THE BLACK FEMALE PROTAGONIST (And the Importance of Representation to Black Female Gamers)

GeekGirlCon Blog Title: The Black Female Protagonist (And the Importance of Representation to Black female Gamers) On the right, a Black woman with hands on hips wears a red cape.

By Ashlee Lawson-Kilpatrick

          Growing up, I was a Black girl, but I often felt like I didn’t quite fit into society’s expectations associated with that label. My interests in cartoons, books, and video games set me apart from what others expected. However, these forms of media provided me with both comfort and a means to explore and understand my identity, mainly since my parents rarely talked about my cultural background beyond the skin color I inherited. It wasn’t until middle school that I learned about my mother’s Trinidadian heritage, and I discovered my father’s Panamanian heritage only at the end of high school. 

          Media helped me understand many things my parents wouldn’t discuss. However, I couldn’t blame them; they were two immigrants who came to the United States at a young age and had to figure everything out on their own. While the media played a significant role in my upbringing, it was largely dominated by an overwhelming presence of whiteness. The TV shows and movies I watched primarily featured white characters. The books available in my school library typically focused on white protagonists or animals. The video games for sale often lacked representation of anyone who looked like me.

Representation of Black girls like me was mostly absent in the media. 

          Media representation extends far beyond race and gender. It also includes ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, and mental health conditions. The media influences societal self-perception and perceptions of others, prompting discussions about representation across various platforms. There is an increasing demand for authentic and inclusive representation, especially in the video game industry, where discussions have arisen about portraying and integrating diverse characters and narratives into gaming experiences. 

          For instance, one key example of these discussions in video games is the representation of Black female protagonists. Discussing the representation of Black female protagonists in video games is vital in today’s gaming communities because Black female gamers are an overlooked demographic that deserves recognition and representation in the industry. Their voices and experiences must be acknowledged and celebrated, as they contribute to the gaming landscape that doesn’t adequately represent them. 

Black woman holds hands up to the VR equipment she is wearing.

Representation fosters a sense of belonging by allowing Black female gamers to see themselves authentically reflected in the games they play, which validates their identities and affirms their presence within the gaming world.

          This sense of belonging helps counter the longstanding stigma that video games are exclusively for White cisgender males. This stereotype often marginalizes and excludes Black women from feeling accepted in gaming environments. By highlighting Black female protagonists, the gaming industry can better recognize the contributions and experiences of Black female gamers while challenging damaging stereotypes.

          To comprehend the importance of Black female protagonists in video games, let’s delve into Black women’s demographics in the American gaming spaces. While there are limited specific statistics available on Black female gamers, the Entertainment Software Association (2024) reports that there are 190.6 million video game players in the United States, with 46% identifying as female. Furthermore, 12% of American gamers are Black or African American. These statistics show approximately 10.5 million Black female gamers, representing about 5.5% of the total gaming population in the United States. In comparison, the general Black female population in the United States is about 23,530,579, making up roughly 6.92% of the total US population (United States Census Bureau, 2024).

Black women are not well represented in gaming compared to their numbers in the general population. This lack of representation raises questions about inclusion in the gaming industry.

          Black female gamers face barriers, such as not having relatable characters, targeted marketing that overlooks them, and stories that do not reflect their experiences. This situation indicates that gaming spaces may not be welcoming or inclusive for Black women, which could discourage them from taking part in a medium that should be for everyone.

          The experiences of Black female gamers in gaming spaces are greatly shaped by the complexities of their intersecting identities as both Black individuals and women. This intersection of race and gender creates a distinct lived reality, requiring them to navigate environments where they are frequently underrepresented and marginalized. As Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989), an American civil rights advocate and a scholar of critical race theory, explained, intersectionality highlights how overlapping identities can lead to either discrimination or privilege, illustrating the multifaceted experiences of Black female gamers.

          In gaming spaces, this intersectionality is evident through hostile interactions, such as racial and gender harassment, and the psychological impact of stereotype threat (Richard & Gray, 2018). TreaAndrea M. Russworm, PhD, professor of interactive media and games division at the University of Southern California, noted that “[a] history of white supremacy runs deep in the gaming industry, both past and present…[and] doesn’t value or even acknowledge Black women players” (Starks, 2023). The continued marginalization of Black female gamers results in their existence and contributions being overlooked. 

          Black female gamers frequently face negative experiences due to barriers tied to both their race and gender, a phenomenon often described as racialized misogyny. These challenges can create a profound sense of isolation, reminiscent of the exclusion many marginalized gamers feel in the gaming community (Richard & Gray, 2018). Isolation can negatively impact an individual’s mental health by fostering feelings of loneliness, which in turn increases the risk of anxiety and depression (Mann et al., 2022). Loneliness can lead to mental and physical health problems, like increased stress, higher inflammation, and negative thoughts. Over time, these issues can make loneliness feel even worse.

          Many Black female gamers reported feeling isolated in gaming spaces due to not only a lack of representation and inclusivity but also the prevalence of racism and online harassment, particularly from men (Starks, 2023). Many female gamers, especially Black female gamers, have faced harassment from males who make racist, vulgar, or sexist comments on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. A 2023 report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on hate and harassment in gaming reveals that the harassment rate for women is 8%, while for Black gamers, it stands at 50%. This report does not include specific research on the experiences of Black female gamers. However, the available data suggests that the unreported harassment rate they face could be even higher, potentially ranging from 55% to 70%. 

Princess Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)

          When analyzing mainstream AAA games and established franchises, it becomes clear that Black female characters are present in the gaming world, though they are rarely the main protagonists. A look at video game history reveals that female video game characters were often depicted in ways that reinforced traditional gender roles. For example, characters like Pauline in Donkey Kong and Princess Zelda in The Legend of Zelda were depicted as damsels in distress, needing rescue from male protagonists (Bashir, 2022). In the 1990s, the introduction of strong female video game protagonists, such as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, marked a significant shift. However, while many people credit Lara Croft as the first female protagonist in video games, the true pioneer was Billie Sue, a farmer girl from the 1982 game Wabbit for the Atari 2600, which a Vietnamese woman created.

Four images of pixelated Billie Sue, the farmer girl heroine from the game 1982 Atari game: "Wabbit."

Wabbit’s Billie Sue character

          Regarding Black characters, most of their earliest portrayals were as athletes in sports title video games, reinforcing the “Black Athlete Trope.” The first playable Black video game character was widely recognized as the athlete in Atari’s Basketball, which was released in 1979 and depicted in color (Edwards, 2009). However, there is ongoing debate about whether the character in Sega’s Heavyweight Champ, released in 1976, could also be considered the first Black playable video game character, due to the game’s ambiguous black-and-white graphics (Norwood, 2021). Historically, Black characters in video games were often reduced to merely being selectable options in fighting games or serving as secondary characters that supported their white counterparts, who were typically the main protagonists. It wasn’t until 1987 that the first Black male video game protagonist appeared in the lesser-known PC game Mandroid (NowThis Nerd, 2018).  

Cover of Dreamcast Urban Chaos PC game, featuring D'arci Stern, the black protagonist of the game.

Black female protagonist D’Arci Stern in Urban Chaos

          The gaming world didn’t see its first Black female protagonist until 1999 with D’Arci Stern in Urban Chaos (DirecTV, 2022). Since then, a report from DiamondLobby shows that only 8.3% of the main characters in video games are women from non-white ethnic backgrounds (Lin, 2023). This statistic highlights the ongoing challenges of achieving diversity and inclusion in gaming. Black female protagonists are rare, even many years after D’Arci’s introduction. Several recent examples of Black female protagonists in gaming include Nilin Cartier-Wells from Remember Me, Clementine from Telltale’s The Walking Dead, and Alfre “Frey” Holland from Forspoken. However, despite these characters, the gaming industry still struggles to create authentic and well-developed Black female protagonists.

Forspoken game image featuring title character Frey, a Black woman.

Frey Holland, protagonist of Forspoken

          From the perspective of a Black woman in gaming, it is essential to address issues such as colorism, harmful stereotypes, and the portrayal of trauma concerning Black female protagonists to improve their representation, especially since there are about 10 million Black female gamers whose experiences are largely overlooked in current gaming representation (Entertainment Software Association, 2024). Improving representation is not about just ticking a diversity checkbox. It calls for an industry to reflect its diverse audience authentically. Elevating these voices not only combats harmful stereotypes but also enriches the gaming landscape with multifaceted characters who can inspire a broader range of players. 

          There needs to be greater visibility for dark-skinned Black women, rather than focusing solely on lighter-skinned or racially ambiguous Black women in lead roles. Black women should not be reduced to one-dimensional tropes such as the “Strong Black Woman” or “Sassy Black Woman.” Their narratives should not concentrate exclusively on trauma, pain, or oppression. Instead, Black female characters deserve to celebrate the joy, complexity, and positive experiences that come with their identities.

Black female gamer wearing headphones gives a thumbs up while sitting in a chair in front of a computer screen.

          In conclusion, media representation impacts societal perceptions and individual self-identity. Representation matters, especially for the little black girl I once was who rarely saw herself reflected in the media she consumed growing up. She would often feel out of place, especially with the presence of whiteness in her interest in cartoons, books, and video games. She never really got to see herself as the hero of the story. That little black girl even felt alone and invisible.

Now as a Black woman and still a gamer, I recognize how vital authentic and multifaceted gaming representation is for Black female gamers. Representation is a powerful affirmation of their identities.

          When Black female gamers see characters who they can resonate with—characters that go beyond harmful stereotypes, colorism, or narratives solely centered on trauma—it combats their feelings of isolation by reinforcing that their presence and perspective matter in the gaming community. It cultivates a sense of belonging in an industry where they have been historically underrepresented or misrepresented. Addressing the representation of Black female protagonists in gaming is not just a matter of diversity. It is about creating inclusive narratives that acknowledge Black female gamers. By doing so, the gaming industry can provide the representation that many Black female gamers, like my younger self, desperately need to see.

Selfie of article author, Ashlee, a Black woman with glasses and silver earrings wearing a colorful blouse.

Ashlee Lawson-Kilpatrick

References:
Anti-Defamation League. (2023). Hate is No Game: Hate and Harassment in Online Games 2023. 
Bashir, D. (2022, May 18). World’s First Female Video Game Protagonist Was Created by a Vietnamese Programmer. Retrieved from IGN Southeast Asia: https://sea.ign.com/wabbit/185503/news/worlds-first-female-video-game-protagonist-was-created-by-a-vietnamese-programmer
Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), 139–167. Retrieved from https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=uclf
DirecTV. (2022, February 28). The Evolution of Black Female Video Game Characters. Retrieved from DirecTV: https://www.directv.com/insider/black-history-month-the-evolution-of-black-women-in-video-games/#:~:text=It’s%20a%20somewhat%20distressing%20fact,deserved%20time%20in%20the%20spotlight.
Edwards, B. (2009, January 19). The First Black Video Game Character. Retrieved from Vintage Computing and Gaming: https://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/536/the-first-black-video-game-character
Entertainment Software Association. (2024). 2024 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry. Retrieved from Entertainment Software Association: https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Essential-Facts-2024-FINAL.pdf
Google. (2023, February). Google Global Insights Diversity Equity & Inclusion Report Feb 2023. Retrieved from https://games.withgoogle.com/: https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gamer_research_on_dei.pdf
Lin, B. (2023, February 22). Diversity in Gaming Report: An Analysis of Diversity in Video Game Characters. Retrieved from DiamondLobby: https://diamondlobby.com/geeky-stuff/diversity-in-gaming/#:~:text=Gender%20Diversity%20in%20Video%20Games,females%20of%20non%2Dwhite%20ethnicities.
Mann, F., Wang, J., Pearce, E., Ma, R., Schlief, M., Lloyd-Evans, B., . . . Johnson, S. (2022, May 18). Loneliness and the onset of new mental health problems in the general population. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 57(11), pp. 2161-2178. doi:doi: 10.1007/s00127-022-02261-7
Nadal, K. (2021, December 27). Why Representation Matters and Why It’s Still Not Enough. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychology-the-people/202112/why-representation-matters-and-why-it-s-still-not-enough
Norwood, R. (2021, February 26). Coding Blackness: A History of Black Video Game Characters. Retrieved from WIRED: https://www.wired.com/story/black-character-history-video-games/
NowThis Nerd. (2018, February 8). The History of Black Video Game Characters | NowThis Nerd. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-xEABBIk_8&t=185s
Richard, G. T., & Gray, K. L. (2018, January). Gendered Play, Racialized Reality: Black Cyberfeminism, Inclusive Communities of Practice and the Intersections of Learning, Socialization and Resilience in Online Gaming. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 39(1), pp. 112-148. doi:10.5250/fronjwomestud.39.1.0112
Starks, S. L. (2023, August 22). Black Girl Gamers Band Together Against 2023’s Final Boss: Loneliness. Retrieved from allure: https://www.allure.com/story/black-girl-gaming-groups-loneliness?utm_source=chatgpt.com
United States Census Bureau. (2024). QuickFacts: United States. Retrieved from United States Census Bureau: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI225223#RHI225223

Emerald Peterson
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The Case for Twilight Book Clubs

I’ve always been drawn to the idea of book clubs. But, in reality, that’s always all it’s ever been to me–an idea.

During high school, in a last-ditch effort to find community at the time when I felt most incapacitated by my anxiety, I recall trying to start a book club with the help of the librarian. In the end, I was one of two people who read the book, and we never met a second time. When I graduated from college a year before my two best friends, we started a book club (/podcast, which is highly cringey to admit in retrospect…) as a means to stay close despite the newfound distance. Again, we read one book before letting the self-imposed pressure to publicize our conversations get the better of us. A couple of years ago, I did an internship at the Feminist Press, and even there, perhaps the place one would need the least external motivation to collectively read and talk about books, I become absorbed with the idea of starting dedicated book club among the staff. No surprise, that project did not come to fruition. Since moving to Seattle, I’ve officially joined approximately five different book clubs, some through bookstores, some through friends, some through neighborhood groups. I’ve never actually been to a single meeting, though I still read the books on my own sometimes–always with the best and most hopeful intentions.

Teal Christensen
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#GeekGirlTalk: Depictions of Witchcraft and Masculinity in Charmed

Who We Are Vaguely and in Terms Only of the Media We Seek Out Most Often:

Teal (roman type!)
Literally any teen TV show, YA, women’s and feminist media, everything Star Trek

Hanna (italics, baby!)
Reality TV, memoirs, romance novels, anything British, any podcast ever

Welcome to Geek Girl Talk, a (biased, subjective, opinionated) conversation about the pop culture we’re currently loving, hating, and obsessing over. This month, we’re talking about Charmed, the CW reboot of the late-90s to early 2000s original. Charmed comes back for its second season on October 11, and we need to chat about everything Maggie, Mel, and Macy in preparation!

Spoiler disclaimer: We do get into some spoilers below! If you haven’t watched season one of Charmed/don’t want to be spoiled, then what are you waiting for? Watch the whole season in one sitting (totally doable) and then come back and talk to us about it!

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

To Clarke Griffin, with Love

If you’re not watching The 100, I do forgive you. It is a CW show, after all. (I don’t know why, but I can’t take the CW seriously! It doesn’t seem to matter how many of their shows I watch and love!) However, if you are unfamiliar with the show, this post is a PSA for you specifically.

Before I get too into it, I’d like to say that though I am aware of the book that inspired the show (thanks, Kass Morgan!), for my purposes, know that everything here refers exclusively to the TV series. And, with that series, there is a lot to get into. But, first and foremost, the main character, Clarke Griffin.

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

Eight Reasons to Watch Sense8

Just to keep you all updated, I am a changed woman. And it all happened last Friday when the series finale of Sense8 premiered.

If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it’s a Netflix original that first premiered in 2015. Loosely, it’s about a species of human, Sensates, who are intensely telepathically linked with each other. More than anything else, this premise is a tool that allows the creators to write interlocking stories about eight strangers who, upon finding themselves linked and the prospective victims of vicious scientific testing, find out just how vital their newly amplified sense of empathy can be.

I’ve never been able to get a clear sense of just how large the Sense8 fandom is. Most people I ask haven’t watched it and don’t have immediate plans to. I myself only sat down to watch the first episode after a direct and imploring recommendation from a close friend, and I don’t remember it being on my radar before that. Maybe this means the show’s marketing team didn’t do the greatest job. Maybe it means the cast wasn’t high profile enough to garner the attention the show needed. Regardless, this just-too-small viewership has led, ultimately, to the cancellation of the show.

We’ve known about this impending end for a while now. In fact, this final episode was publicized as a last-ditch attempt to tie up the action before the show officially ended. And, let me tell you, it was perfect. It was everything we wanted and needed. More than anything else, it made me sad that more people hadn’t experienced this beautiful, glorious show. So, to commemorate this ending, I offer you eight spoiler-free reasons why you should consider watching Sense8 because if I’m sure of anything, it’s that this story deserved more attention than it got.

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

What do We Need from Our Feminist Media?

Since the premiere of this season of The Handmaid’s Tale, I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of feminist TV and feminist media generally. To be fair, I don’t really ever stop thinking about the concept of feminist media, but as there has been a clear influx over the past few years, the conversations surrounding it are becoming more and more pointed.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a clear example of what is widely considered feminist media, but it’s not the only example. Its tone and sense of hopelessness have led me to think a lot about what is useful to feminists about feminist media. Many people think of The Handmaid’s Tale as a story that can open the eyes of those who don’t themselves suffer at the hands of heteropatriarchy to our plight. But as feminists whose eyes are already opened, what do we need from our media?

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

A Reading Challenge for Spring

While the concept of a temporally-bound reading challenge is one I find very alluring, actually finishing one is a success I’ve never personally experienced. This year, in an effort to prioritize both reading and sustainable self-care, I’m working on setting myself some more manageable, bite-sized challenges.

If you’re interested in joining me, here’s what I propose: a three-book seasonal reading challenge to usher in the spring. The more I think about it, the more I’m not only excited about the selections I’ve made, but also about the real possibility that this is a challenge I can and will finish. I want to imbue these next few months and reads with as much meaning and springtime symbolism as I can, and I’ve devised these challenge parameters with that goal in mind. Follow along for the three challenges (one per month of spring) I’ve set for myself and the books I’m thinking about reading to fulfill them.

[Image Description: A black background behind an illustration of a gold pentacle design interlaced with leaves and flowers.  A white banner along the bottom reads, “Spring equinox.”] Source: Pinterest

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

On Loving Mozart in the Jungle and Finding Relatable Characters

If I’m recommending a TV show—or any piece of media for that matter—nine times out of ten I’m talking about a story that’s distinctly women-centric. Stories about women and other underrepresented groups are so incredibly overshadowed in the mainstream that it feels wrong to spend my time and energy celebrating anything else.

However, our media landscape being what it is, I sometimes find myself drawn to books, movies, and shows that aren’t as overtly feminist as I would like. In these cases, I like to think about why, despite its less-than-ideal representation overall, a story still resonates with me. It’s this process of (hopefully legitimate) rationalization that I’ve been going through for the past few years with Mozart in the Jungle.

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

Big Little Lies and the Representation of Women’s Relationships

A few weeks ago, I binge-watched Big Little Lies over the course of one (bad-feeling for unrelated reasons) day. At the end of the day, I was feeling weirder than before, but for an entirely new set of reasons. As far as I can tell, this is the experience many of us have had with the show. We think we may have liked it, but we also definitely feel that there was something off about it.

Big Little Lies is based on a book written by a woman, starring an allstar (if very white) cast of women, and produced by a company founded ostensibly to uplift women-centric stories. Yet, more than anything else, Big Little Lies tells the story of women who, despite being overwhelming rich in access to resources, are still barely surviving the emotional barrage of patriarchal social structures.

Teal Christensen
“Rock On!”

Panel Recap: A Geek Girl’s Right to Erotica

I have been more than a little bit obsessed with romance novels, erotica, and romantic fanfiction for most of my life. It started with sneakily checking out books from the library and skim-reading to get to the “good parts,” then moved on to scouring Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, and other glorious sites for all of my slash fic needs, no matter how niche (Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, anyone?), and now, at long last, I can finally say that I am a proud sex nerd and devourer of all things romance and sexuality.

Given this extensive history, I think it’s safe to say that I couldn’t have been more excited to sit in on this year’s GeekGirlCon panel A Geek Girl’s Right to Erotica. This panel was the first live episode of the certifiably awesome Podice Rippers podcast, hosted by Natalie Warner and Lainey Seaton. When not podcasting “at length and girth” about romance novels, Natalie and Lainey are a cyber-security technical writer and an account manager, respectively. Together, they host a podcast that is an incredibly funny and thoroughly geeky exploration of all things romance, smut, and erotica.

Image Description: podcast hosts and panelists Natalie Warner and Lainey Seaton sitting at their panel table at GeekGirlCon ’17. Source: Twitter

Hanna Hupp
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