Women-only e-sports events are building toward a future where theyre unnecessary

When you tune into any e-sports event, you’re likely to see only men. Of the 100 competitors in the final of the Fortnite World Cup, none were women, and just one of the more than 200 players in the Overwatch League is a woman. The apparent egalitarianism of digital competition has clearly not translated into a truly even playing field. In response, a number of organizers have turned to creating women-only events. They’re clearly serving a need, but that need remains complicated.

While many of the arguments against these events are easily dismissed (no, it’s not reverse sexism to give marginalized genders their own space), segregated tournaments aren’t always popular, even among those who push for the inclusion of more women and...

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