As mobile games like Free Fire surge in popularity across Latin America, the video game industry is booming in countries like Brazil and Argentina. This has opened new job opportunities in esports, content creation and game development. But women in particular struggle to break through in an environment riddled with toxicity and discrimination, both in front of and behind the screen. Maria Luiza do Nascimento Santos, a 23-year-old Free Fire player from Rio de Janeiro, has noticed that when she turns on the microphone and players can hear she’s a woman, “it seems to change who's on your side.” For her, the sacrifice is worth it to make a living doing what she loves. But almost half of all women surveyed in 2022 said they played a game less or stopped playing it completely because of online harassment. It’s not just name-calling online, sexism permeates the industry - from esports arenas to game studios. Watch the above video and meet the women fighting for their spot at the console. Subscribe: https://www.bit.ly/3L0j2Ro Watch more videos: https://www.bit.ly/3FPmblU Visit our site: https://www.context.news/ Additional thanks to Beatriz Blanco, Romina Gala, Flavia Samaniego, Leandro Becka, Silvina Lemos, and Paula Sifredi — We make short documentaries, explainers and original series for people who care about the world’s biggest challenges. Context is anchored around three of the most significant and interdependent issues of our time: climate change, the impact of technology on society and inclusive economies. We contextualize how critical issues and events affect ordinary people, society and the environment. Context is a media platform brought to you by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. Through journalism, media development, free legal assistance, and convening initiatives, we combine our unique services to drive systemic change.