Jen Shadade has been an inspiration to girls and young women in ASAP’s chess community for years, helping them to embrace their brilliance and find the confidence to persevere in an environment that has been historically unwelcoming and disparaging toward women. Her story and the allegations of other assaults and misconduct that have victimized women and girls in chess are saddening and deeply disturbing. They warrant a thorough investigation and a broader reckoning of the toxic misogyny that persists in the world of chess. They also underscore the vital responsibility that all chess organizations have to ensure the safety of their participants. Chess-playing women and girls everywhere deserve nothing less.
In this most important work, we remain grateful to Jen and all the other brave women who continue to inspire our girls with their courage and their conviction.
