Board of Sexism in Chess? Check Out These New Exhibitions
The World Chess Hall of Fame is showcasing the power of its women
By Erin Blakemore
When it comes to chess, the sole piece that symbolizes a woman—the queen—is the most powerful in the game. But often, female players are treated as second-class citizens in the male-dominated game. In an effort to change this perception, the World Chess Hall of Fame opened not one, but two exhibitions showcasing the power of women in chess at its facility in St. Louis, Missouri.
Both exhibitions are part of a larger initiative by the World Chess Hall of Fame to get women interested in chess. It’s an uphill battle: The game’s reputation of sexism has been underscored by incidents like grandmaster Nigel Short’s incendiary claims that women aren’t hardwired to play the game (something that Susan Polgar, the world’s first traditionally recognized female grandmaster, refutes). Despite the introduction of rankings focused on women and women’s-only championships, the game has historically found it difficult to attract—and retain—its women.
But that doesn’t mean women don’t play chess. The game has been around since at least the 6th century, but the first surviving reference to a female queen figure is from a poem written around 990. Since then, women have carved out their own niche on the board and in play against competitors of all sexes…
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/board-of-sexism-in-chess-check-out-these-new-exhibitions-180958069/#sJfvYYvQWoMoHdDf.99
And yet strangely enough, despite all this “sexism”, female players at EVERY level make far more in professional chess than their male counterparts. In other words, two players rated the same – the female has far more opportunities. There are many tournaments restricted only to women with large prizes, and many prizes within open tournaments only for women. There are no prizes or tournaments only for men. An ELO 2500 female player lives the high life, a male player with the same ELO is generally in poverty. Sexism indeed!
An interesting perspective. Quite accurate as well. I would like a female view point on this. Maybe it can be argued that this is pay back for years of neglect. Let the debate begin or rather resume.