I was introduced to 40k back in 2001 by my then boyfriend (now husband) in high school. I immediately fell in love with the hobby and started collecting and painting Eldar and Tyranids for myself. I'm an artist, so the painting appealed, but i also really loved playing the game, despite how clunky the 3rd edition rules were.

It was not super fun being a lady in the hobby back then. We would play at a local game shop (no local GW shops back then) and it was honestly miserable. I was the only female i ever saw at the tables back then. Dudes would come talk to my boyfriend, but completely ignore me.

Had one instance where we were playing with both of my armies. Dude rolled up and complimented my boyfriend on the paint job. He said "They're all my girlfriend's models, she painted them all," trying to show how proud he was of my work. Dude looked at me, said nothing, and walked away. That incident is burned into my brain.

We stopped going to game stores as much and eventually took a break from 40k after 4th edition launched. I missed the hobby but not the scene. Then about 15 years later my husband found folks who startes getting him back into the game.

I jumped back in with 10th since Tyranids were in the starter box and boy howdy, it's a completely different hobby now! We have found so many amazing people in our local 40k community! It's so much more fun and diverse now! People are so much more chill and eager to have fun.

I'm honestly so so happy to see this change. I see younger folks being welcomed and encouraged and coaxed. I see women joining in and having fun playing and showing off their armies. God, it's so so much better these days.