Whenever I mention that I'm a developer, people often give me curious looks, but they get even more intrigued when I mention that I work in game development.
At this point, it's important to note that this reaction has nothing to do with my gender identity. If I had to guess, I would attribute it to the common perception that the game industry in Brazil is predominantly associated with game consumption rather than game development.
Many people are unaware that Brazil has a thriving game development culture. (Did you know? Leave it in the comments!)
After the initial amazement subsides, the typical questions follow, and the conversation unfolds:
They: How did you start working with games?
Me: Honestly, I had no idea I would end up working in the game industry 😅
They: It must involve a lot of math; is it difficult?
Me: It depends on the game; some use more math than others!(it's hard)
They: Does it pay well or not?
Me: Is similar to any development role tbh.
They: Are there many women?
Me: ...
The last question is tricky, and it takes me a while to answer because I can only speak from my own limited experience. I began working at the company during the pandemic, I'm still working from home today, and the thing is, I'm the only woman on the team.
(I talked a bit more about my experiences as the only woman in the team in an interview I did on this subject; you can read more about it here.)
So, how to answer this question? Well, I typically respond with:
"Not enough"
It might come across as if I'm bitter or something, but it's quite the opposite.
It's important for me to highlight that there is still work to be done to ensure equal opportunities for women in the development industry as a whole. While the number of women in game development is higher than in the past, it's still a work in progress.
I like to believe that, by talking about it, I am in some way raising awareness about this issue, and perhaps even serving as an inspiration to young girls.
Quoting my own words from the interview (may sound a bit odd, but here it goes), I mentioned:
"I’m trying to preach the seed of coding to every woman I know and the ones I will ever meet."
I also shared my dream of creating a game entirely developed by women, from game design to storytelling, illustrations, development, and everything!
Who knows, right? A girl can always dream.
Also, one of my career goals for 2024 is to take a more active role in the game development community, fostering connections and deeper engagement with fellow female developers, participating in events when opportunities arise, and more!
Therefore, when I express "Not enough" it reflects a blend of challenges and aspirations, with the hope that we can continue to nurture diversity within the game industry.
With that said, I'm here and open to answering any questions you might have, whether they're related to technology, career, or concerns. Feel free to reach out, this is a safe space 💜