In the wake of the death of George Floyd and countless other black men, women, and trans people of color, HEVGA wants to reassure members that we are committed to diversity and inclusion, active intervention, and advocacy. In 2018, we published our Value Statement on Diversity & Inclusion, which can be read here.
Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
A total of 387 participants completed the 2019 Survey of Program Graduates. These individuals identified themselves as having completed or being in the process of completing a video-game-based program at a post-secondary institution. The participants included both undergraduate and graduate students.
With respect to the respondents from the United States, most were White (54%). Those who identified as being of Asian descent were 17% of respondents, while those of Latinx descent were 16% of respondents. Black or African-American individuals made up 7%. Less than one percent of respondents identified as either Middle Eastern or Native American. When reporting their ethnicity, respondents could choose more than one option. Approximately 6% of people identified as being of “Mixed” ethnicity. Most frequently, individuals of mixed ethnicity identified as being White and one other ethnicity.
“Not a lot of African Americans in the industry. It’s so far not been negative, but there’s always just a sense of perspective that I rarely can share with someone else without having to fully articulate it.” – Game Designer
Compared with the overall US population, the 2019 Survey of Program Graduates had a significantly lower number of Whites (54% versus 76.6%), a higher percentage of Asians (17% versus 5.8%), a similar number of Latinx (17% versus 18.1%), and a lower number of Black or African Americans (7% versus 13.4%). There were notable differences with respect to the ethnicity of respondents between the 2015 HEVGA Survey and the results of the 2019 survey. The 2019 survey had approximately 20% fewer White respondents. This is a remarkable difference, which could reflect changes in admissions to games programs across the US. Alternatively, it could be a sampling discrepancy, especially considering that the 2019 survey had approximately twice as many participants. There was an increase of 11% for respondents identifying as Latinx and an increase of 8% for those of Asian descent. There was a slightly more than 1% increase in respondents who identified as Black or African-American.
A total of 387 participants completed the 2019 Survey of Program Graduates. These individuals identified themselves as having completed or being in the process of completing a video-game-based program at a post-secondary institution. The participants included both undergraduate and graduate students.
Approximately 20% of respondents identified as LGBTQ+. When compared with data gathered in large nationwide surveys, this is significantly higher than the national average of approximately 4% to 5% for LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States.
“Being gay in the industry has shifted my career towards smaller studios and indie developers. Any time I’ve applied to larger companies, the ‘bro’ nature of them has defined, for me, ‘bad culture fit.’” – Game Designer
The high percentage of LGBTQ+ respondents in comparison with the general US population should not be dismissed as a statistical anomaly. Other studies that examine the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals in the games industry have found similar distributions. The IGDA Developer Satisfaction Survey for 2017 Summary Report indicated that 25% of those who responded to their survey identified as LGBTQ+. Previous years of IGDA reports describe similar percentages. It is possible that there are factors at play that attract LGBTQ+ individuals to the video games industry.
Methodological circumstances may also explain the difference. For example, the percentage of those who identify as LGBTQ+ is consistently higher among young people, which would align with the younger nature of our sample. Furthermore, our survey guaranteed the anonymity of the respondents. Surveys where such assurances are put in place tend to have higher rates of people identifying as LGBTQ+. As part of the same question, we gave respondents who did not identify as LGBTQ+ the opportunity to indicate that they were an LGBTQ+ ally. Approximately 20% of respondents chose this option. Another 6% of respondents preferred not to answer.
A total of 387 participants completed the 2019 Survey of Program Graduates. These individuals identified themselves as having completed or being in the process of completing a video-game-based program at a post-secondary institution. The participants included both undergraduate and graduate students.
Most of the respondents identified as men (70%), which is slightly lower than the rate reported in the 2015 HEVGA Survey (73%). There was a higher rate of respondents who identified as women in this survey (26%) compared with the 2015 survey (22%). Approximately 2% of respondents identified as non-binary, genderqueer, and/or third gender. Another 2% did not answer.
In a separate anonymous question not tied to the other demographic questions, we asked respondents “Do you identify as a transgender person?” Most people (76%) stated that they did not identify as a transgender person. 72% identified as cisgender, a term used when an individual’s gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. 4% indicated they did not identify as either cisgender or transgender. A little over 10% of respondents identified as transgender—including as a transgender man, a transgender woman, or as “non-binary, genderqueer, and/or third gender.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, April 19 – The Higher Education Video Game Alliance (HEVGA), through its Diversity & Inclusion Committee, published today the following value statement on diversity & inclusion.
The Higher Education Video Game Alliance’s mission to support higher education in video games through information-sharing, resource development, and community engagement is underpinned by a commitment to openness and inclusion. We continue to work to foster inclusion and champion equity. HEVGA strives to increase dialogue and listening opportunities within our communities. We are committed to active intervention when members face discrimination, harassment, or other forms of exclusion. We will advocate for students, faculty, administrators, programs, and institutions as well as affiliates who are disadvantaged based on race, gender, class, ability, sexuality, religion, nationality, and migration status.
One of HEVGA’s primary goals is to work to expand the narrow understanding of the culture of games and game playing, recognizing the importance of access and inclusion for all. Historical and contemporary trends in games construct a limited stereotype of what defines a “gamer,” and renders invisible the nuance within communities who make and play games. Across the games industry, media, politics, academia, and game communities, this distorted and limited sense of gamer identities results in the erasure or minimization of many active participants who fail to fit the falsely assumed norm. We seek to challenge the current status quo that grants privilege and access to those from specific backgrounds by working against the exclusion of the diverse practices of gamers, game makers, and games scholars.
HEVGA values varied perspectives, approaches, and experiences. We are committed to creating a culture that welcomes and supports all people. To facilitate this, we commit to fostering inclusion by:
• Participating in conversations and public debates to advocate for the interests of our members in all their diversity, by doing our part to ensure that important moments of potential dialogue do not result in silence.
• Conducting and sharing research on the history and current context of games education to reveal enduring problems and move toward positive ends.
• Creating spaces to support and promote the games work of members from a rich diversity of backgrounds, traditions, and cultures.
• Listening to our membership through email communication with the Diversity & Inclusion Committee co-chairs, regular open meetings with the committee, and the establishment of an online community amongst the membership to help facilitate dialogue and discussion as we develop safe spaces for diversity in games and higher education.
• Acting to amplify under-represented and marginalized voices through forums, advocacy, and help with professional development.
See our committees page for a list of Diversity & Inclusion Committee members. To contact the co-chairs, email Alison Harvey and Phill Alexander.
Washington, DC – We unwaveringly support our LGBTQ faculty, students, and members and will always advocate for their right to be treated equally under the law and with respect in society. That is why the Higher Education Video Game Alliance resolutely opposes the Department of Justice’s latest amicus brief on Title VII aimed at restricting the rights of LGBTQ people to live and work.
LGBTQ people are integral to the games community and we would not have a booming field and industry without them. In order for our people to have opportunities to thrive, they must be protected from discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Trans*, non-binary, gender fluid, and other non-cisgender people continue to have the least protections and face the most serious threats and acts of discrimination, particularly trans* women of color. The administration’s actions put existing federal protections at grave risk and seriously damages ongoing battles yet to be won.
The Department of Justice’s brief is in direct opposition to The Alliance’s mission to underscore the cultural, scientific, and economic importance of video games, as our universities and programs suffer when LGBTQ people are discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. We are committed to our LGBTQ members and will ensure their voices continue to be heard.