2SLGBTQI youth gamers in Ontario see esports as a liberatory space, but all participants from our foundational research experienced and/or witnessed cyber violence on a regular basis. We asked youth participants how they would feel better supported; here are the results.
With generous financial support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant Program, Egale conducted foundational research to better understand the experiences of young 2SLGBTQI gamers living in Ontario. The objectives of this research were to better understand the state of online hate and cyber violence including homophobia, biphobia and transphobia faced by Ontario esports participants, identify what youth are doing to support one another and themselves while gaming, as well as identify how the esports industry can better care for and about their 2SLGBTQI players.
Below is the final report detailing key findings from our research and recommendations to educators, esports industry members and gaming developers, gamers, moderators and streamers/other influential gamers.