Pocket Queens, a leading advocate for women’s rights in poker, has launched a campaign aimed at realigning the industry’s largest tournament databases.
Going live on September 15, the You Count, Be Counted initiative is a call for all female players to ensure they’re correctly gendered on the Hendon Mob and Global Poker Index.
A video accompanying the launch (see below) provides an overview of the issue and how women can make sure they’re recognized for their achievements in poker.
Women in poker are being misgendered
Misgendering has become an issue on various databases as more women have found success at the felt. What is misgendering? As explained by Pocket Queens, misgendering occurs when “individuals are incorrectly classified by their gender.”
The issue is most prominent for women with non-English or gender-neutral names, such as Jay, Teri, and Alida. Poker player and journalist Jennifer Newell is one of the women behind the program. She told CardsChat that making sure women are correctly identified is an important step in solidifying their place in the game.
“We always talk about women in poker and believe that more women are playing, but we’ve never had significant data to back that up. With the Hendon Mob being the best resource for poker data, it’s important that women be properly counted in that database. This initiative is a step in that direction,” Newell told CardsChat.
The number of women playing poker has certainly increased over the last two decades but, more significantly, more women have broken through into the upper echelons of the game. This has prompted the need for better reporting and record-keeping standards.
We need to recognize women’s success in poker
CardsChat celebrated the achievements of great women in poker at the 2022 WPT World Championship in Las Vegas. From trailblazers such as Terry King to women working behind the scenes, like the WPT’s Angelica Hael, the Women in Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a tribute to the game’s changing demographics.
CardsChat also spoke to breakout star, Georgina James aka GJReggie, at PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) in January. She told us that playing online gave her confidence and, moreover, a community of friends. These two things helped her transition to live poker and what she described as the sometimes intimidating world of live casinos.
Women can and should be counted. There have been plenty of efforts to make the game more inclusive in recent years, including the Poker Queens documentary on Netflix and Kellogg School of Management’s business course.
However, these efforts will be in vain if successful women aren’t being properly recognized. That’s why the team at Pocket Queens, including chair Victoria Livschitz, want all women to check their Hendon Mob listing and contact the site’s support team if they’re gender isn’t there for all to see.
