How can we encourage more women to play chess?

If you go on the "Learn" section of the toolbar, one of the options is "Games". If you click on that, it takes you to a list of famous chess players. Only one of them is female. I don't know if that's because whoever created that page is bious towards men, or if there really are just more famous male chess players than female, but either way, we need to do something about it!

Yes, there are more famous male chess players than female.

Well then we need to encourage more women to play chess; any ideas Strangemover?

Nope, I think that as young kids both boys and girls are equally open and receptive to chess when introduced to it, but there is some fundamental difference that happens through puberty and into young adulthood relating to all games, not just chess. There's not as many 20 year old women that are inclined to play xbox 12 hours a day as there are men either. And if they're not that interested I don't really see that it's a problem.

But chess is also considered as a male game, and that puts off many women who would otherwise be really good at chess, which I personally think is a big part of the problem.

2 ideas: 1, make movies with heroic women chess players. 2. write inspiring books about women in chess.

Have a listen to this interview with a couple of female professional players, the subject of women in chess is from 25min https://youtu.be/IrG_MgiwdAI?t=24m47s

Why do you think it's necessary to have more ladies playing chess?

I guess because traditionnally and historically chess was a game reserved for men... In my country there are some very good female chess players (like Анна Музичук).  Although i know many of them retired because of family (which is hard to continue playing professionnally after).  Anyways there are more and more females interested in chess, so it's a good news!

You are kinda part of the problem, she doesn't have to change her profile picture, and if enough people support me, then maybe I can do something about it, but not with you hanging around, so bye....

Are you kidding.....

I agree with batgirl.

Why is it necessary to encourage more women into chess?

If they want to get into it, fine. If they aren't that bothered about it, surely that's fine too.

It'd be like saying, how can we encourage more men to be into knitting. If any men want to get into knitting, that's absolutely fine, but I find it unnecessary to try to coax people into things they don't of themselves want to do.

After 11 years, someone finally agrees with me!

well fine but only bc i basically need all the help i can get..

ps if u ever call me "miss" again u will find it physicaly impossible to use the toilet. so dont.

I always play with men as a woman. I wonder where the Ladies. I love chess

I think the reasoning is that if the ratio is something like 100 to 1 (which is true AFAIK) then there's something else going on (like social pressures) keeping women out.

So if they're being reasonable, they (whoever "they" means) aren't necessarily focused on bringing in more women, but on eliminating barriers to women and girls who would be playing if it weren't for those barriers.

Of course it's reasonable to argue, as you're suggesting, that no such thing exists. In that case maybe it's business minded people who want more players simply for more profit.

This. I think it's important to make sure that women who want to play chess have an environment where they feel comfortable doing so. However, any attempts beyond that to artificially change gender ratios tend not to fare very well.

What happening in the western world lately?! Everywhere is that brainwash about "incarraging" women in men's activities! We live in a free world, and trust me, if women would be interested in this game they would play it already. Men and women ARE different and it is better if they stay this way, because otherwise we will symply extinct! And yes, this is not the game for women.

So what about women who want to learn how to play chess but the people around her won't let her?

Also, how do you figure that we'll be extcinct when women stop worrying what people think of them?

And yes, this is the game for women.