There’ve been some downright baffling displays of sexism in the geek world lately. First, there was IGN’s boys-only contest, blowing the minds of both males and females across the globe. Then the LA Times posted a “Girls’ Guide to Comic Con” with such gems as this:
‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’Women will be rushing the stage, offering to do star Jake Gyllenhaal’s laundry on those washboard abs that he acquired for the film, since he spends much of it fighting, shirtless or both. Jake, we don’t want to know how to quit you.
Well, not surprisingly, the internet started to light up about that one, and several of my geeky girl friends on Twitter immediately got more than a bit upset at these ridiculous stereotypes. Then one in particular, the popular Geek Girl Diva, decided to let the LA Times know what was what on her Blog, attached to popular toy site Entertainment Earth with “An Open Letter to the L.A. Times from a Geek Girl:”
Girls have been going to SDCC for YEARS. They go because they like *gasp* comics? They go because they want to hear about the latest news from Joss Whedon, or for the BSG panel, or to watch Kevin Smith talk about…heck, anything. They are Browncoats, Cosplay fans, Gamers, Geeks, Nerds, Dorks, Comic fans, movie fanatics, book lovers and for loads of other reasons.
Read on at the link above for the full well-expressed rant, and follow her on Twitter by clicking her name, cause she’s full of gems (and toy pimping) from a genuine geek girl.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:24 am
I caught the LA Times “Guide” several days ago and I had pretty much the same reaction as everyone else. I think I strained my eyeball muscles from constantly rolling them as I was reading it. I have to admit I wasn’t at all surprised in the overall tone of the article, but was definitely disappointed. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I’ve also decided to fight back. I’ve made my own “Logical Girls’ Guide to Comic Con.”
http://www.thenerdybird.com/2009/06/when-geek-girls-attack.html