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Indian chess player Divya Deshmukh opened up about sexism and misogyny in the sport after the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament Wijk Aan Zee in the Netherlands last month.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the 18-year-old International Master talked about the treatment women chess players got during the tournament, reported the Hindustan Times.
“I have been wanting to address this for a while. I have been told, and also myself noticed, how women in chess are often just taken for granted by spectators,” said the player from Nagpur, who won the Asian women’s chess championship last year.
“Most recent example of this on a personal level would be in this tournament. I played a few games which I felt were quite good, and I was proud of them.
“But I got told by people how the audience was not even bothered with the game, and instead focused on every (other) thing in the world: my clothes, hair, accent and every other irrelevant thing,” she wrote in her post.
At the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament, Divya finished 12th in the challengers section with a score of 4.5.
The teenager said while male players were getting their share of the spotlight purely for their game, the women were judged for aspects which had nothing to do with their ability on the chess board.
“I think it is the sad truth that when women play chess, people often overlook how good they actually are, the games they play and their strength,” she said.
“If I go to any guy’s interview, there would be way less judgement on a personal level and actual compliments about the game and the player.”
The Tata Steel Chess organisers issued a statement in support of Divya on Tuesday, alluding to the sexist comments she’s faced. “As a leading tournament, we remain committed to promoting women in chess and ensuring a safe and equal sporting environment,” it read.
Divya clarified that the “audience” she was referring to in her Instagram post weren’t the spectators at the Wijk Aan Zee tournament.
“The tipping point for me was the YouTube comments,” Divya told Hindustan Times. “If you look at it from a distance it can seem like nothing. But it’s been years of this. It has been happening repeatedly to me for the past five years. I don’t like to pay attention to such things, but sometimes it’s just too much and crosses all limits of tolerance.”
While many of the disparaging YouTube comments appear to have been taken down by the Wijk Aan Zee organisers, they ranged from remarks over her height, physical build, dental braces, and accent to those that were sexually suggestive.
Grandmaster and former women’s world champion Susan Polgar responded to Divya’s post saying she “consciously chose to look ugly, plain and unattractive” as a young player herself to avoid drawing male attention.
It’s a thought that crossed Divya’s mind several times too. “But then I thought why should I change how I dress because of some disgusting comments or not-so-nice people? I don’t think I should give them that power or control over me.”
Women remain a minority in chess, comprising roughly 11 per cent of overall classical-rated players and just 2 per cent of Grandmasters.
“So many guys have thrown tantrums when they’ve lost to me, just because I’m a girl,” Divya said. “I feel boys tend to underestimate girls and can’t stand losing or even drawing against them. Of course, not all boys, but a majority of those I’ve seen.”
