What are your experiences with esports as a 2SLGBTQI youth? What would you want to change about the esports landscape so that it could be safer for 2SLGBTQI youth?

2SLGBTQI youth are no strangers to gaming and esports even though these gaming spaces continue to be marked by online hate and cyber-violence. Egale is conducting focus groups to get a better understanding of online violence in esports for Ontario 2SLGBTQI youth.

We want to hear about how cyber violence in esports affects you, how you have been using various esports platforms and participating in different esports spaces. We also want to know how your experiences in esports as 2SLGBTQI youth can be improved!

All 2SLGBTQI youth living in Ontario are welcome! We especially seek to amplify the perspectives of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of colour) as well as trans and non-binary community members.

We invite focus group participants who:

  • Identify as Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex;*
  • Participate in esports as casual gamers, fans, and/or professional players;
  • Reside in Ontario;
  • Are 16 years old or older and identify as youth;** and
  • Are capable to provide consent.

*Or anyone who identifies as a sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, sex characteristics (SOGIESC) minority.

** We are seeking applications from anyone 16 years old or older, who self-identifies as youth. Though the age range of 16-29 is primarily considered “youth,” we expand this definition to include anyone who still identifies with this term.

If you volunteer to participate in this project, you will be asked to do the following:

  • Complete a Recruitment Form to indicate interest in participation;
  • Participate in a 30-minute Introductory Meeting with the Lead Researcher via telephone or using an online video conferencing service, in which we will determine your eligibility for the project, seek informed consent, and ask some basic demographic questions; and
  • Participate in a 60-90 minute Focus Group with an experienced facilitator and a researcher.

As a sign of appreciation, each participant will receive a $50 Amazon e-gift card at the beginning of their designated focus group.

All engagement will take place over email, telephone, or using an online video conferencing service. Only the focus group will be audio recorded to ensure an accurate transcript of the discussion. With your permission, anonymous quotations may be used in publications and/or presentations.

This research project is being conducted by Ariel Dela Cruz, MA, Research Officer, 2SLGBTQI Digital Youth Culture and Learning, at Egale Canada. If you have any questions about the project, including the recruitment form, or any concerns, please take a look at the project consent form OR contact the Lead Researcher at adelacruz@egale.ca.

Concerns about the project may also be directed to the Community Research Ethics Office at 1-888-411-2736 or creo@communitybasedresearch.ca.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Community Research Ethics Office and is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant.

Register Here!

Thank you for your interest in participating in this research project!

Please know that participation in this project is completely voluntary. Participation will take approximately 2 hours of your time. Specifically, the Introductory Meeting (30 mins) and Focus Group (60-90 mins) will take place at a mutually agreed upon date and time.

Please note that the project has been reviewed and approved by the Community Research Ethics Office. If you have any questions regarding your rights or treatment as a participant in this project, please contact the Community Research Ethics Office at 1-888-411-2736 or creo@communitybasedresearch.ca.

If you are interested in participating in this project, please complete the form and we will contact you regarding your participation in an Introductory Meeting. Thank you again!

*Not all individuals who are interested in participating will be selected to participate in focus groups. However, all interested individuals will be contacted to inform whether or not you have been selected to participate. All interested participants will have the option of receiving a copy of the published documents that come from the project.

Registration for this focus group is now closed.

Information Packet

This Information Packet is a brief summary of a literature review that was conducted for Egale’s foundational and provincial esports project, What 2SLGBTQI Youth in Esports Want: Navigating Cyber Violence and Modes of Gaming Otherwise. The literature review findings along with the input of an Ad-Hoc Youth in Esports Research Advisory Committee were used to inform Egale’s research questions and focus group questions. If you have any questions regarding this literature review or anything regarding this project, please feel free to contact Ariel Dela Cruz at adelacruz@egale.ca.

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