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Jahara Jayde remembers the first time she felt isolated as a Black girl who obsessed over all thingsgeek culture.
Illustration by Uzo Njoku
They were like, She just wants to be Japanese so bad.
Jahara doesnt wanna be Black; she wants to be Japanese.
I was used to feeling like the hobbies I had almost made me less Black, she says.
Jayde as Barret Wallace from Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Because that was the understanding I was getting from people around me.
I was used to feeling like the hobbies I had almost made me less Black.
The feeling of isolation that Jayde had previously experienced was no anomaly.
Jayde as Geralt of Rivia from Netflix’sThe Witcher
For young people under 18, that number was slightly higher, at 50%.
Historically, the medium has had its racial biases, very overt racist codes, Dr. Russworm says.
A history of white supremacy runs deep in the gaming industry, both past and present.
Krystina Arielle as Captain America
Still, says Dr. Russworm, the industry doesnt value or even acknowledge Black women players.
When they are included, they arent always depicted well.
For instance, the Afros in concept art for The Sims 4 werecompared to cauliflower.
Members of Black Girl Gamers
Black womens very existence in the gaming space and geek culture is an act of resistance.
There’s a certain level of permission in seeing someone in those spaces.
I am a diversity hire.
Jay-Ann Lopez
The incessant hostility pushed Arielle to a place of anxiety and isolation, she recalls.
To combat those feelings, she says, she threw herself into cosplay.
Arielle got into character as Supergirl, Captain Marvel, andSailor Neptune, among others.
Black Girl Gamers/Jay-Ann Lopez
I posted the pictures that made me feel the most powerful, she says.
It was reminding myself of who I am.
Digital and online games are an extension of that environment, says Grace.
Jayde as Sailor Mercury fromSailor Moon
So we can actually talk with someone in California.
And, other than the time difference, everything’s great.
But we’re doing it often toward a common goal, which is super exciting in itself.
What began as a Facebook group has since grown into a community-powered brand and business, Lopez says.
You start to build those genuine connections, knowing whats going on in their life outside of gaming.
She challenges the narrative that says the quintessential video game player is awhite man sitting solo in his basement.
Jayde knows from personal experience the social connection that gaming provides.
She and Arielle became fast friends when they hostedTwitchCons Cosplay Contesttogether in 2022.
And that’s not actually helpful.
Playing video games is often a part of recreational pleasure.
While some have made gaming their actual 9 to 5, for most people its a hobby, saysDr.
This story is part of a new AllureMelanin Editseries exploring the question, What does a nerd look like?
