How Female Chess Players Exposed Sexism Towards Women In The Sport

Indian chess player Divya Deshmukh and Hungarian grandmaster Susan Polgar recently laid bare the sexism and indifference reserved towards women in the sport. 18-year-old Deshmukh first came out with a statement on January 28, alleging that the audience at the recently concluded Tata Steel Masters in the Netherlands was “focused on irrelevant things like her hair, clothes, and accent” during the tournament. A day later, Polgar reacted to the allegations, opening up about her experience with sexism throughout her career.

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A post shared by Divya Deshmukh (@divyachess)

Deshmukh had posted about her ill experience on Instagram, saying, "I'm barely 18. I have faced so much judgment, including hatred, over the years for things that don’t even matter." Several controversies have stirred up in the chess fraternity recently, alleging unreasonable indifference towards women, preferential treatment towards certain renowned players, and robberies at tournaments.

Deshmukh Speaks Up 

Divya Deshmukh from Nagpur exposed the sexism and racism she faced at the recently held Tata Steel event in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands. Deshmukh finished 12th in the Challengers section with a score of 4.5. She alleged that instead of focusing on her strategic game, the audience underappreciated her while picking on irrelevant details like her accent and appearance.

"I got told and also myself noticed how women in chess are often just taken for granted by spectators... I felt it was unfair in a way because if I go to any guy’s interview there would be way less judgement on a personal level, actual compliments about the game and the player. I feel women are under-appreciated and every irrelevant thing is focused on and hated on while guys would probably get away with the same things. I think women face this on a daily basis and I’m barely 18," she wrote in the Instagram post.

Polgar's Account

As Deshmukh's post garnered attention worldwide, Hungarian-American chess grandmaster Susan Polgar opened up about her experience. Responding to Deshmukh, Polgar exposed how even she was rampantly sexualized throughout her illustrious career spanning over four decades.

She narrated, "When I was a young chess player, I never touched makeup until I was in my 20s. There were two main reasons: I was tired of being sexually harassed, assaulted, and constantly hit on by male chess players. And we were so poor that I had no money for fancy clothes. Sexism and discrimination in chess still exist today, just not as much."

Further, Polgar said, "I was often the only girl in all-men chess tournaments. And the behaviour of some of these male chess players was absolutely appalling. It sometimes became very dangerous. I was often afraid for my life. Some male chess players cannot take no for an answer, especially when they have too much to drink. Some tried to physically and sexually assault me."

Polgar has opened up about her heartwrenching experiences in the past as well. She has also supported other female players who have come forward with allegations against some of the greatest living players in chess. In December, Polgar came in support of Dutch champion Anna-Maja Kazarian who spoke about being fined for "not following the dress code." She tweeted, "How about doing something regarding men who sexually harassed or assaulted women in chess instead of picking on a female player’s perfectly fine shoes?" tagging the International Chess Federation. 

In March 2023, Polgar spoke up during the #MeToo movement in the chess fraternity, as eight women accused American grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez of sexual assault. Polgar responded, "I have heard countless horrific stories shared by female chess players about sexual harassment, attack, and abuse," adding that she is a survivor herself. She said, "No matter how often these situations were brought up, members of the brotherhood were protected... Many of us were even blamed for what happened to us."