Published , by Charles Singletary Jr
Published , by Charles Singletary Jr
After constant harassment ultimately spurned by sexism, a professional Overwatch League player has quit her team. The player known as the handle "Ellie" stepped away from Second Wind, a team competing in the Overwatch minor league Contenders, after her identity was regularly questioned despite livestreaming to prove herself. Ellie's only statement since stepping down is the tweet below:
Kotaku reported that fans believe initial speculation about Ellie started because of her full legal not being added to the roster like her other counterparts in the league. "Who is Ellie?" focused gossip sprung up, with the foundation of theories being that a male player was impersonating a female professional. This was not a theory solely created by fans of Overwatch League and its esports leagues, though. Professional player Daniel "Dafran" Francesca of Atlanta Reign and previously banned Overwatch player Haunt questioning her identity. The later even argued in favor of doxxing her.
Here's a statement from Second Wind owner Justin Huges, shared on Twitter after Ellie stepped down from the team:
When we brought her onto the team, people acted like we had brought on a symbol of empowerment. I get that people meant well, but on one side, we had people questioning her legitimacy, issuing threats, etc. while on the other hand, we had people acting like they had found their Messiah. Between needing a player to live up to huge expectations and having to question their own safety, it seems that the OW community isn't ready to just view a player as just a player. We wanted a player, but it seemed like the public wanted something else. Sorry about my pronoun usage. However, the message remains the same.
In the interview below, professional gamer Kelley Kelley spoke at length about female gamers in the esports space. When asked why she believed there weren't many women in esports, she pointed out there are "not a lot of opportunities for them" and that guys disregard women in the space without considering their skill or talent.
"We all want to win. We all want to grind. We all want to be super driven but, at the same time, we're not given the chance. So, the more girls that come out and showcase their talent and put on a good show, it'll just help everybody. It'll help out all the other women in the world in gaming."
What are your thoughts on Ellie stepping down after being harassed about her identity as a professional female player? Let us know in Chatty and stay tuned for additional updates.