Queer characters in media have come a long way since Ellen DeGeneres’ career was temporarily ruined because she, and her eponymous sitcom character, came out as a lesbian in 1997. But while the music industry and TV shows are now queerer than ever before, how do video games compare?

Gen Zers are known as a progressive and inclusive bunch, with one in six identifying as LGBTQ+. Even so, this age group maintains some traditionalist views around gender and sports – in fact, more than half believe trans athletes should compete according to the sex listed on their birth certificate.

Whether it’s going down to the local soccer field, shelling out to see a big competition, or even just switching on the TV to catch the game, watching sports is a big part of Americans’ lives. Canvas8 polled 3,789 Americans and spoke to eight people to find out what gets them into professional sports.

Fans and teams were thrilled about returning to stadiums post-lockdowns, but the honeymoon period quickly ended following a series of abuse aimed at players during live games. The outrage at these incidents speaks to people’s shrinking tolerance of bad behavior from fans and players alike.