How Australia's gaming industry is leading the way in fighting sexism

At 23, Ally McLean already has what many would consider an enviable career. Currently the project lead at Sydney independent game development studio Robot House, McLean got her start as a professional cosplayer – designing and wearing elaborate gaming and pop-culture character costumes at comic book and gaming conventions. She spent years working directly with companies like Microsoft and Hi-Rez, before moving to community and marketing roles on video games The Witcher 3 and Warhammer 40,000: Regicide. But as for so many other young women trying to break into a male-dominated industry, it took her a long time to stop feeling like an outsider. "I lost count of the number of male executives or established developers who behaved excruciatingly sexist either towards me or in my presence," she says.