Female VALORANT Pro Sean “sgares” Gares Refuses VCT Team Trials Following Gender Bias

The esports industry has long been grappling with issues of gender bias and inequality, and a recent revelation has once again brought these concerns to the forefront. In a Twitch discussion on September 19, esports reporter Rod “Slasher” Breslau disclosed a troubling incident involving a female VALORANT professional player who was excluded from tier-1 VCT (VALORANT Champions Tour) team trials due to resistance from at least one male player on those teams who did not want to “play with a woman.” This incident highlights the challenges female players continue to face in esports.

Gender Bias Persists

The revelation unfolded during a conversation between Slasher and Sean “sgares” Gares, where they were discussing the leadership skills of Melanie ‘meL’ Capone, a prominent figure in the VCT Game Changers community. Slasher interrupted the discussion to share the troubling news that every tier-one team meL attempted to scrim with had refused her participation because of the reluctance of at least one male player on each team to play alongside a woman.

Slasher emphasized that this was not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader pattern of gender bias against female players in esports. He cited the example of Michaela “mimi” Lintrup, a VCT Game Changer champion who faced similar challenges during her professional career in CS:GO.

Drawing parallels with mimi’s experiences, Slasher explained, “I heard this exact same thing in Counter-Strike. [mimi] was the best female player. They had won every single championship in the women’s league, she was doing great, she was the best player on her team. And when I was speaking to her, she was telling me she couldn’t even try out for tier-2 teams or even tier-3 teams for the exact same reason. Players on those teams did not want to practice with a woman.”

wanted to clarify what I said on stream. some of the best women's circuit players in Valorant and CS have not been given opportunities to tryout for t2 and t3 teams, let alone t1, for absurd reasons. however, stating this was the cause for all times meL was denied is incorrect

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) September 19, 2023

Clarification on the Issue

It’s worth noting that gender bias wasn’t the sole reason for meL’s exclusion from VCT scrims. Slasher later clarified on Twitter that, in some cases, the exclusion was related to her buyout terms and had no connection to sexism. Nevertheless, the incident underscores the ongoing challenges female players face in their pursuit of equal opportunities in esports.

Equal Consideration for All

During the discussion, Slasher and sgares stressed the importance of meL receiving equal consideration and opportunities within the esports landscape, regardless of her gender. They highlighted that talent, skill, and dedication should be the primary criteria for participation and success in esports, transcending gender barriers.

A Stark Reminder

This incident serves as a stark reminder that despite substantial progress in recent years, gender bias and inequality persist as significant obstacles for female esports professionals. The esports community must continue its efforts to create an inclusive and fair environment that promotes diversity and equal opportunities for all players. The ongoing conversation about gender equality in esports remains essential to drive positive change within the industry.

Also Read: Global Esports’ Valorant Roster For VCT 2024 Season: All Players Name