Geeks
I know I've discussed this somewhat before, but after perusing both Seven Hells, and subsequently Written World, I began thinking further about women who read comic books and do other "geeky guy" things.A few years ago I remember one of those spoof emails going around that listed the 10 things that could be used to identify a geek. Looking back on some of the activities listed I have to wonder why geekdom is usually associated with guys. Here were some of the things listed:
Comic Books
Well anyone who reads this blog is well aware of the fact that I am a comic book fan. While I realize that comic books have a larger male fan base, I find it odd how suprised guys are when they find out I know more about comics than they do (usually). I know many female comic book fans - it's hard to believe we're such a rarity that the cashiers at the stores look at us bug eyed when we walk up to the counter with an issue of Batman.
Star Trek etc
I'm a trekkie... my sister's a trekkie... heck, my Mom's a trekkie. In fact I think I know more girls who are into Star Trek, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings than I know guys. Actually I've always found sci-fi and D&D type fantasy more appealing than Friends or Sex in the City.
Video Games
Ah, another type of store where I get funny looks from the cashiers - places like Game Stop and EB. Obviously I'm there to buy a gift for my boyfriend or my brother. *sigh* I will admit that I don't know all that many girls who play video games on a regular basis, but still, I know they're out there.
RPGs
Even I have to admit that my one female player recently dropped out of my tabletop game. I have to assume this is because a lot of boys grew up playing D&D and other rpgames while girls usually don't become exposed to it until later in life. I didn't even discover the world of gaming until I went to college and fell in with local comic book geeks who introduced me to LARPing. It is pretty hard for girls to get into the LARP side of gaming sometimes... many of the guys look at you as if they've never seen a girl before. Still, most of my female friends are into some sort of RPGing.
Online RPGsWhen I played both Everquest and War of Warcraft people assumed I was a guy. A lot of this has to do with the fact that so many guys make female characters on these games, but the amount of times people refered to me as "bro"... well, lets just say it got old.
I guess the point of all this is that women are just as likely to enjoy "geeky" stuff as guys are. Maybe the market shouldn't just be opening up to kids to get more readers... maybe they should also clue into the fact that women are interested in the market too. Maybe then I'll walk into new comic or gaming stores without feeling like the cashier has never seen breasts on someone before.
posted by Gwen at 9:10 PM
27 Comments:
Nice blog. Really enjoyed reading it. Of course I had no influence on your getting you into any of that stuff.
oh, of course not =P
Hey, what else was on the e-mail?
I know "real" females are a minority in online games, but it's not that small. I've known plenty of female players in all the games I've played, and nobody has ever accused me of being a guy in drag.
Maybe it's a WoW thing.
All I can speak to is females who enjoy comics. Finding one is rarer than finding a $5 hooker in Beverley Hills. Believe me, I've tried. Girls don't get the geek label as often as guys cuz, no matter what, a female can always be hot no matter what she's doing. Take a guy and dress him up as Frodo and he's a geek no matter what he looks like. Take a girl and put her into one of those elf outfits with the shortpants and curly shoes and the male mind starts fantasizing. Take a guy and dress him like a Klingon and you've got a a big, fat doof whose got no shot of getting laid. Take a girl and dress her up as a Klingon and the male juices start flowing. It all comes down to the natural reaction of human beings. We see a male walking down the street naked and both men and women will start to laugh no matter how hot the guy is. You see a hot female walking down the street and both men and women start to get aroused. Simple psychology.
The good news for online role-playing geeks is that SIMS and WoW have made this hobby no longer geeky. Can't be geeky if everyone does it. Of the things you listed, I would order their geekyness like this: Most geeky to least geeky--D&D, Star Trek, Comic Books, Video Games. So stay happy and get your Geek On!!!!
Ragnell - I can't remember the exact list, but I think it was:
Comics
Star Trek
Star Wars
RPG
LARP
Online RPG
Video Games
Fuzzies (I chose not to discuss this one because I didn't even know what it was until I read the email)
Lord of the Rings
Conventions (which I excluded because I don't think anyone can claim that they're suprised to see a girl at a con)
Marionette - WoW has gotten better, but people still assume a female character is a guy until I know better. In fact many of my male friends who play say that this is the "safest" thing to assume. There are more female players with stuff like WoW and City of Heros though.
Jeff - so because girls can be hot and geeky, it makes them less geeky? I guess that kind of makes sense. I'm still creeped out by one of the local comic stores down here and their sign that they are looking for another player for their D&D game - preferably female
Right. Guys are either cool or geeky. Girls can be both. There's even a group of girls online called the Suicide Girls who are geeky goth chicks who pose nude, or so I've heard. According to the business reports, they have been so successful that Playboy is thinking of buying them out and adding them to the empire. And I would definately steer clear of D&D guys looking for a female player. So how do you rate on the geek-o-meter? I'm only into comics, video games and Lord of the Rings so I guess I score pretty low. How about you?
Jeff - So you've heard?
Hmm, I'm into comics, video games, D&D (we have a non-creepy group, I'm not even the only female player), other RPGs, I used to play WoW and EQ, I used to go to cons (I dressed up as Kagome from Inuyasha), I used to LARP, I have all of TNG and some of DS9, I was a late bloomer on LotR but have become a fan - I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but I can quote the first 3 movies fairly well since a former roommate of mine was obsessed. Not into the Fuzzie thing. At all. Ew.
I've always said that everyone is geeky about something. Some guys are gearheads and are geeked out over the latest Car&Driver. Some guys geek out over tech gadgets. Some women are geeked out over fashion. My sister geeks out over tea cups and hatpins. Everyone geeks out over at least one thing in their lives. It's what makes life worth living. Whether it's sports, D&D, gambling, comics or whathaveyou, everyone is a geek. We should all just let each other geek out over whatever floats your boat. Name calling isn't necessary.
haha, I don't mind people calling me a geek - there are much worse things you can be called.
So off topic, here's a geeky question for ya Cshinana: I know that you think Dick and Babs are perfect for each other, but who do you think is just right for Brucie? Selina's pregnant with maybe his kid. In another reality he's had Talia's son. Or maybe you're a Julie Madison fan. Do you prefer the classic of Vikki Vale? Or maybe you like Bruce+Silver St. Cloud. Who will it be?
Jeff, dear...WTF?
I mean, seriously...WTF?
I promise you that if I ever witness Orlando Bloom walking down the street naked - you may hear some squeels or giggles of delight from me - but the last thing you're going to hear or see is me laughing at him...or staring at the naked woman beside him instead.
And Michael Dorn as Worf is way sexier than any female Klingon any day of the week - even without a peekaboo outfit like the infamous sisters wore.
"so because girls can be hot and geeky, it makes them less geeky?"
Yes, just like how Penny Gadget was never thought of as a geek within the show because no one would believe she was that smart.
(you, know, just like how women don't read comics, watch Star Wars or Star Trek, read science-fiction, play viedo games, blah blah blah....)
I always liked Talia with Bruce - I always thought it was the better romance. Talia was the most interesting woman he was ever involved with.
Despite being a straight female I do have to say that most naked women are more attractive naked than MOST naked men.
I was actually sharing some findings from a recent psychological journal my uncle, a pscychologist for the last 45 years, shared with me. I don't know how much weight that gives it, but there you have it. Whatever the experts say, most people will tell you that the female form is above and beyond the more attractive of the the 2 sexes.
There have been lots of famous geeky guys in entertainment, but who do you think is the most famous geeky girl??
Take care! Have fun! Never be ashamed to fly that Geek-flag high!! And Cshiana, you should link to that audio file Jim sent me called The Geek Wants Out. Hilarious!!!
I have to say, even if it was Orlando Bloom, I'd still be stifling a snicker, if not actually laughing. Male genitalia is just so incredibly undignified. From the back, guys are fine - nothing to laugh about. Chest, legs, all good - but expose what's in between and somehow, the aesthetic value is lost!
I'm sorry, I'm at the wrong web site, I thought this was about comic books and gaming.
It is - but even the most focused of blogs can still end up with rabbit trails in the comment threads. =)
Rabbit trails?? More like a meandering path that leads to nowhere in the woods - leaving you to scream - HELP I'M LOST.
Which can be fun.
Jim -- Please, discussing the body parts of movie stars, friends, and comic book characters of the opposite gender of the blog owner? Hell yeah, this is a comic blog. Where have you been surfing?
(Oh, and cshiana -- Most people who aren't Furries choose not to discuss them)
Ragnell... yes, I'd believe that to be the case ;)
Ragnell - on the west coast and Hawaii - better waves.
Jim -- Ahh... I'm from the East, living in the Midwest, so it would take too long to chose just one of the many insults towards that part of the country I've heard. :)
Ragnell - I was being sarcastic, I'm actually an in Maryland.
Jim -- Even worse! I was born in Pennsylvania.
Ragnell - and Oklahoma is better?
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