Liah: Gender Bias Research Review
A study published by NYU with contributions by Jennifer Shahade, two-time U.S. Women’s Champion, proved gender bias in chess.
BY LIAH IGEL
THE BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
HER LEAGUE COACH & HER NEWS COLUMNIST
We’ve always heard about the gender inequality in chess – there’s an overwhelming majority of men playing the game, especially competitively– it’s a fact. However, many have said this simply based on observations without raw data backing up their claims. This now changes. Recently, a study published by NYU (with contributions by Jennifer Shahade, two-time U.S. Women’s Champion) scientifically proved the gender bias that is so omnipresent in chess to be true.
Image generated with AI powered by Microsoft Copilot.
Researchers searched for an answer to their questions regarding gender bias. They found answers by interviewing parents and mentors and examining their possible bias against female youth. Parents were essentially told to rate their children (coaches to rate their students) in terms of their potential abilities in chess development by taking factors like willingness to spend money into consideration.
The interviewed parents and mentors were asked to give their evaluations on almost 650 youth chess players, and were questioned “if they thought aptitude in chess requires brilliance.” After researchers collected and evaluated the data, they found the results to only confirm their original suspicions: bias against girls in chess is unarguably present. Parents and mentors generally evaluated male youth players more positively than female youth players, believing that males will have a higher future rating.
The mentors and parents who believed that “brilliance” is required to aptly play chess also supported the notion that female players generally lack this quality and are more likely to quit the game due to poor skill. This sample group also disbelieved that girls face a less supportive environment than boys in chess, disagreeing that this issue is causing girls to quit the game. Finally, they don’t recognize that their assumptions can create extra challenges for girls to play and succeed in chess.
As can be seen from the study, gender bias truly does exist. Youth female players who are just entering the playing field of the male-dominated game immediately face a disadvantage. On the other hand, male players do not face the same obstacles. The fact that this disadvantage is due to adults and their poor leadership is a concept that many have not considered. It is imperative to understand this perspective in order to address the gender bias in chess.
Now that we acknowledge the problem, we must look beyond the article and take the first step in alleviating it by widely recognizing and addressing this gender bias. Spreading awareness of the unfair circumstances can influence adults to rethink their beliefs regarding female youth and their potential in chess. By educating adults on how harmful their assumptions are, the gender bias can dissipate and stop limiting female youth in chess.
Encouraging female youth to participate and play chess in schools, tournaments, and organizations like Her Move Next is also a huge step in the right direction, as it helps these players find a nurturing community. This can in turn prevent the growing issue of girls quitting chess due to a lack of reassurement.
What’s most important is for female players to uplift and support other female players, even at competitions when they may play against one another. If a strong community of girls in chess can be formed, then any hurdle can be overcome, and together, we can do just that.