The Rest Is...Diversity, Representation & Career Progression (With Sophia Aubrey Drake)

This week, Jacki and Lyle are joined by the absolutely incredible, inspirational Sophia Aubrey Drake. Sophia is a transgender woman currently living in Japan, where she is studying Japanese alongside her work in the games industry. Sophia has had a remarkable career. She initially worked for GAME and EA, and has been a languages teacher, a video games specialist at the National Video Game Museum, and a PR & Partnerships Manager in the past. She is now a freelance video game writer and indie game publishing scout, as well as being Developer Relations Manager & Evangelist at Steel Media, host of the Big Indie Pitch, public speaker, event manager, and everything in between at her very own Sophia Aubrey Drake Consultancy. Her incredible professional life is matched by her inspirational personal journey.

In one of the most open and informative conversations on the podcast so far, Sophia discusses how she got into the games industry, and how her love of Pokémon, Smackdown, and Knights of the Old Republic among others inspired her to pursue a career in the games industry having originally studied psychology! Sophia opens up on her transition journey, including how she came out on stage while hosting the Big Indie Pitch, the challenges she has faced within the industry, and any advice she has for anyone going through a similar experience. Jacki discusses her own recent experience of certain prejudices, and Lyle is in awe throughout as Sophia opens up on her remarkable story. Finally, Sophia discusses how despite the fact that created media is becoming a lot more representative, public representation of the transgender community, and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, is going backwards. She discusses how it is important that people understand that she, like many other trans people, just wants to be treated like a normal person, and how she would love it if trans people were turned into NPCs in games!

Sophia refers to an article in The Guardian that tells the story of her transition journey, which can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/10/female-feminisation-surgery-trans-woman-story-of-a-face

For more information on the Big Indie Pitch, head to: https://www.bigindiepitch.com/

Artwork by Daff Kjellström

Music by Lyle Fulton

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