Men only at The International: Why are there no female competitors at esports' biggest event?

The world's bestDota 2teams are at Rogers Arena this week for The International: the biggest-money and most prestigious tournament in all of esports.

But of the 90 competing players, there will be no women among them, something that doesn't surprise female gamers.

"The community can be toxic, masculine. You need a thick skin," said Vivian Chung, a VancouverrecreationalDotaplayer.

Women in esports say they routinely deal with online harassment, denial of career advancement and a lack of role models at the elite level seen at The International. Advocates say gender diversity is likely to improveonly with the help of the greater gaming community, specifically male players calling out sexism when they see it.

Too late a start

Chung grew up playing video games alongside her sister.

While boys their age were playingcompetitive, PC-based gameslike Starcraft or World of Warcraft, she wasmore likely to be playing fun-focused titles like Super Mario Brothers or Cooking Mama.

Now 22, Chung, was later drawn toDotaby itsmix of strategy, fantasy and teamwork and iscontent to game just for fun.

"A lot of what being good at a video game is, is starting from a young age and having those muscle memories built into you," she said.

That's a crippling handicap for women in a world where many male gamers have been playing since they were in elementary school.

"Society teaches you not to spend so much time with video games. You should be doing your makeup or shopping."

Chungsays revealing yourself to a be a female player during an online game can sometimes draw sexist remarks.

"Oh you are hot. Will you marry me. Show me your ... " she cites as common examples, her voice trailing off.

Struggle for acceptance

Professional Dota 2 coach Murielle 'Kipspul' Huisman says Chung's experience is a familiar one, even at the pro level.

"People who underestimate you. People who straight up refuse to believe you know what you are doing," Huisman, 27,said of some obstacles she's faced in her career.

"It becomes a really big ball of issues that you have to hold."

Huisman, who is based in Amsterdam, has coachedtwo teams after working as an analyst for several more.

She left one of her jobs after she says her gender prompted one of the team's male players to begin undermining her.

"It's not fair. I don't like the idea that the fact that I'm a woman will cause players to try to increase their status if they're feeling down by putting me down."

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She's calling on more male gamersto step up and call outgender discrimination when they see it, something she says doesn't happen easily now.

"You have to be extremely good before a guy will stand up for you," she said. "People are getting refused for jobs for being women."

Huismanestimates about fiveper cent of allDota 2playersarefemale, but says even that small proportionisn't reflected in the pro ranks.

"The question is, once we get them up to the right skill, can we get their male teammates to value them?"

Reason for hope

A Dota 2onlinehost, who goes by the nameReinessa, says she's hopeful that will happen, but knows firsthand women are still battling for respect.

In more than half of the games she joins, she says being a woman is mentioned in the online chat.

"My gender is acknowledged which is weird, because it's a video game and it's doesn't matter."

Reinessa says societal norms are evolving and that newer games like Fortnite tend to have more women players compared to more established games like Dota 2.

"Picking up a game that has been around for a decade is intimidating. Picking up a game that everybody is new at is more likely to even out demographics."

She says women are a more common presence outside of playing, and working as managers, coaches, analysts and commentators.

While a woman making it to a top event like The International might be a few years away yet, she says solvingDota 2's gender gap starts with everyday players accepting females into the scene.

"Make it normal. We don't want to be special," she says.

The hurdles faced by women in gaming

10 years ago

Duration 3:37

Women who work in the male-dominating gaming industry talk about the challenges they face and what should change to increase diversity.