Chella Ramanan wrote a very thorough article for The Guardian on workforce diversity and representation in the US and UK game industry with an emphasis on the intersection of gender and race.
The three problems:
Representation isn't enough
Marginalization & discrimination
The industry needs to do much more
Full article with lots more information: https://www.theguardian.com/technol...stry-diversity-problem-women-non-white-people
Put it this way: if you live in the west and work in games, youre probably white, straight, male and middle-class. The latest figures from games industry trade body, TIGA, show that just 14% of people working in the UK games industry are women (the ratio is more or less the same in the US).
Looking at the most recent figures, the picture is pretty depressing when considering ethnic diversity. A Creative Skillset report shows that BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) industry representation stood at 4% in 2015, down from 4.7% the previous year. This is lower than the UK average of 10% and significantly lower than the London average of 40% (2011 Census data). Considering that 37% of the UK industry is located in London, this highlights the level of under-representation for ethnic minority groups.
The three problems:
There are three basic interlocking problems here. First, the current games industry represents a vicious circle of under-representation that is familiar across the whole of tech: the less that young women and people of colour see themselves represented in the sector, the less theyre likely to apply for jobs. Society doesnt see technical women enough so its assumed that they dont exist and technology isnt something women do, says Anne-Marie Imafidon, co-founder of Stemettes, a group offering free Stem workshops and events for young women. These attitudes and social norms permeate decisions made at all levels so women arent hired, promoted or given positions of responsibility and the cycle continues.
There is also a problem of culture. The mainstream industry has spent years pandering to a hardcore demographic of young men, but when aspects of that audience indulge in abusive and threatening behaviour online, via social media and gaming forums, theres very little comeback from the major publishers. Gamergate is an example of the shortcomings, says Damilola Odelola founder of another diversity initiative, Blackgirl.tech, which provides free workshops introducing black women to technology, including virtual reality and coding. There was a public outcry, but the issue wasnt addressed properly by the industry. The reaction felt superficial.
Finally, there is a problem with institutional discrimination and abuse. In 2015, The Gender Balance Workforce Survey, conducted by the Next Gen Skills Academy, surveyed around 40% of the women working in games in the UK and found that 45% felt that their gender was a limiting factor in their career progression, while 33% said theyd experienced direct harassment or bullying because of their gender.
Representation isn't enough
While it can be argued that the interest begins with representation in games themselves, the form that representation takes also matters. When theres no representation in the products or the industry, what were saying is that this only belongs to a certain group of people, says Odelola. And often when a female character is represented shes a stereotype or a caricature, which just reinforces that idea.
Were also saying that certain things can only be done by white men. When a woman or girl of colour enjoys a game and she finds out the only people who worked on that product were white men, she may think thats not something she can do. Shes being told shes a consumer not a creator, which is not true. The women who come to our workshops are so happy to see people who look like them. Seeing a black woman doing something that theyve been told is hard or impossible is so important. [...]
Odelola argues that there is black talent available now, but the games industry just isnt looking in the right places or the recruitment process is excluding them. There are black people now who could do the job, but if you are only looking for candidates from the same places and you know they are predominately male and white, then youre not going to reach diverse communities. For people in education, strong relationships with employers are invaluable. Anderson stresses this: It would really help to have good links with firms in IT and gaming so that there might be placement opportunities for our students.
Marginalization & discrimination
But garnering that spark of interest is only one part of the long journey from school to a successful career in games. New Bafta research, commissioned in partnership with Creative Skillset and the BFI, highlights that minority groups often have to go above and beyond whats expected from their peers in the creative industries, due to company structures, recruitment practices and mindsets that create additional barriers for them. With a culture that values fitting in and who you know, the report notes that this remains a major barrier to increasing diversity and needs to be challenged in a concerted and consistent way.
The industry needs to do much more
Odelola admits that time and money are vital, but she too wants a stronger demonstration of commitment to diversity. The industry isnt bold enough. This industry talks about diversity so much, but gender diversity is the dominant topic, so theyre hiring white women. The industry fails to recognise the privilege of their race: how it helps you get funding, how it helps you to take risks and to be trusted by other people. The tech sector is the future, but its way behind in terms of social understanding.
The games industry cant just sit back, shrug and complain that talent isnt coming forward it needs to get out there and show young people from diverse backgrounds that theyre welcome. Even more importantly, developers need to nurture an environment that backs this up. Its about creating a visible culture that is genuinely open to all and doesnt just pay lip service to the idea of diversity, says Dan Pinchbeck, founder of award-winning studio The Chinese Room. Bringing fresh talent into the industry only for them to leave again because its not a culture that seems to want or welcome or support them is at least as damaging as not encouraging them to join the industry in the first place.
Research consistently shows that diverse workforces are more innovative; different backgrounds produce different ideas, approaches and solutions. In an industry where innovation is highly prized and sought after, reaching out beyond the current demographic seems like an absolute necessity. Its not about being seen to do the right thing, its about investing in the very future of video games.
Full article with lots more information: https://www.theguardian.com/technol...stry-diversity-problem-women-non-white-people