A Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour player is calling for more gender diversity in the game.

Valerie Dawn estimates fewer than 10 per cent of tournament players are women. Dawn is now part of that small percentage, after she transitioned this year.

“I was afraid [to come out] for a very long time. People are a little bit set in their ways, so I was afraid, but it has been surprisingly positive,” said Dawn, a Pro Tour player and Saskatchewan’s highest level Magic judge.

Magic: The Gathering is a card game with more than 12 million players worldwide. In the game, players duel each other using creatures and spells from a customizable deck of cards.

At Magic events, Dawn said women often face questions about their authenticity.

“It’s very common that people will be like, ‘Oh, where’s your boyfriend’ or ‘You’re not actually here for the game. You’re just tagging along or here to get attention,’” Dawn said.

Sexism pushes women out of the game

Many female players have been pushed out of the game because of harassment – most notably Christine Sprankle, one the world’s most popular Magic Cosplayers. Sprankly announced last year she was leaving Magic after being harassed by another player.

“I’ve had numerous experiences that were very, very uncomfortable as a female Magic player. I’ve had multiple opponents rage quit, ‘I can’t believe I just lost to a girl’… I have been sexually harassed at a Magic: The Gathering tournament before,” YouTuber Sheeb said in a video explaining why she quit playing Magic.

Being an ally to female players

Jeff Kocur, co-owner of Saskatoon’s Amazing Stories store, said it’s important that women feel comfortable in their local gaming store.

"More women behind the counters. At our store, we have a lot of women who work here and work the Magic counters. So we do get some gals buying singles and product and playing here."

Dawn said she works hard to be a role model for girls getting into the game and to make Magic a welcoming environment.

"You know everyone's here to play the game. Everyone's here to have fun people can like whatever they like," Dawn said.