In this day and age, it is hard to believe that women would be mistreated and bullied for what they enjoy. However, any female member of the self-proclaimed “nerd” population would tell you that this is something that they have encountered at least once in their lives. Whether they are an avid fan of Doctor Who, a level 85 Warlock in World of Warcraft, or a cosplay addict, women get treated differently than a man who shares the same interest. As a member of this group of fantastic women, I can attest to the fact that we have been taught to hide our interests because we don’t want to be judged by our peers. To combat these stigmas, a number of organizations have been created to help these women feel empowered instead of embarrassed. One of these organizations is called the D20 Girls. This non-profit was created in order to bring women with hobbies including cosplay, comic books, video games, anime, and a host of other topics together to apply their interests in a way that is beneficial to them, and to their community. Members of this group form bonds with their fellow nerdesses and create friendships that may last years. In groups like this, women are realizing that their interests are their own and should not be hidden, but celebrated.
A member of the D20 Girls shared some of her experiences that has encountered, stating, “I used to never wear my Batman or Star Wars tees in public because I was constantly afraid of someone coming up to me and quizzing me to ‘prove’ if I was a real fan or just a ‘fake geek girl’”
Though not everything that this member has experienced has been negative. She goes on to say, “LARPing [Live Action Role-Playing] is probably my favorite geeky hobby. I do it with my girlfriends (one of which actually runs her own event) and it’s incredibly fun to drag along my costume trunk and slip into different outfits and characters all weekend long. I love how LARPs give me an opportunity to embrace nature while still feeling in my element.”
While women have faced bullying and mistreatment because of our interests, we should not let this hold us back from enjoying ourselves. If we want to dress up as our favorite video game character for a convention, then we will, and we will stand tall in the face of adversity. Much like our favorite superheroes, we will fight back until there is an equal opportunity in nerdom, and we are not judged because we would rather go to a cosplay contest over a fashion show. However, if you’d rather go to the fashion show, we wouldn’t think any less of you. We all must come to understand that each and every woman has a right to like whatever they wish without the threat of prejudice.
photo credit: http://www.xboxculture.com/uploads/993e9c6bed89ca05cf1b8e5cdf8de771.png