Twitter has been full of esports organizations and individuals in the industry acknowledging International Women's Day yesterday. But Evil Geniuses decided to take it one step further by creating a summit focused on women looking to work in the often-sexist esports industry. 

What to expect at the Young Women in Gaming summit

Evil Geniuses announced the launch of the Press Forward: Young Women in Gaming summit in partnership with Women in Games International (WIGI). The event will begin April 24th, offering an abundance of panels and keynote speakers as well as interactive activities like resume reviews and recruiter feedback. 

"Aimed at young women who are looking to educate themselves on career opportunities in the gaming industry or to add fuel to existing career paths, the event will feature attendance from recruiters at multiple game companies to participate in panel discussions and offer tips on career development," Evil Geniuses said in a press release. 

April 24th will feature a variety of guests that are considered leaders in the gaming industry. This includes Houston Outlaw's Partnership Account Manager Sarah Schneider, Riot Game's People Programs Specialist Dominique Schultz, and Amazon's Lead Game Designer Candace Thomas. 

The panels will begin at 11 AM PST. 

Tickets are already live and you basically "pay what you can" to sign up for various panels. This allows all women to participate and learn about what it takes to pursue their esports career path "regardless of socio-economic backgrounds." 

Buy tickets here! 

What does this mean for women in esports?

You might be wondering: Do you actually like the idea of this panel? If you remember my op-ed piece about VALORANT's Game Changers event you'd know that I'm pretty passionate about women NOT being singled out in esports. So you're probably expecting me to hate this. 

But I don't. 

Sexism in esports is real. We've heard the horror stories about salary discrepancies and harassment at major companies like Riot Games. We've seen the backlash of women speaking up in this male-dominated industry numerous times. While a VALORANT esports tournament for only women screams" women can't compete with men," a summit is meant to address the issues deep within the industry that cause women to be afraid of entering the space and competing. 

Evil Geniuses' Chief Culture Officer, Jessica Hammond, explained: “When we were researching toxicity in gaming for our report Gaming for All earlier this year, it was clear that not everyone feels equally welcomed and uplifted and comfortable within the gaming community – and the gulf was particularly wide when it came to gender.“

The summit is a response to this issue. It would give women the chance to grow their careers in a supportive environment and network with other women who have learned how to navigate this male-dominated industry. For me personally, having networking groups for women has been huge and is one of the reasons I have found success in esports. 

But while I've found my path in esports, many women can't. They are afraid to speak up. They are turned down. They are doubted. They are silenced. They are ridiculed. They are judged harsher than their male colleagues. Do they actually like games? Do they actually understand League of Legends? 

Sexism is alive and well in esports, both on stage and within the industry. Women and the LGBTQ+ community need summits like these to bring us together and help each other succeed in an industry that sometimes questions if we belong.

Whether you're a casual Team Liquid fan who just finds Blue completely adorable or you are a hardcore esports addict who follows every single trade in the Overwatch League religiously, an esports career is possible. It's time to find your spot! 

"This event is just the beginning – we look forward to creating multiple touchpoints that tackle diversity and representation and hopefully play our part in creating a more inclusive industry of tomorrow," Hammond said.