Invisible Pieces: Women in Chess

I am empathetic towards women who have experienced harassment or sexist actions/remarks against them, whether that's over the Wild West of the Internet or OTB tournaments or clubs. I see that women have been encouraged away from chess in past years in favor of more housework or something more "girly" (is chess really more manly than other games that women stereotypically play? Bridge? Checkers? Anything?), and I am also interested in how "matter-of-factly" that the VP of FIDE and others present biological essentialism.

However, there is unfortunately a lack of a tangible solution in the article, as well researched and written as it is. What could I be doing as a male chess player to help any more than I already do? I treat female players the same as male players (and at risk of bringing any hot topics any further than they already have, I assume a female that has made it to my level has probably put in extra work to get there, so I feel like it would be a tougher game) and I have yet to act "casually sexist" in any way, or even in thought.

I am sympathetic to both the women that feel pushed out or preyed on in the chess community, and I am also sympathetic to the men who feel as though these articles serve little more than to insist that men are the villain of yet another hobby or community, so I would suppose that my forum reply only serves to ask for a more fleshed out solution.

If I am a male chess player, how do I better help women that feel as though they have unfair disadvantages? I feel as though the vast, vast majority of lichess male players are sympathetic towards the article and are fair to every opponent, male or female, so is there something extra that is called for? If the article serves little more than to complain for an essay's length, then I'd agree with some of the men that are frustrated over this article, but if there are real, tangible, attainable solutions that can be acted on by any guy or gal reading it, then I'd argue that the article serves a greater purpose towards bringing in more women (read: people in general) into chess, which I could hardly argue would be bad for anyone.

Hopefully this reply wasn't meaningless drivel.

Who is Anonymous?

Someone anonymous.

I am anonymous!

@Talster part of the problem is that there isn't an easy fix-all solution. The change has to be in the community as a whole, to make chess truly open to anyone. Part of that is certainly just being a decent person, but also the awareness of the issues and a willingness to speak out when you see something wrong. It's a gradual process but I hope we can get there.

@NoJoke
a 3000 word novel?
Like the 314089475234 word article you guys wrote? Like that?
Like the immense seethe you are presenting us with, projecting your hatred as if it was our own? Us sexists, who are sexists simply because we disagree with your conclusions about why not more women play chess?

You think this is the 1950s buddy? Women are encouraged to do whatever the f they want. Female empowerment is the motto of HR hiring practices, of universities that do mandatory courses in gender related issues, in corporate trainings that we have to attend on our weekend days off or else. In scholarships. In all levels of education. In state legislature.

Who is holding women back? Some trolls? That is what it takes to stop women? I don't think so. I know plenty of strong women who are stronger than you judging from the drivel you give off, and they don't fear trolls like you do. Coincidentally they also don't care about chess but I guess that is another conspiracy for you and your tinfoil hat crew to solve.

Sorry, obviously I must actually hate women because everyone who disagrees with these totalitarian tastemakers is a bad person. Gotcha ;)

> Sorry, obviously I must actually hate women

I think we got that part about 3 pages ago, it was very clear from the first sentence you decided to inflict on us.

Why is discrimination a thing? Women can play chess just as good as men!? The sad disadvantage of humans is that we are the only animal that is racist. THIS NEEDS TO STOP, NOW! We are equal. It’s like comparing an apple to an orange. Would you include the apple or would you include both? If we put people down for the rest of our lives, I am going to a whole different galaxy. I am tired of this world being such a negative place! If we are all equal, then all of us would be living this life happy. We only have a certain time to live, so make it the best! We Are In This Together

Equality has no basis on reality. You aren't equal to yourself ten years ago.

We NEED to change this world from sad to happy and inclusive