Counter-Strike Pro Women's Team Pens Letter Calling On Valve To Add Default Female Skins

The Astralis Counter-Strike women's team has penned an open letter to Valve, urging the inclusion of default female skins in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).

Led by Josefine Jensen, and initially reported on by PC Gamer, they argue that while female agent skins exist but they are locked behind a paywall — creating an unfair dynamic and reinforcing sexism in the shooter's gaming community. Despite Counter-Strike 2 having female agents, they are part of previous operations and must be either earned or purchased (further exacerbating the issue). The team emphasizes that default female options would promote inclusivity and make female players feel more welcome in the game.

The letter also highlights the prevalence of sexism within the CS:GO community, with some players reacting defensively or dismissively to the request for default female skins. However, the reaction from some members of the community only serves to underscore the need for such inclusion.

Valve is certainly capable of implementing default female agent skins, having already addressed concerns such as different hitboxes. The team has yet to receive a response from the company regarding their request though.

Open letter to valve. Please hear us out@CounterStrike @AuroraLyngdal @anjacsgo @Ismo_cs @marietoftt pic.twitter.com/uxVjuBExo5

— Josefine Jensen⭐️ (@JosefineCSGO) February 28, 2024