“Tomb Raider Wallpaper” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mishski
In recent times, much has been made of the equality and involvement of women in both the gaming and sports sectors. Even though numbers would suggest that the platform for female participation has been on the rise within both industries, there is still a long way to go before the barriers can be fully broken down. Typically, both have long been male-dominated markets, and while women are beginning to influence the future directions of both sectors, female empowerment within sport, in particular, appears a long way off.
As a result, we’re going to look at both sectors and analyze whether women have been able to break barriers in the last few years.
Gaming
Over the last few years, female and mixed protagonists in video games have gradually become more common, especially when compared to the earliest releases within the industry. However, even in spite of that recent growth, the number of female leads being integrated into modern-day titles in 2019 has gone down from the total that was achieved in both 2017 and 2018. Four years ago, 3.4 percent of video games opted for a female lead. In the very same year, 41 percent of protagonists were played by male characters. Although that figure would rise to 8 percent at its highest, female leads have dropped to 4.8 percent in 2019.
While the statistics fail to demonstrate a more evenly-matched sector, some of the iconic female leads have had a significant impact on universal markets. Lara Croft has taken the Tomb Raider franchise to new heights after being introduced in 1996. Aside from being the star of the popular video game franchise, the character radiated female empowerment in the 2018 film adaptation of the gaming series. Moreover, at Canada Casino, which lists the very best online casinos, Lara Croft’s broader influence becomes increasingly apparent. Across several platforms, online slots such as Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Secret of Sword, are available to play with various promotions, including no deposit free spins and welcome bonuses.
Sports
At present, equal pay in women’s soccer is one of the most hotly-debated topics in the sporting world. Throughout the last few years, the US women’s national team has been fighting for equality regarding their salaries. In relation to overall net worth, 30-year-old Alex Morgan is the highest-paid female player in the world when you factor in bonuses and sponsorships.
It’s estimated that the World Cup winner is worth $3 million, which, when compared to her male counterparts, appears very little. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Juventus forward, has a net worth of approximately $450 million, which perfectly illustrates the need for a greater focus on sporting equality.
Barriers are there to be broken
The success of video game characters such as Lara Croft and the US women’s national soccer team shows that there is a growing demand and interest in female involvement across typically male-dominated sectors. However, as demonstrated by the statistics concerning female protagonists, involvement levels are at the lowest that they’ve been since 2015. Even though change has occurred, and women have been able to break down some barriers, the route to global and sectoral equality remains problematic to navigate.
