There has been much discussion about the challenges faced by women in our industry and why these challenges are worth facing and overcoming. In my years in the industry I have seen tangible, concrete changes occurring in this respect, from “things best not spoken of” turning into open topics of discussion, to advocacy becoming a concern for many developers regardless of gender identification. We’ve gone from ignorance about many issues to openly discussing them, confronting them, fighting to make our industry–our house– a better place.
While I am thankful for the women in my life every single day, today is International Women’s Day. Across the world, people are joining together to celebrate women and those who identify as women for their accomplishments. And so, I say this…
Thank you to the women who came before me in this industry, for showing me it could be done, for showing me the path to follow and the goals to aspire to. Thank you to the women with whom I work with today, side by side, who enrich my experience every day, who support me and inspire me to try harder and reach for more. And thank you to all the women who work in the industry, who contribute to changes every day, be they small or large, seen or unseen. Thank you to everyone in our industry who cares about these issues, who discuss them, who speak out. Everything you do is felt, even if you don’t see immediate results.
As Gandalf once said: “I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.”
To the girls and women wanting to join the industry, wondering how to break in, worrying about issues related to gender and to –isms in general – I promise you, there are many of us reaching out to you, with open hands.
We look forward to meeting you.
Ann Lemay
@annlemay
Writer | Mass Effect
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#1reasonmentors resource list: Curated by @pixelsprite
#1reasonwhy – a twitter hashtag started by Rhianna Pratchett, with women in the industry stating why they work in games