In recent years, with nerd culture assimilating more into popular culture, documentary films on the culture have been popping up left and right. Documentaries on video gaming culture, cosplaying culture, and all different sects of nerd culture that were previously hidden away are now in the spotlight. Yet, there is one documentary that has yet to break ground.
And that is the documentary film I want to create.
In the Line of Fire: Gender, Nerd Culture, and the Women Who Play Hard is a documentary film that follows a group of women who participate in nerd culture in different ways, but come together in solidarity over the behavior and reactions they have received. The film is a way to bring to light the prejudice and bigotry in nerd culture that has been thrown at its female members. And also to help incite change in society by showing how the group of women confront the prejudice and harassment.
In the Line of Fire's concept works because it is a way to depict the severe gender divide in nerd culture through a raw, uncut, uncensored fashion. Through the camera's eyes, the audience will be able to see just how horrible of an effect the gender divide has, not only the members of nerd culture, but the morals and ideals held by the culture. Instances of harassment, threats, discrimination, and prejudice are just some of the events that will be shown throughout the film. And while most film producers would tread carefully as to not tarnish the reputation of the culture, the film will remain true, raw, and uncensored. There will be no rose-tinted lens on the scenarios that these women go through.
While the content will be intriguing and shocking, the overall impact of the film is to incite change. Many people, both inside and outside of nerd culture, don't understand the severity of the issue of gender and nerd culture. They claim that it's just the way it's always been. Or that these women are being "too touchy" or "too sensitive." The film will open the public's eyes to what it actually means to be a female nerd and the repercussions that come with taking on that identity.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Alternate Publishing Plan
After looking around the Internet for sites, I've decided on an unconventional site to post my article on. The website that I would want to publish my article on is the news blogging site Kotaku. While most people would want their article published in a journal or newspaper, my beat is more directed at a younger audience. With that being said, the best place for me to put my article would be a popular news site that talks about general nerd culture news.
Kotaku isn't a standard news site. There isn't a set list of rules about what a certain post has to be on and how long it has to be. Sure, there was a post that taught you how to "use" the site. But, there wasn't a list of set rules about what a post was and wasn't supposed to have. So when I went in search of submission guidelines, I came back empty handed. The only stipulation that I seemed to find was that I had to be a registered member. Yet, that didn't sadden me. I was excited to learn that I had such a freedom to write about what I wanted. I'm not tied down to writing about only video games or other topics. I could write about anything, making my article welcome to the community.
While most readers know Kotaku as a video game news site, other topics are welcome. Especially when the topics revolve around nerd culture. My article is about gender and nerd culture. It's a general overview about the history and complicated relationship between the two. With my topic being centered on a common theme, I knew that my article would be at home on the site. It would create more of a conversation in the community on the topic.
At the Halfway Point
For the past couple of months, I've explored the world of nerd culture and gender. I allowed myself to see both the good and the bad. Yet, while my actions come from the right place, the journey hasn't been easy. And these difficulties have helped form and shape my stance and view on a culture that I grew up so closely to.
After looking back at the posts on my blog, I still feel as though the beat that I have chosen is the right one. The connection that I have with the topic has grown stronger through the research that I have done. Along with that, I learned more about the world of nerd culture and gender politics. Before, my passion was based on personal experiences and research from past projects. However, now my new knowledge has brought to light more information that strengthened my bond and passion.
At this halfway point, I still like my blog. The design is one that I enjoy. And the posts that I have made are ones that I think adequately represent my research. The only critiques that I would have on my current blog is to go back and do extensive re-edits of some of my posts. This would be in order to push them closer to fully realising my research. Along with that, I would want to add a few more researched posts. I have developed my voice on Twitter, but I still feel there is some development to had on my blog.
My experiment is one that's working well. By focusing on a particular sect of nerd culture for each week, it has enabled me to narrow down my efforts. I am able to research and find credible resources. I am also able to give all of my attention to the particular sub-sect of that week. However, I think that I might be changing my experiment for the remainder of this semester. Instead of working on a sub-sect a week, I might extend the time that I focus on the sub-sect for two weeks. This would allow me to research more on the topic and explore the sub-sect even more.
Just as with my reasons for choosing this beat, my reasons for sticking with this beat is because of how much it means to me. I have seen harassment and bigotry in nerd culture since my middle school years. I have experienced many injustices towards others based on gender and the backwards morals of nerd culture. And my personal experiences aren't the only ones that have happened. Through my research, I've read about other people -- of all genders and sexes -- and their experiences with bigotry in nerd culture. Through their stories, I have been inspired even more to research and bring to light the morals and ideals of nerd culture that perpetuate prejudice and intolerance.
I have struggled to keep my posts objective. Yet, with such a strong tie to this subject, the struggle came with the territory when I chose this beat. It's something that I'm going to continue to struggle with, but it's a struggle that I want to overcome. I want to overcome it because I want to learn as much about this beat as possible and relay the information and research that I have found in a reliable manner.
My Journey to PAXEast
Conventions are a hub of nerd culture activity. Members of all different sub-sects from all over nerd culture come together to celebrate anything from pop culture to video games. Celebrities come to shake the hands of fans. Independent artists host booths in order to get discovered. Panels bring the world of whatever media is on display to the world of their fans. And being a fangirl and a member of nerd culture, conventions are a way for me to experience and socialize with my fellow nerds in the best way possible.
Earlier this year, I managed to purchase a ticket for the annual PAXEast convention in Boston, MA. The convention is a celebration of video games and video gaming culture. Tournaments are held all day throughout the weekend. Video gaming companies and celebrities hold panels to discuss anything from development to general queries. Being a gamer, I'm excited to participate in this important annual event. But, I'm also excited to attend the event as a scholar studying nerd culture. The event will give me a hands on way of looking at, not only video gaming culture, but also nerd culture as a whole.
And I'm not the only one who is interested. While perusing the schedule site, I found myself honing in on a particular panel.
The panel captured my eye because of how it's focusing on the gaming identity and culture along with the bigger geek/nerd culture and identity. With this being such an interesting panel, I plan on, not only taking notes and recording the panel, but I plan on giving my opinions on the research and information presented at the panel.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
WeRNerdCulture: New Application!
Are you sick of being told your opinions don't matter because you're a girl?
Maybe you saw something at a local convention that you need to tell someone about?
Perhaps you want to share your experience to sympathetic ears?
Or perhaps you just need to talk to other nerds who don't care about your gender, sex, race, age, or anything in between?
Well, we can help. We are WeRNerdCulture.
WeRNerdCulture is a campaign that as started to eradicate the harassment, bigotry, and violence that has started to gain momentum in Nerd Culture. We promote equality and all around nerdy-ness through anonymous postings on our forums. We hold events at conventions and have spoken out at numerous panels about the rampant intolerance and harassment that has become a sad norm in this culture we love.
And, now, we are happy to announce that we are now launching our new application: WRNC2Go.
The application is set up similar to your normal social media application and has been designed with the user in mind. You can log in or register from the home page where you can check in on all of the campaign's recent news and updates. Through the user home page, you can check out all of your messages and thread updates. You can respond quickly and easily through the interface. Through the forum tab, you can browse through thread types and genres as well as boost, report, and respond to anything that catches your eye.
With WRNC2Go, we are offering two new options:
• Direct to forum photo posting: Now you can post photos directly to a new thread from your phone or mobile device. See someone harassing a cosplayer and need to document it? Want to warn someone about something you saw on the Internet? Now you can. You can even enable the thread to show where you took the picture, just in case you know other nerds are in the area and need to stay clear.
• Emergency Number Calling Feature: Do you know someone who's been pushed to a breaking point? Are you scared for them, but you aren't in the same state as them? Or perhaps you've been harassed or assaulted and need to make a call? The WeRNerdCulture app offers a special page with important emergency numbers such as the National Suicide Hotline and the local number for state troopers. You can even find the number of an out of state state trooper number if necessary. By tapping on the number, your phone application immediately opens up and dials the number.
Along with these new features, we are still offering the same judgement-free, tolerance filled, nerdy sphere of friends and fellow nerds who all agree that harassment and intolerance needs to stop. You can download the WRNC2Go app for free off the iTunes App Store, Android App Market, and the Google Play Store.
Maybe you saw something at a local convention that you need to tell someone about?
Perhaps you want to share your experience to sympathetic ears?
Or perhaps you just need to talk to other nerds who don't care about your gender, sex, race, age, or anything in between?
Well, we can help. We are WeRNerdCulture.
WeRNerdCulture is a campaign that as started to eradicate the harassment, bigotry, and violence that has started to gain momentum in Nerd Culture. We promote equality and all around nerdy-ness through anonymous postings on our forums. We hold events at conventions and have spoken out at numerous panels about the rampant intolerance and harassment that has become a sad norm in this culture we love.
And, now, we are happy to announce that we are now launching our new application: WRNC2Go.
The application is set up similar to your normal social media application and has been designed with the user in mind. You can log in or register from the home page where you can check in on all of the campaign's recent news and updates. Through the user home page, you can check out all of your messages and thread updates. You can respond quickly and easily through the interface. Through the forum tab, you can browse through thread types and genres as well as boost, report, and respond to anything that catches your eye.
With WRNC2Go, we are offering two new options:
• Direct to forum photo posting: Now you can post photos directly to a new thread from your phone or mobile device. See someone harassing a cosplayer and need to document it? Want to warn someone about something you saw on the Internet? Now you can. You can even enable the thread to show where you took the picture, just in case you know other nerds are in the area and need to stay clear.
• Emergency Number Calling Feature: Do you know someone who's been pushed to a breaking point? Are you scared for them, but you aren't in the same state as them? Or perhaps you've been harassed or assaulted and need to make a call? The WeRNerdCulture app offers a special page with important emergency numbers such as the National Suicide Hotline and the local number for state troopers. You can even find the number of an out of state state trooper number if necessary. By tapping on the number, your phone application immediately opens up and dials the number.
Along with these new features, we are still offering the same judgement-free, tolerance filled, nerdy sphere of friends and fellow nerds who all agree that harassment and intolerance needs to stop. You can download the WRNC2Go app for free off the iTunes App Store, Android App Market, and the Google Play Store.
Gender Issues and Nerd Culture
The topic of gender issues and nerd culture is a widespread topic that has to do with the misogynistic harassment, violence, and bigotry in nerd culture. The topic has seen an increase of social, cultural, journalistic, and academic attention in recent years because of events and pieces pertaining to the topic. The increased attention has given way to discussions on the many aspects of nerd culture that promote and proliferate these misogynistic ideals as well as how the culture has dealt with the recent changes in gender demographics and morals.
1. Social and Cultural Attitudes
The original stereotype for a "nerd" is that of an emasculated, white male who is socially and physically awkward [1][2]. With this stereotype in place for as long as it was, the ideas and morals of the culture grew skewed. This, in turn, created the basis for some of the attitudes that spawn aggression and bigotry had towards women[3][4][5].
1.1 Victimization
The concept of victimization is a popular belief held by the nerd culture population [7]. This idea goes along with the original stereotype of "nerd" as someone who was bullied and criticized for their appearance or interests [8]. However, because of how tightly this belief is held, it's often used to ignore the incidents of harassment and intolerance. The logic goes: "because we were bullied, we are wiser than the bullies that bullied us; therefore, there isn't [x,y,z] going on!" Yet, this victimization attitude does nothing but downplay the issues at hand.
1.2 Emasculation
Nerds are known for being physically and socially awkward [10]. They stereotypically lack the standard themes of masculinity: strength, honor, and action [11]. It is through this hypomasculinity that they are often ridiculed by men who are exhibits of alpha male personalities. Yet, when nerd culture was born, there existed in a culture where they were on top.
Male nerds now seemed frightened for this emasculation to happen inside the culture they built out of security. If they were to be cut down by anyone, lo and behold a "fake geek girl" [12], the safety they created would start to crumble. They would shift from the top of the pyramid back to the bottom [13].
1.3 Male Entitlement
The idea of male nerd entitlement (also known as "nerd male privilege") is the idea that "men - often straight, white men - as a whole, get certain privileges and status because of their gender" [15]. This attitude is the biggest contributor in the instances of misogyny in nerd culture. And the scariest thing is that it's spoon-fed to them through television shows (The Big Bang Theory) [16] and films (Revenge of the Nerds, Sixteen Candles) [17] [18].
Male nerds have been given this idea that if they "try hard enough and persist long enough, [they'll] get the girl in the end" [19]. That life is like "a video game and women, like money and status, are just part of the reward [they] get for doing well" [20]. These ideas are dangerous because they perpetuate this idea that "going for the girl" - through any means necessary - is acceptable. And if she denies you? Then she's shallow for not "giving them a chance" [21].
This entitlement has - for lack of a better saying - inflated the ego the male nerd drastically. If you were to combine this with the two other attitudes listed above, what you get is a dangerous combination. The combination, in turn, causes any bruising of a male nerd's ego to magnify and putting the bruiser in the crosshairs.
2. Community Actions
In recent years, the actions that have been taken against the misogynistic bigotry, harassment and threats have been minimal [22][23]. Male members of nerd culture have only increased the violence and intensity of relation towards women who are speaking out against the misogyny in nerd culture. The best example of how drastic these situations have gotten is the GamerGate Controversy that happened in early 2014 [24].
2.1 Avoidance and Dismissal of Issues
Due to nerd culture's history with bullying, members of nerd culture often dismiss the situations of harassment out of blissful ignorance. Bred from a counter-culture that preens itself on how much "better" they are from the others that excluded them, nerds will do anything to keep the idea that they treat everyone equally intact [26]. And this includes keeping these situations quiet.
By ignoring these situations, they are, not only enabling the perpetrators of these actions, but they are also giving them approval [27]. They are validating the idea that misogynistic actions are only the problems of the people who enact those actions and the women who are being acted upon when it's everyone's problem.
2.3 Hyper-Objectification
2.4 Harassment and Violence
In the past couple of years, the reactions to nerds, especially female nerds, speaking out against the misogyny in nerd culture has reached a terrifying peak. Instances of stalking, hacking, vandalizing, and threats of sexual and physical assault are just some of the occurrences that have taken place. A prime example of how ruthless some of the events have been is the harassment and attacking of feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian [33].
Sarkeesian gained recognition in the media for the onslaught of online attacks she received in response to her YouTube series "Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games" [34][35][36]. Not only was her Wikipedia page vandalized with images of pornographic content, but hackers attempted to dox - tracking down someone's personal information such as address, email, and SSN through sources on the Internet [37] - and distribute her personal information. The attacks subsided for a short while, but resurfaced when Sarkeesian was interviewed on ABC News Nightline about her scuffle with the gaming community [38].
While these horrible actions aren't carried out over minor situations, female nerds are still plagued by frightening experiences. Instances of stalking and being left unwanted gifts from male nerds whom 'she just won't give a chance because she's shallow.' Instances of groping and physical harassment at conventions that should've been "expected" because of how revealing their cosplay was [39]. And when they retaliate, they chastised for 'not taking it as a compliment.'
References
[1] "Nerd." Wikipedia.org. (last review) 18 Feb 2015. [Link]
[2] Eglash, Ron. "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters." Social Text vol. 71 (Summer 2002): 49-64. [Link]
[3] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[4] Hern, Alex. "Nerds: Stop hating women, please." NewStatesman Online. 13 November 2012. [Link]
[5] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[6] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[7] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[8] "Nerd." Wikipedia.org. (last review) 18 Feb 2015. [Link]
[9] Ravishly. "Nerd Masculinity: 'They Won't Give it Up Without a Fight'." Huffington Post Online. 06 Jan 2015. [Link]
[10] Eglash, Ron. "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters." Social Text vol. 71 (Summer 2002): 49-64. [Link]
[11] Meek, Will, PhD. "Male Gender Role." Psychology of Men. [Link]
[12] "Fake Geek Girls." Geek Feminism Wiki. (late review) 16 Feb 2015. [Link]
[13] Ravishly. "Nerd Masculinity: 'They Won't Give it Up Without a Fight'." Huffington Post Online. 06 Jan 2015. [Link]
[14] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[15] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[16] "The Big Bang Theory." IMDb.com. [Link]
[17] "Revenge of the Nerds." IMDb.com. [Link]
[18] "Sixteen Candles." IMDb.com. [Link]
[19] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[20] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[21] Dr. Nerdlove. "Socially Awkward Isn't An Excuse." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 24 March 2014. [Link]
[22] Pinchefsky, Carol. "Does Felicia Day Matter At All? (Yes)" Forbes Online. 4 July 2012. [Link]
[23] Lewis, Helen. "This is what online harassment looks like." NewStatesman Online. 6 July 2012. [Link]
[24] "GamerGate Controversy." Wikipedia.org. (last review) 21 Feb 2015. [Link]
[25] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[26] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[27] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[28] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[29] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[30] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[31] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[32] Sarkeesian, Anita. "Image Based Harassment and Visual Misogyny." Feminist Frequency. 1 July 2012. [Link]
[33] Lewis, Helen. "This is what online harassment looks like." NewStatesman Online. 6 July 2012. [Link]
[34] Sarkeesian, Anita. "Image Based Harassment and Visual Misogyny." Feminist Frequency. 1 July 2012. [Link]
[35] Sarkeesian, Anita. "Harassment, Misogyny and Silencing on YouTube." Feminist Frequency. 7 June 2012. [Link]
[36] Sarkeesian, Anita. "Harassment Via Wikipedia Vandalism." Feminist Frequency. 10 June 2012. [Link]
[37] "Doxing." Urban Dictionary. 29 Dec 2011. [Link]
[38] ABC News. "What It Feels Like to Be a GamerGate Target." YouTube. 14 Jan 2015. [Link]
[39] Zara, Christopher. "San Diego Comic-Con: Cosplay Sexual Harassment Takes Center Stage At 2014 Fan Convention." International Business Times Online. 28 July 2014. [Link]
1. Social and Cultural Attitudes
The original stereotype for a "nerd" is that of an emasculated, white male who is socially and physically awkward [1][2]. With this stereotype in place for as long as it was, the ideas and morals of the culture grew skewed. This, in turn, created the basis for some of the attitudes that spawn aggression and bigotry had towards women[3][4][5].
1.1 Victimization
"Nerd and geeks aren't the bulliers, we're the bullied. We're the outsiders." [6]
The concept of victimization is a popular belief held by the nerd culture population [7]. This idea goes along with the original stereotype of "nerd" as someone who was bullied and criticized for their appearance or interests [8]. However, because of how tightly this belief is held, it's often used to ignore the incidents of harassment and intolerance. The logic goes: "because we were bullied, we are wiser than the bullies that bullied us; therefore, there isn't [x,y,z] going on!" Yet, this victimization attitude does nothing but downplay the issues at hand.
1.2 Emasculation
"He is, in other words, a man who fails at being a man." [9]
Nerds are known for being physically and socially awkward [10]. They stereotypically lack the standard themes of masculinity: strength, honor, and action [11]. It is through this hypomasculinity that they are often ridiculed by men who are exhibits of alpha male personalities. Yet, when nerd culture was born, there existed in a culture where they were on top.
Male nerds now seemed frightened for this emasculation to happen inside the culture they built out of security. If they were to be cut down by anyone, lo and behold a "fake geek girl" [12], the safety they created would start to crumble. They would shift from the top of the pyramid back to the bottom [13].
1.3 Male Entitlement
"But the overall problem is one of a culture where instead of seeing women as, you know, people, protagonists of their own stories just like we are of ours, men are taught that women are things to "earn," to "win."" [14]
The idea of male nerd entitlement (also known as "nerd male privilege") is the idea that "men - often straight, white men - as a whole, get certain privileges and status because of their gender" [15]. This attitude is the biggest contributor in the instances of misogyny in nerd culture. And the scariest thing is that it's spoon-fed to them through television shows (The Big Bang Theory) [16] and films (Revenge of the Nerds, Sixteen Candles) [17] [18].
Male nerds have been given this idea that if they "try hard enough and persist long enough, [they'll] get the girl in the end" [19]. That life is like "a video game and women, like money and status, are just part of the reward [they] get for doing well" [20]. These ideas are dangerous because they perpetuate this idea that "going for the girl" - through any means necessary - is acceptable. And if she denies you? Then she's shallow for not "giving them a chance" [21].
This entitlement has - for lack of a better saying - inflated the ego the male nerd drastically. If you were to combine this with the two other attitudes listed above, what you get is a dangerous combination. The combination, in turn, causes any bruising of a male nerd's ego to magnify and putting the bruiser in the crosshairs.
2. Community Actions
In recent years, the actions that have been taken against the misogynistic bigotry, harassment and threats have been minimal [22][23]. Male members of nerd culture have only increased the violence and intensity of relation towards women who are speaking out against the misogyny in nerd culture. The best example of how drastic these situations have gotten is the GamerGate Controversy that happened in early 2014 [24].
2.1 Avoidance and Dismissal of Issues
"They'll insist that they're more egalitarian; geeks hold tight to the belief that geek culture is a meritocracy, where concepts of agism, sexism and racism simply don't exist the way it does elsewhere. And yet, even a cursory examination will demonstrate that this isn't true." [25]
Due to nerd culture's history with bullying, members of nerd culture often dismiss the situations of harassment out of blissful ignorance. Bred from a counter-culture that preens itself on how much "better" they are from the others that excluded them, nerds will do anything to keep the idea that they treat everyone equally intact [26]. And this includes keeping these situations quiet.
By ignoring these situations, they are, not only enabling the perpetrators of these actions, but they are also giving them approval [27]. They are validating the idea that misogynistic actions are only the problems of the people who enact those actions and the women who are being acted upon when it's everyone's problem.
2.3 Hyper-Objectification
"Of course, the other sides of the coin isn't much better; being dismissed for the of being a woman is bad, but being placed on the traditional pillar is no less insulting." [28]
While there are some nerds who are ignoring the misogyny, there are those who are taking a complete opposing reaction to the claims of intolerance and assault. Their actions are to treat female gamers in a idealistic and objectifying manner. While most would consider this a good thing (with "treating a lady well" being "good manners"), the reaction doesn't aid in quelling the inequality. By putting these women on a proverbial pillar, they are doing the same thing they did before: they are treating them differently because they are women [29].
This treatment can go in a drastically horrible direction. The objectification can lead to fetishization and sexualization of the woman - especially female nerds [30]. And this, in turn, refreshes the Groundhog Day style clock that nerd culture seems to have when it comes to gender issues.
2.4 Harassment and Violence
"I've heard and seen the stories that those of you who followed that #YesAllWomen hashtag on Twitter have seen-women getting groped at cons, women getting vicious insults flung at them online, women getting stalked by creeps in college and told they should be "flattered."" [31]
"After struggling with whether or not to make the extent of the attacks public I've decided that it's ultimately important to shed light on this type of abuse because online harassment and bullying are at epidemic levels across the Internet." [32]
In the past couple of years, the reactions to nerds, especially female nerds, speaking out against the misogyny in nerd culture has reached a terrifying peak. Instances of stalking, hacking, vandalizing, and threats of sexual and physical assault are just some of the occurrences that have taken place. A prime example of how ruthless some of the events have been is the harassment and attacking of feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian [33].
Sarkeesian gained recognition in the media for the onslaught of online attacks she received in response to her YouTube series "Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games" [34][35][36]. Not only was her Wikipedia page vandalized with images of pornographic content, but hackers attempted to dox - tracking down someone's personal information such as address, email, and SSN through sources on the Internet [37] - and distribute her personal information. The attacks subsided for a short while, but resurfaced when Sarkeesian was interviewed on ABC News Nightline about her scuffle with the gaming community [38].
While these horrible actions aren't carried out over minor situations, female nerds are still plagued by frightening experiences. Instances of stalking and being left unwanted gifts from male nerds whom 'she just won't give a chance because she's shallow.' Instances of groping and physical harassment at conventions that should've been "expected" because of how revealing their cosplay was [39]. And when they retaliate, they chastised for 'not taking it as a compliment.'
References
[1] "Nerd." Wikipedia.org. (last review) 18 Feb 2015. [Link]
[2] Eglash, Ron. "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters." Social Text vol. 71 (Summer 2002): 49-64. [Link]
[3] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
[4] Hern, Alex. "Nerds: Stop hating women, please." NewStatesman Online. 13 November 2012. [Link]
[5] O'Malley, Harris. "Nerds and Male Privilege." Kotaku. 16 Dec. 2011. [Link]
[6] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[7] Dr. Nerdlove. "Ending Sexual Harassment In Geek Culture." Paging Dr. Nerdlove. 18 April 2014. [Link]
[8] "Nerd." Wikipedia.org. (last review) 18 Feb 2015. [Link]
[9] Ravishly. "Nerd Masculinity: 'They Won't Give it Up Without a Fight'." Huffington Post Online. 06 Jan 2015. [Link]
[10] Eglash, Ron. "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters." Social Text vol. 71 (Summer 2002): 49-64. [Link]
[11] Meek, Will, PhD. "Male Gender Role." Psychology of Men. [Link]
[12] "Fake Geek Girls." Geek Feminism Wiki. (late review) 16 Feb 2015. [Link]
[13] Ravishly. "Nerd Masculinity: 'They Won't Give it Up Without a Fight'." Huffington Post Online. 06 Jan 2015. [Link]
[14] Chu, Arthur. "Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds." The Daily Beast Online. 27 May 2014. [Link]
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Monday, February 16, 2015
Bring Me Your Rage Quitting, Your LARPing, Your Nerdy: A Profile of a Member of My Audience #2
Injustice and harassment is coming from all sides of the gender politics battlefield. Female nerds screaming "misogyny" and "discrimination." While there are male nerds stuck in the corners screaming "misandry" and "censorship." Because of this patchwork of genders, I'm splitting up my audience member profiles into two people: a male and a female. I'm doing this in order to better represent all those who have been wounded in the battle of nerd culture and gender politics. Here is the second person.
His name is "John." He is a 37 year old entrepreneur who runs the family car garage. He is married to his hometown sweetheart Juliet with whom he's had two lovely daughters, Harley and Pamela. They live in their hometown of Towson, MD in a quiet suburb. On the outside, John's life is the epitome of what a Post-War American family might look like: suburban house, wife, 2 kids, and a pet. But, there is much more beneath the surface.
His name is "John." He is a 37 year old entrepreneur who runs the family car garage. He is married to his hometown sweetheart Juliet with whom he's had two lovely daughters, Harley and Pamela. They live in their hometown of Towson, MD in a quiet suburb. On the outside, John's life is the epitome of what a Post-War American family might look like: suburban house, wife, 2 kids, and a pet. But, there is much more beneath the surface.
Growing up, John didn't like the word "nerd." He didn't like what images it brought to mind. He knew that nerds were the weak ones who got beat up after school. The ones who didn't get dates for prom. The ones who would end up living in their parents basement when they were old and out of college. John didn't want to be that, but his love for comic books and games branded him with the monicker.
John grew up with parents who loved and supported him. But John's school life wasn't as great. When he was young, he would get picked on by his classmates for liking comic books and playing trading card games. Wanting so much to fit in, John decided that the only way to be accepted was to join in and keep his "lame" hobbies a secret.
John started to pick on the kids he used to hang out with, calling them "nerds" and "losers." He would tear up their decks and laugh in their face, only to go home and neatly organize his own decks. He would make fun of kids for bringing their GameBoys to school, but would get in trouble at home for staying up too late to play his. In college, John would "troll" online video game chats. He would yell homophobic and sexist slurs into the microphone in order to annoy people. He would tease new and experienced players for their skills.
For most of his life, John kept this double identity a secret. He made himself the embodiment of masculinity, a herculean character to hide his inner "loser" hobbies. Soon after college, John married his long time sweetheart Juliet and moved back home to their hometown. He got a job working at the garage his family owned and soon ended up owning the place. He was the success story he wanted to be, but there was still that feeling in the back of his mind. The voice that kept saying: Don't screw this up with your stupid hobbies, loser!
Through the happiness, there was a tiny part of John that still remained hollow. Thinking it would help, John confided in his wife, Juliet, about his double life. Not wanting to sound heartless, he disregarded telling her about the bullying he did when he was younger, only telling her about his "secret life." Juliet, albeit confused, explained that she didn't care what he did for fun as long as he wasn't cheating. John was relieved, but still worried. He swore Juliet to secrecy. She was even more confused by the demand, but agreed.
Through the happiness, there was a tiny part of John that still remained hollow. Thinking it would help, John confided in his wife, Juliet, about his double life. Not wanting to sound heartless, he disregarded telling her about the bullying he did when he was younger, only telling her about his "secret life." Juliet, albeit confused, explained that she didn't care what he did for fun as long as he wasn't cheating. John was relieved, but still worried. He swore Juliet to secrecy. She was even more confused by the demand, but agreed.
For a while, the reveal eased John's mind. During this time, Juliet and he had their two daughters. The cherry on top of the ideal family picture.
The girls were the lights of John's life. They were his princesses that he would protect beyond all measure. Yet, as they grew up, John started to notice something. The girls didn't want to play fairy tale, but superheroes and villains. Instead of Cinderella, they were watching Doctor Who. John came to realize that his little girls were nerds. He grew worried. He knew the type of people that his girls would come across. He knew this because he was one of them. He tried to stifle the girls' interests when they were younger, trying to have them keep it a secret. But they were stubborn and protested the request.
The girls were the lights of John's life. They were his princesses that he would protect beyond all measure. Yet, as they grew up, John started to notice something. The girls didn't want to play fairy tale, but superheroes and villains. Instead of Cinderella, they were watching Doctor Who. John came to realize that his little girls were nerds. He grew worried. He knew the type of people that his girls would come across. He knew this because he was one of them. He tried to stifle the girls' interests when they were younger, trying to have them keep it a secret. But they were stubborn and protested the request.
As they grew into their teens, John continued to protect his girls. In some eyes, it was overprotective, but John didn't care. He didn't want his girls to come face to face with the bullies he knew existed.
One day, his girls came up to him pleading to go to a local comic book convention. His first instinct was to say no, but he knew they would find a way to go. John agreed only if he could go with them. The girls agree with an exasperated sigh. The girls worked on their costumes whenever they could. They wanted to be the best dressed girls there. And when the time came, the girls were ecstatic as though it were Christmas all over again. John went to kept an eye on the girls, but ended up having just as much fun. He was happy he was able to share something with his girls, even if he had to keep it locked up inside.
As they were leaving the convention, John let out a quiet sigh. Nothing had happened, making him believe that perhaps he had worried too much. But three little words that screamed across the entrance hall sobered his mind.
One day, his girls came up to him pleading to go to a local comic book convention. His first instinct was to say no, but he knew they would find a way to go. John agreed only if he could go with them. The girls agree with an exasperated sigh. The girls worked on their costumes whenever they could. They wanted to be the best dressed girls there. And when the time came, the girls were ecstatic as though it were Christmas all over again. John went to kept an eye on the girls, but ended up having just as much fun. He was happy he was able to share something with his girls, even if he had to keep it locked up inside.
As they were leaving the convention, John let out a quiet sigh. Nothing had happened, making him believe that perhaps he had worried too much. But three little words that screamed across the entrance hall sobered his mind.
"Nice outfits losers!"
A group of kids that were loitering around the entrance had spotted John's daughters and started to make fun of them. Nasty comments were shot in rapid succession at the two young teens, wearing them down. John stepped in to stop it, but the bullies didn't care. They left with a middle finger raised high and their laughter loud.
A group of kids that were loitering around the entrance had spotted John's daughters and started to make fun of them. Nasty comments were shot in rapid succession at the two young teens, wearing them down. John stepped in to stop it, but the bullies didn't care. They left with a middle finger raised high and their laughter loud.
Seeing the humiliation in his daughters' eyes, something inside of John clicked into place. In his daughters he saw all of the kids he would make fun of and bully. All of the kids who he would beat up in high school and the kids he would troll online in college. They were there in his daughters. And it was this moment that John grew sick of hiding.
After the convention, John started to make more of an effort to be more open with his nerdy side. Not just with his family, but everyone else in his life. He ended up coming clean about his years of bullying to Juliet, swearing that he was going to make a change. And he did. His girls grew up to be well known cosplayers online and in the convention scene who spoke out against harassment and bullying in nerd culture. And they're best speaker is their father. John started to become a fixture on his daughters' YouTube channel, speaking out and telling his story.
"I may have screwed up royally in my past," He says at the end of their most viewed video, "But I can help by prevent anyone from making the same mistakes that I did."
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