Choose Your Character — Brianna Wu

Tech feminist Brianna Wu has been a powerful voice for women in the game industry. Since being targeted by Gamergate, a misogynistic hate movement, she's been the target of unprecedented death threats, rape threats and harassment. In this powerful talk, she discusses the origins of her studio Giant Spacekat, their vision for games, and how she stays true to what she believes.

This talk was presented at AltConf in June 2015.

Transcript

1. NINE WAYS TO START HELPING AND STOP HURTING WOMEN IN TECH FOLLOW UP
2. GIANT SPACEKAT BRIANNA WU HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT @SPACEKATGAL
3. Telling Women our experiences are Wrong STOP - We live these things EVERY DAY. - Our opinion is INFORMED by our lives. - Even if the OPINION is incorrect, the EMOTION is always true. #2 GIANT SPACEKAT
4. Making WIT issues all About Men STOP - It’s NOT about you. - Your views are ALREADY represented. - Learn the RING THEORY of how not to be obnoxious. #3 GIANT SPACEKAT
5. Thinking sexism in tech is a Mad Men Moment STOP - Sexism in tech is almost NEVER guys telling women they belong in the kitchen and not in the office. - Sexism in tech is, “Death by 1000 Cuts.” It’s a series of MICROAGRESSIONS. - Guys don’t see the way that the culture is built around them. You don’t see the THOUSANDS of things that push women away. #7 GIANT SPACEKAT
6. AFTERMATH OF LAST YEAR’S ALTCONF TALK ALMOST 15,000 VIEWS
7. THE RESPONSE BLIND, SCREAMING PANIC
8. GAMES ARE CHANGING THIS IS A GOOD THING
9. I WOULD RATHER TALK ABOUT GAME DEVELOPMENT OR STAR WARS, OR EDM, OR YOUR PICTURE OF LUNCH ON INSTAGRAM, OR LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE.
10. WHERE DID THIS ALL START? ANITA SARKEESIAN FEMINIST FREQUENCY
11. THE JULY INCIDENT [NAME WITHHELD] CRITIQUING GIANT BOMB
12. THE ZOE QUINN INCIDENT THE START OF #GAMERGATE HASHTAG
13. THE MOST SEXIST INCIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES DESTROYING A WOMAN AS ENTERTAINMENT
14. PROJECT DATE CLIENT ATTACKING US ONE BY ONE THE PLAYBOOK
15. WHAT WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY WERE SAYING. WE WERE SCARED. WE FELT LIKE WE WERE LOSING.
16. THEY WENT AFTER ME INTO THE RABBIT HOLE
17. PROJECT DATE CLIENT THE TWEET THAT CHANGED MY LIFE ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE
18. DEATH THREATS GETTING THE POLICE INVOLVED
19. THE MEDIA FIRESTORM WHY I DIDN'T STAY SILENT
20. CHANGING THE NARRATIVE MSNBC CNN PBS BBC NPR GUARDIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL CBC BOSTON GLOBE THE VERGE HUFFINGTON POST CBS
21. THE CULTURE OR THE PLAYER WHAT’S THE REAL PROBLEM?
22. CULTURE OF INTIMIDATION ESCALATES
23. THE MOST SURREAL MOMENT OF MY LIFE SEEING A CHARACTER BASED ON ME ON LAW AND ORDER
24. BEING IN THE CENTER OF A CONTROVERSY HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB?
25. WORKING TO GET PROSECUTIONS AN UPHILL, DRAINING BATTLE
26. SEA LIONING CONSTANT SEA LIONING
27. SEA LIONING CONSTANT SEA LIONING
28. WAS IT WORTH IT? THE BIG QUESTION
29. “AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE. DO YOU CARE ABOUT THIS OR DO YOU NOT CARE ABOUT THIS? YOU CAN'T SAY 'OH, I AGREE WITH THIS IN PRINCIPLE BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT INCONVENIENCES ME IN ANY WAY.' AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR OAR IN." JOHN SIRACUSA - ACCIDENTAL TECH PODCAST
30. ` OH MY GOD, DO WE NEED THEM
31. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR GIANT SPACEKAT? ARE YOU STAYING? ARE YOU LEAVING?
32. GSX PROJECT DATE CLIENT 02/27/15 “WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.”
33. QUESTIONS FOLLOW ME AT @SPACEKATGAL ON TWITTER