me a 'little kid,' and some of them even said some alarming, perverse comments on that, so there's that."
She emphasised that she had started to get good at the game, thereby ignoring the bullying aspect. She was not prepared to get toned down by sexism. But this can be outgrown by being courageous enough, as she did. She eventually started playing for fun with her close friends, only as she didn't wish to pursue a career in gaming.
The sexist environment in the e-sports ecosystem hampers and exacerbates gendered issues altogether. It is unexpected and scary sometimes to face. This can discourage young girls from playing. However, the standard trigger to pull is to win the games with passion. This zeal for winning and gaming gets it every time. And we are witnessing girls cutting the strings of sexism and marching forward.
Can this profession empower young girls in our country and provide the necessary support, such as sponsorship and a supportive society?
Nishat Shama said, "Of course they can, and it is very needed in my opinion. Having a healthy environment in your field of passion is always helpful for youth and their growth. In this sector, we are far behind India and many Southeast Asian countries, so a change is a must."
She emphasised that she sees potential athletes. The vacuum in this field can be addressed by better event management and more effective financial deals within a proper ecosystem that reduces gender bias.
Mohammad Aliur Rahman Sohan, Convener of BAES (Bangladesh Association of Electronic Sports), shared, "There is potential for our e-sports athletes to compete internationally. There will be the Olympic Esports Games, run by the International Olympic Committee, where we look forward to participating. At the international level, there are no different sectors based on the gender of the athlete yet. However, we hosted an all-female EBLAZE CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 - WOMEN'S SERIES VALORANT SEASON 03 tournament by EMK Centre from Zenetic Esports (our event management company), which provided a gaming ecosystem for women to enhance their chances of participation. We are consistently working to be female-friendly for all female communities in e-gaming in the long run. We hope that despite all odds and ends, female athletes will participate more to maintain consistency in the gaming space for them."
The consistent efforts of players and other members of the e-sports community can serve as a beacon of hope for smooth professional turns. The passion and entitlement help the girls dream bigger. The helping guides are the hosting and management teams to make the dreams come true. This coincides with the professional e-sports path being wider and successful.
Can female athletes shine in a long run?
Despite the rough and challenging times, female athletes are gradually growing in numbers. They did not stop their fights. This is the upcoming wave of success that leads them. They are playing casually and also getting involved in the competitions. These are the good signs. The number may lag due to gender norms, but the spirit is visible.
Aliur Rahman Sohan added, "I think there are female gamers who play individually, but as we still live in a conservative society, it is not easy to find female teams of athletes. But I think as the e-sports world grows and we uphold space for them regardless of gender, more female teams will be built and gain more recognition in the long run."
Nishat Shama clarified, "Yes. I believe that sports, games, and competitiveness are in our Bengali blood. You'll see that given the slig htest opportunity, the youth of our country thrive in international competitions. The girls who feel interested in trying it out, I hope they do, and I hope there will be good enough opportunities for them. I'm sure some of them will put our country's name on top."
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