As a result, we’re seeing discrimination and assault within these virtual worlds from the moment women select a feminine username or avatar to when they turn on their microphone.

And for people of color and of different sexual orientations or abilities, they are inhibited from expressing their true identities and when they do, they’re often mistreated. Yes, similar to the real world, but much more exaggerated since people feel they can hide behind their computers and say or do as they please with no consequences.

Queendom is the exact opposite, and aims to remedy these issues by empowering women and minorities to design, create and lead this universe according to our values and preferences — to create a safe, equitable and thriving environment where everyone feels they belong.

The designs of most emerging metaverses are dark, gloomy, violent, suited towards the needs and wants of the majority demographic that are also the creators of these worlds; often resembling a casino more than a new place to call home.

There also exist worlds that are basic, Lego like and blocky, which do not appeal and their pixelated or gimmicky designs won’t meet the aesthetics women expect.

We are building Queendom in a hyper-realistic environment, using the Unreal Engine to ensure maximum fidelity.

Instead of violent or rudimentary games, we are crafting fun and exciting experiences that are enhanced versions of what women and minorities crave in the real world; anything from shopping to wellness activities like dance or meditation to socializing with friends and much more can all be done in a much more efficient and immersive way within the Queendom.

And, unlike many of the metaverses that are founded or led by legacy game studios or capitalists, Queendom is a grassroot movement, where collaboration and co-creation of a better and more inclusive future are our principles.

We’re appealing to ALL women and minority creators and communities to join this movement, to help bring this dream to life before it’s too late and the metaverse is taken over by likes of Facebook/Meta.

How is Queendom different? was originally published in Queendomverse on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Can we only dream of such a place? What if I told you we can start new, in a digital realm free from the powers that shake us, free from those that dismiss us and hold us to our so called “place”. In the material world, our voices are muted, day in and day out. The powers that be lessen our say and only by the grace of their discrimination are we allowed to speak. What if I told you, that for the first time ever, we can create a new world, led by women, minorities(or better to say minoritized!), like you and I. Imagine giving them a chance, us a chance, to build the future we want. Sounds like heaven? What if I told you that this possibility is not a dream, that It can exist, now, in our current life.

So, what is wrong with the world we live in? Well, quite a few things.

First and foremost, our world is built and led by one demographic, and as well-meaning as they may be, they subconsciously build everything according to their needs and wants. Anything, from the design of buildings and tools, the height of doorknobs, to the very medicine that’s meant to heal us, have all been tailored towards this one demographic.

We all know about the state of racism and sexism and the overall lack of diversity and inclusion around us. The “Me Too” and the BLM movements are just a few instances where women and minorities got fed up with the status quo and demanded change. But we know how hard it is to change the world with the underlying laws written and controlled by the very majority who created all these problems.

It took 247 years for the US, which claims to be the most advanced nation, to select a female minority VP! We are struggling to give women rights to their own bodies as that majority demographic sees women as an object for their own needs and wants. LGBTQ rights were just recently legalized and still seem to be a controversial topic in many states. People of color are not given the same opportunity to eat, educate or reside and are frequently and heavily penalized with or without cause!

Beyond the physical world, the internet and gaming arenas have also been catered to this demographic. Minorities have little to no presence and it’s really hard to find avatars that present various sexual or racial differences — a large portion of the population is not allowed to present their true identities in virtual worlds. Women avatars are often over sexualized to satisfy the interests of the developers behind these games and virtual worlds. Women characters typically have secondary roles in the overall story of games or movies. On the other hand, very few women are allowed to contribute in the gaming industry and those who do, are given low level jobs and hardly any leadership power to change these biases and squash discriminations.

Those who are mentally or physically disabled (or better to say differently abled) have also suffered and experience discrimination as a result of these biases. Digital leaders and creators have fallen short by not giving them the chance to unlock their potentials. I recently spoke with an autistic gamer who told me how she would love to see various levels of difficulties within games. Most games are designed to be super challenging even for the “normal” people. The same challenges exist in the XR world; for instance people on wheelchair cannot use VR headsets. These all prevent differently abled folks from having the opportunity to enjoy these experiences.

The Metaverse and Web 3 are the future of the internet and our lives. We should not let the same problems that permeate and persist in our physical world to be carried over into it. We should not sit back and let those who made those mistakes, repeat their mistakes. We shall take the lead in building our own future, the way we see and experience it. Now is the time, before it becomes too late, to step up and create.

Queendom is this dream land, where we, the women and minorities of the world over, design, create and lead our world with empathy, love and respect for all. We make a safe, thriving and equitable environment where everyone feels they belong. Where there is no hate, discrimination or harassment.

Join us in creating this grassroot movement for the benefit of all.

Why Queendom? was originally published in Queendomverse on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.