Did you know that nearly half of gamers are women? Forty eight percent? And yet, less that one-quarter of gaming professionals (22%, in fact) are women. How is it possible that women are so poorly represented in an industry where they are equal consumers?

The problem comes down to bias and access. Gaming is thought of as an industry for men, so men are given that access, and the male domination of gaming is perpetuated. The only way to break out of this cycle, to begin to ensure that women are represented in gaming, is to force the system to provide these same opportunities to women. To break biases by equipping female gamers with the skills they need to make a name in the gaming industry.

Gram wants to play a part in breaking those biases. With The 22% Project we want to provide young women interested in gaming with an introduction to the skills and knowledge they would need to success. With a variety of activities, including short workshops on game development, design, game art, and data analytics we hope to help these women to achieve their dreams. The project will also give young women the space to discuss their experiences in the gaming industry. We need to work to change the state of affairs, and this will only happen if young women are engaged in that change.

The 22% figure is based on the 2016 results of the IGDA's annual Developer Satisfaction Survey.