A streamer who claims to have mixed-race heritage was allegedly denied to take part in a Call of Duty tournament curated for Black women because for the organizer she was “not black enough”.
To keep a gaming tournament fairly balanced and a safe space for everybody involved, the organizer sometimes have special requirements for the participants.
Like if an organizer wants to have a tournament only for people over the age of 21, it’s absolutely fine to only allow players that are older than that to take part in the games. But what if a certification of your age is not enough and to be part of the event you have to proof that you’re not just adult-ish, but a special kind of adult?
Becky Joo a British Twitch streamer with more than 60,000 followers was confronted with a similar situation but instead of her age, the color of her skin was a problem because apparently, she had to prove “how black” she was.
Having To Prove She Is "Black Enough"
While the idea of a group that creates a safe space for women of specific heritages who wants to play games free from racism or prejudice sounds great in general, Joo allegedly was confronted with prejudice herself.
In a screenshot shared by Becky Joo, Tommii Michelle who wouldn't let her take part in the tournament explained: “She don't have to think about her race as a potential disadvantage or source of discrimination. It's not fair but our world is structured in a way that benefits ppl that look like her and not like me. So no she is not allowed.”
Trying to prove her Caribbean heritage by sending family pictures, Joo wrote:
Having to ‘prove’ if i am black ‘enough’ and then being told I’m not black enough to play a tourney that is for ‘Black Presenting Women’ is insane. After sending FAMILY PICTURES btw.. what’s next my birth certificate validating this? which states ‘Mixed White & Black Carribean’ on too, btw.
Joo went on stating that she was disgusted by Michelle’s comments, saying she has experienced a similar form of prejudice the group was meant to stand against. She added: “Growing up as a mixed race individual was not easy. always feeling like we didn’t fit in. and i think this today is proof of that."
Divided Opinions
People on X had divided opinions on the case with some saying Joo was a “biracial woman who clearly presents as White,” while sharing a photo of her sitting on a chair. The streamer sarcastically replied: “Someone let me know how I’m ‘presenting myself as White’ here? Did I sit wrong?"
Running the tournament held by “Black Women in Call of Duty”, she explained she tried to message Joo after her application to the tournament, thinking it was a misunderstanding from the beginning:
Maybe she just doesn’t know it’s a Black tourney? Because looking at the girl, I know I’m not crazy, and I feel like I’m being gaslit. But looking at the girl, looking at her profile, when I say I went to everybody’s profile for the tournament… just to verify they were Black.
She went on saying:
There were biracial women in the tourney, there’s not a biracial issue at all, and I’m not going to keep beating this dead horse because I feel like it’s being done on Twitter. And if you cannot comprehend what the f*** I mean when I say Black, then that’s your problem.
According to the group’s co-founder “AllGoldQueen”, Black Women in Call of Duty, founded in 2023, wants to offer a space for black gamers and has more than 140 members with African American, African, Caribbean, Afro-Latina, and multiracial heritage.
Black Women of COD was created in 2023 to offer a space for Black women to feel a sense of culture, inclusivity and community on Twitch/COD. Being black in gaming, let alone, a black woman, is such a tough space to navigate when there is racism in every corner. The stream team...
— AGQ (@AllGoldQueen) February 23, 2025
What are your thoughts on the issue? Do you think the group’s decision was right or should Joo be able to take part in it without a clarification on “how black” she is?