“This is why we needed ESL’s Impact”: HEROIC post is worse than esports would like to admit

A few days ago, the Norwegian sports association A HERO caused an uproar in the esports community with a divisive post on X (formerly Twitter).

The post is intended to trash talk the Saudi Arabian sports organization Team Falcons by placing its sign next to a photo of actress Sydney Sweeney under the caption “t*ts or a**.” However, as many esports fans and experts have pointed out, the punchline of this “joke” is based on bad behavior. It reduces the actor to a single body part and sexualizes him without his consent.

Disappointingly though, Public reaction to the “meme” was mixed rather than critical, with some fans strongly defending punchlhas. In addition, HEROIC did not downgrade and did not issue a public statement to respond to public criticism.

What may seem harmless to some demeans women and sends a message of exclusion to the wider esports community.

In our increasingly divided world, certain labels that are introduced or often used in DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion) can be viewed as words to blame and shame another group of people who do not agree with the “softness” of the “woke crowd.” Words like “misogynistic,” “sexist,” “racist,” or “gaslighting” are to be feared or reviled and often create defensiveness rather than reason.

This has become a common occurrence, especially when it comes to comics. How far are jokes allowed to go? HEROIC posts may seem harmless to some, maybe most, people. It may be an offensive joke, inappropriate for a professional organization, but ultimately, the caption reflects a well-known topic of conversation, especially among male-dominated societies.

Perfect meme material, right?

So, what is the danger in such a post? The injury was caused by dropping Sydney Sweeney on one side of her body in a sexually active area. Not only that, but his body is also used as a punchline without Sweeney’s permission. Yes, women can choose to celebrate their bodies or express their sexuality. The key difference here is that it should be theirs to choose when and how that. Consent is the difference between exploitation and bodily autonomy.

“He’s just a person, he’s not an inanimate object,” commented the esports talent on air Frankie Ward in the latest version of the “meme” created by Fortnite’s fan-made awards show, Competitive Awards.

The radicalization of women’s bodies without their consent affects both our professional and private lives, from our choice of clothing to breastfeeding in public. This is also why many women in public or business positions try to hide their bodies for fear of being victims of unwanted sex or being judged.

Whether it’s showing too much or too little skin, the male gaze easily finds ways to judge women’s intentions, value, or expertise based on one look.

The HEROIC post is a product of the male gaze and conveys the most problematic part of it. “We saw a woman and all we saw was t*ts.” Regardless of the organization’s goals, this is the message being conveyed. And because of its critical lens, this post has also been created exclusively for men.

There is no room for women to participate in this type of content because it is inherently degrading. Therefore, the second message conveyed is one of discrimination and exclusion. “Our organization is not a safe place for you. You are not welcome here.”

Do I need to explain why that message is so dangerous for an official social media account of a sports organization? Because sports should be for everyone. Everyone should be encouraged to participate without fear of opposition. In reality, however, most women in sports have faced the same “jokes” and hurtful messages throughout their careers.

And we are tired of it.

“Every day I watch this corrupt, stupid, and senseless industry in disgust,” the esports journalist shared. Hannah Marie in X. “If you consider yourself to be any level of professional, keep this ridiculous bad taste to yourself, and think about why you think it’s acceptable to treat women like objects.”

Women and partners have been advocating for better gender inclusion since the inception of our industry. However, decades later, a globally recognized organization shared a hateful “meme” without being tracked. Although progress has been made in areas such as inclusive competitive opportunities for the marginalized gender, we have not seen a significant increase in female players joining teams or Division 1 tournaments.

In particular, Counter-Strike, the esports title HEROIC is best known for, has seen a tangible step back towards gender equality. In October last year, the women’s circuit dedicated to this topic, ESL Impact, was permanently suspended.

“That’s why we needed ESL Impact btw,” summed up the Counter-Strike host GRUGCEL.

Esports professional Jenna Savage argued in a recent X post: “Sexism in sports and sports has become normal again. These brands don’t care about feedback as long as they get clicks.”

Some of the responses to HEROIC’s post seem to confirm that concern. They range from ignorant dismissals to personal attacks against critical voices. In addition, notable social media accounts across Counter-Strike, Fortnite, and League of Legends have adopted the HEROIC template in their posts.

Those who openly celebrate the HEROIC “meme” may represent a small, vocal minority, but the organization’s silence is even more palpable. HERO has made no public effort to apologize for promoting misogynistic messages, they have not vowed to do better in the future, and the post itself remains on their X account.

Esports Insider has also reached out to HEROIC and has not received a response so far.

To be clear, I am not accusing HEROIC of having bad intentions with this post. Mistakes happen in any business operation, whether it’s due to a lack of vigilance by top management, limited DEI knowledge, or simple misunderstandings. Hero managers may not agree with sexist messages posted on social media.

Also, the HEROIC may have chosen silence as the best strategy to minimize the damage to their business – carry on as if nothing happened until the negative attention subsides. While that may avoid further scrutiny from critics, it is also irresponsible. That extra layer of ignorance is what I criticize. Esports organizations are leaders in our field, and they must act accordingly. They must hold themselves accountable when necessary, lead by example, admit mistakes, do better, and rebuild lost trust.

“It’s very important that you at least do a little bit and consult with other people – especially women and other disadvantaged groups – to get a second opinion,” emphasized another X user. “Actually, I don’t think this tweet was done maliciously, but it was done out of ignorance.”

Since HEROIC released the split, an X user has come forward who alleges that he was fired from the organization after serving as its social media manager for three years. However, I still believe that public action could have had a significant impact on reducing the damage.

Of course, they cannot eliminate DEI’s systemic problems or stop anti-LGBTQ legislation. But they hold great social power and status in their field. They have a voice, and they can choose how to use it. They must listen to the voices of those who are discriminated against in sports arenas to stop perpetuating harmful tropes and help break down barriers to an inclusive and equitable ecosystem.

Because if they don’t listen to women, why should their fans?