Blizzard activey supports Woman and minorities to get into the gaming industry

[Deleted]

https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/08/in...in-more-women/

Blizzard is launching a "global diversity and inclusion initiative" aimed at raising the percentage of women and underrepresented minority groups in its workforce and improving the work environment for those groups, according to an internal company email recently received by Kotaku.

Only 21 per cent of Blizzard employees are women, wrote company president Mike Morhaime in the email — which a Blizzard rep confirmed to me is real — and "they leave our organisation at a higher rate than men." These numbers, Morhaime writes, are consistent with the game industry at large, but Blizzard wants to improve on them.

Morhaime wrote the company is launching a diversity effort that will first focus on women, but will expand later this year to encompass other "under-represented minority groups," who make up 14 per cent of Blizzard, according to the email. Morhaime wrote that while the company will not set "quotas" for hiring female job candidates, Blizzard is encouraging employees to refer more qualified women to open positions, and it's looking into ways to better recruit from women's groups, conferences, and universities with an initial focus on "more women leaders and a diverse new graduate hiring class." The company also plans to partner with organisations like Girls Who Code in hopes of bringing more women into game development and computer science.

The email states that Blizzard already has an LGBTQ council that offers monthly meetings and advises on Blizzard projects, and it recently created a similar council made up of women from "various levels" in the company, with the goal of helping the company's leaders "think through ideas to attract more women and make Blizzard a more rewarding and enjoyable place for women to work."

The email also outlines other concrete steps that Blizzard plans to take to "enhance inclusiveness for those who identify as women," including "networking sessions and mentoring groups for women across the company," an annual "Women @ Blizzard" summit starting next year, and improved bias training for managers.

Recent years have seen Blizzard stress the importance of diversity in games like Overwatch, at events like BlizzCon, and in the wake of an incident where pro Hearthstone player Terrence Miller dealt with a flood of Twitch chat racism during a major event. Within its own workforce, Blizzard has seen recent success, more than doubling the number of women interns it recruited in the past year, according to VentureBeat.

There have, however, been ups and downs, with Blizzard taking flack for things like a pose for Overwatch's Tracer (which the development team ended up changing after controversy) and the game's problems with toxicity, especially toward women. It's a process, but Morhaime says in the email that Blizzard is in it for the long haul.

"Our diversity initiative will require a commitment from every one of us, but especially from our leaders, managers, and hiring teams," concludes Morhaime's email. "We appreciate your dedication to help Blizzard achieve this goal."

A good step at the right time. The number of female game designers and game industry workers from minorities should be raised, and blizzard supports that actively.

[Tennis]

I don't see how any decent person would be against this. We need equal opportunity for all. About time game devs get on board.

[Jonnusthegreat]

I think it's extremely important to hire women in story and design roles, even if not qualified. That type of diversity should be increased whatever the cost.

I don't think it's important to promote diversity in programming roles.

[Aeula]

I don't see how any decent person would be against this. We need equal opportunity for all. About time game devs get on board.

This isn't equal opportunity. It's giving preference to minorities and ignoring those who have better qualifications if they don't meet the quota.

[Deleted]

This isn't equal opportunity. It's giving preference to minorities and ignoring those who have better qualifications if they don't meet the quota.

No, it isnt, as it is not about a quota, but about supporting additional education for woman who are willing to learn a job in the industry. It willl take quite some time before the role ideas of the last century are banned from the heads of society.

It took humanity up to the 21st century to question the idea men are more appropriate for IT jobs than woman. And even now the reactionary ideas of the last century try to stay alive and show their ugly fact in form of right wing populism, while they died in the 20th century.

[Illusions]

I feel like it's nice, programming is an industry which women might feel alienated in, so this push may be great for some aspiring female coders. However, I still hope Blizzard will hire people based on their merits and what they can bring, rather than based on their genitalia or orientation.

I also agree with the poster above saying hiring women in story & design (and LGBT+ people) would be beneficial, keeping mind to have any 'diversity' additions feel natural and not shoehorned (the enchanter in Azsuna is a nice touch, imo).

I expected something entirely different based on the title alone, though, so I'm pleasantly surprised.

[DesMephisto]

Wonder if this applies to men who identify as women [not just transgender, but people that are bigender/etc]

[Noblia]

Affirmative action... is the absolute worst!!! Blizzard is basically saying that if we have equal white male, female, or minority we will FUCK the white guy and hire the latter. Its been happening for the last 40 years... It is not surprising coming from a company like blizzard or any of these tech companies.

I wonder why no one talks about how there are infinitely more female nurses then men. Or pick your sector of the economy. But when its a white guy job, its like HOLY FUCK! KILL HIM!

[Aeula]

No, it isnt, as it is not about a quota, but about supporting additional education for woman who are willing to learn a job in the industry. It willl take quite some time before the role ideas of the last century are banned from the heads of society.

The bolded reminds me of a certain book.

[Darkeon]

Back in my day we hoped to hire the best person for the job, regardless of genitalia or sexual orientation.

That's bigoted nowadays. Oh progressives, thou hast gone too far.

[Vapo]

I feel like it's nice, programming is an industry which women might feel alienated in, so this push may be great for some aspiring female coders. However, I still hope Blizzard will hire people based on their merits and what they can bring, rather than based on their genitalia or orientation.

I also agree with the poster above saying hiring women in story & design (and LGBT+ people) would be beneficial, keeping mind to have any 'diversity' additions feel natural and not shoehorned (the enchanter in Azsuna is a nice touch, imo).

I expected something entirely different based on the title alone, though, so I'm pleasantly surprised.

what makes you think they are programming? my guess would be most are graphic/animation personel.

[Knolan]

No, it isnt, as it is not about a quota, but about supporting additional education for woman who are willing to learn a job in the industry. It willl take quite some time before the role ideas of the last century are banned from the heads of society.

It took humanity up to the 21st century to question the idea men are more appropriate for it jobs than woman. And even now the reactionary ideas of the last century try to stay alive, while they died in the 20th century.

You know that what you describe is also not equal opportunity right?

[Gutpile]

https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/08/in...in-more-women/



A good step at the right time. The number of female game designers and game industry workers from minorities should be raised, and blizzard supports that actively.

Why should anyone give a flying fuck what sort of genitals or skin color their game designer has? There are NO barriers to women or minorities to get into game design. Just apply like everyone else.

[Deleted]

I don't see how any decent person would be against this. We need equal opportunity for all. About time game devs get on board.

It's disgusting. Anything that is not a merit based system is. A better qualified person has no gender or race so obviously that would be the best system. However these racist, sexist a-holes would do anything to justify their bias.

[Deleted]

The bolded reminds me of a certain book.

Let me guess.. it's title is "woman back to the stove"?

[sarahtasher]

Good, usual suspects, go boycott Blizzard and Blizzard fansites (hint. hint)

[Dextroden]

They should do it if they want to. It's not a bad goal in theory.

But. No one should be kissing their ass for this announcement. How many tech and gaming companies have said this to look good now?

[Deleted]

Good, usual suspects, go boycott Blizzard and Blizzard fansites (hint. hint)

Yes, please. If the right wing bigots would leave this forum, i would make a party.

[Deleted]

this gender shit is getting boring, can we move onto the next thing?

[Aeula]

Let me guess.. it's title is "woman back to the stove"?

Nope. It goes into detail about the ideas of "thought policing" and such, maybe you should look it up.

I'd do it for you but I'm not about to waste any more time on a nutter like you.