This story was originally published on Passionfruit.
“As a child, I would fight for my spot at the console with my brother,” entrepreneur Faryal Maryam Hussain told Passionfruit in an interview. Faryal is the founder and CEO of Oddsock, a female-led 2D game design studio based in Lahore, Pakistan.
Faryal said it was always her brother’s prerogative to pick and play games to wind down after school. She said she vividly remembers how their mom would never disturb her brother during game time, but Faryal would have to do chores.
“It was always me running around, pausing my game, and never him because he is a boy, ‘Let him enjoy his time,’” Faryal said.
Faryal’s memory is not unique. Multiple female gamers in Pakistan told Passionfruit they are often not taken as seriously as their male counterparts due to Pakistan’s culture being rooted in patriarchy, where male privilege dominates every aspect of a woman’s life. Pakistani women told Passionfruit playing indoor or outdoor games is often considered a waste of time for girls, as they could be using that time to learn life skills like chores. Meanwhile, they said boys are frequently allowed to spend hours at a time devoted to leisure.
