Just when I thought I was being lazy about making new blogs posts, someone was horribly wrong on the internet and has induced both feminist AND nerd rage. That’s a pretty impressive level of heinous douchebaggery right there.
The person wrong on the internet is this dude right here. While he attempts to offer criticism on the phenomenon of booth babes–something I also find troubling–Joe Peacock manages to write a piece positively dripping with the underlying sexism that is ubiquitous in nerd culture. The lists of sins Peacock commits in this article is long and tragically overshadows any valid points he has. However, I will attempt to address the main points best I can.
Instead of tackling the real underlying problem in my opinion–that corporations think it’s a great idea to use half-naked women to sell their products–he instead attacks the women themselves. Sorry, perhaps “women” is the wrong term. He’s talking about “wannabes who couldn’t make it as car show eye candy slapping on a Batman shirt and strutting around comic book conventions instead.”
That's right, she's a REAL gamer girl. Not one of those FAKE gamer girls. (Seriously you guys, WTF does this s^#$ even MEAN?) This graphic has the added bonus of reminding us that MOST "gamer girls" aren't of the "real" variety.
So, what’s the problem with these women exactly? Other than simply not being genuinely interested in nerd culture, they just aren’t all that attractive. Peacock claims that in the non-nerd world, these girls would only measure up to a 6. However, simply by dressing up in nerdy costumes they ascend to a 9. So these women dress up in revealing clothing, think they’re way hotter than they really are, and bask in the attention of dudes who they totally wouldn’t actually sleep with? Those bitches.
Holy objectification, Batman! Not only did this guy just demonize feminine displays of sexuality, but he goes as far to describe women using a number as if her lack of attractiveness somehow degrades her worth as a human being. Even more confounding is that Peacock goes on to link to the fantastic Fat, Ugly, or Slutty without realizing that he is, in a form much more subtle than that website shows, helping to promote and perpetuate some of the very misogynist attitudes that give rise to the harassment he himself is obviously opposed to.
He does, however, make a good point about an issue nerd boys face in the culture at large. He states:
“As a guy, I find it repugnant that, due to my interests in comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and role playing games, video games and toys, I am supposed to feel honored that a pretty girl is in my presence. It’s insulting.”
In another context, my response would have been “Preach it, brother!” But alas, Peacock is talking about the girls themselves –not the people who decide this sort of misogyny draws more money from consumers.
Here is your obligatory booth babe picture. At least, I think they're booth babes. They could be cosplayers. It's impossible to tell because no one has ever bothered actually talking to hot girls in costumes at cons. They just post their pictures on the internet.
But Autumn! He isn’t talking about the ACTUAL booth babes! He’s talking about sluts who go to conventions in order to get attention from nerds when they don’t actually care about nerd culture!
True! That is the target he seems to be aiming his vitriol toward, but guess what: he is doing little more than slut shaming under the guise of defending nerd culture. Defending nerd culture from what exactly? Why, from poser women who conspire to use nerd boys’ boners against them! This is particularly baffling since he admits that this sort of attitude–that boys are helpless thralls of any pretty girl that looks their way–is ludicrous and insulting. What Peacock totally misses is that he is promoting the equally repugnant and insulting flip-side of that stereotype: Girls are petty, blood-sucking succubi who prey on helpless boy victims.
Perhaps the only statement that might prevent me from vomiting every time I read this article is the following:
“There’s no doubt about it – girls in geek culture have it hard, and it’s probably going to be that way for a long time. … Women elevate the culture, and thus, the content.”
You know what is hard for girls in geek culture? Having to downplay their attractiveness and interest in “girly” things like fashion in order to be taken seriously in the community. Being treated as some sort of awful predator looking for an easy kill should they partake in nerdy hobbies. Having to prove to everyone that they are a REAL nerd girl and not just some “slut with a controller.” Feeling shame for dressing nicely or, heaven forbid, sleeping with a dude she met at PAX lest she be forever branded a con whore.
This comic cropped up a few months ago and showcases the troubling dichotomy of a "real" gamer girl versus the fake "slut" girl. This is a destructive and divisive concept that needs to stop.
Peacock meant well with this article, certainly, but guess what? Girls shouldn’t be required to meet a certain threshold of appreciation of your hobbies in order to gain your permission to express their sexuality in a way they see fit. We need to stop trying to shove women into a tiny subset of acceptable behaviors and roles in order to accept them in our community. Need proof of this weird, frakked up dichotomy? Here you go:
“Flaunt it if you got it – and if you’re a geek, male or female, and you’re strikingly handsome or stunningly beautiful, and you cosplay as a handsome or beautiful character, more power to us all. Hot geeks are hot.”
So it’s totally okay if you want to strip down to your skivvies, drape yourself in Super Nintendo controllers, and post pictures of this to the internet… but only if you can complete a speed run of Super Metroid in under 45 minutes. If not, you’re a poser and a “pox on our culture.”
What this whole fiasco exemplifies is the following: it is incredibly hard to not be sexist. Even people who mean well and actively try to not be sexist fall into this trap all the damn time. In her wonderful article describing “hipster racism” Lindy West states that the best we can do is to commit to working our asses off to not be racist. The exact same thing is applies to sexism–it is so incredibly ingrained in us that we don’t even realize it when we’re being terrible little crotch goblins. This is my attempt to point out to a well-meaning dude that he is being exactly that: a crotch goblin.
13 comments
Rachael says:
07/25/2012 at 1:56 am (UTC -7)
Love love love and share share share the rage =)
Although! I’ve been a booth babe…as in I’m a babe who has worked at a booth for various vendors at a variety of conventions (Anime Expo, Comic-Con & LA Sci-Fi Comic Book Con). Not really much of a phenomenon about us, I don’t think? I’d like to be enlightened, because this is news to me.
Tori says:
07/25/2012 at 7:12 pm (UTC -7)
There’s been some controversy about Booth Babes for a while, in regards to whether it’s good marketing at cons to use sex to sell things. Some cons, like PAX, prohibit booth babes to attempt a less gendered culture on the exhibition floor. The Space Pirate Queen was joking we should bring on the male Booth Boys and even things out, and that works too. Hahaha.
Obviously Peacock’s article stems from a good place wanting to discuss the idea but then veers way off track.
Veritas says:
07/25/2012 at 5:42 am (UTC -7)
Yes. This, this a thousand times.
Maybe if male nerds (and I call myself one, though I try not to be one of these) weren’t so easily swayed by “booth babes” there wouldn’t be a corporate call for it. So, the problem really goes back to men who drool at women like they’re possessions. But gee, blame the girls who this guy doesn’t actually think is hot? That’s just…utterly…upsetting.
Amazing post. First time reading here. I’ll be back many times!
Tori says:
07/25/2012 at 6:30 pm (UTC -7)
You are my hero for writing this so eloquently.
I’m appalled at the idea that we lady geeks have to walk a line — be pretty, but not too pretty, play games well, but not too well (as per your friend on Facebook who has to make sure not to intimidate the boys with her mad skillz but not to suck too much either or she’s not a “real” gamer), like comics but only the right comics, etc. etc. It’s ridiculous and it’s so institutionalized that I know I’ve fallen into this trap myself. Like Sci Fi tv but only the RIGHT tv and I don’t watch Battlestar or Dr. Who, so I’m not really a fan despite my Star Trek love. It’s absurd.
If there’s not a panel on this at Geek Girl Con this year, we should propose one for next year.
Jessica says:
07/26/2012 at 1:19 pm (UTC -7)
There are a few!
Saturday
- “Go Make Me A Sandwich”: Barriers to Women’s Participation in Online and Fan Spaces
- Geekquality Presents: Navigating Geekdom as an Outsider
- Misogyny Online
- Can Geek Girls be Sexually Liberated? (ooh, this one’s new since the last time I checked!! But it’s scheduling during the Masquerade! D:)
Sunday
- Geeky Girls: Sexism in Nerd Culture
- Geek Girls in Popular Culture
- and tangentially related: Nerdlesque: A New Wave of Neo-Burlesque
Tori says:
07/26/2012 at 4:33 pm (UTC -7)
YAY! Autumn and I looked over the schedule Tuesday but there are so many great panels nothing really stuck in my head except that so much is at the same time. Hard choices to follow.
I remember the sandwich one. Definitely want to go to that, and Autumn will be anywhere the SkepChicks are.
I’m so excited for GGC!
HM says:
07/27/2012 at 10:30 pm (UTC -7)
Love the post and wonder why women are always judged on their level commitment to geekdom.
I’ve been reading comics, sf and fantasy (and steampunk) books since I was kid. And I played a ton of games as kid but don’t have the time for it now due to work (also in a developer but in business applications). Based on Joe Peacock’s criteria, I’m a wannabe cause I don’t do everything he deems geekworthy.
I’m thinking of going to GGC for the Sunday events and if its as fun as it sounds?
Tori says:
07/28/2012 at 8:51 am (UTC -7)
It was a blast last year! If you can come, you totally should.
Chrysoula says:
07/25/2012 at 6:55 pm (UTC -7)
Thank you so much. I read that post when a guy I vaguely know linked to it with extremely positive commentary. It made me feel kind of… sad. And then very angry. It feels very much like men being angry at certain kinds of women for being exactly what culture has suggested they should be. And apparently the only worthy women are those who have successfully resisted indoctrination. Which I guess fits in with the whole ‘Strong Female Character’ (instead of Strong Character Who Happens To Be Female) love.
raye says:
07/25/2012 at 7:25 pm (UTC -7)
+1
Des Pickard says:
07/25/2012 at 9:26 pm (UTC -7)
I have very little interest in geek culture – everyone geeks out over something, but why on earth are we lumping Dr. Who in with feature length George Lucas toy ads, and why would the kinds of culture you like – even if you like sci-fi or fantasy that is clever – become your identity? Shouldn’t who we choose as friends, as much as possible, be about each others’ characters and choices and not what we consume? At any rate should we want to form jealous cliques around it? “Don’t let the posers in” doesn’t sound to me like a rallying cry that even a Joss Whedon t-shirt can really dignify.
So “you’re just letting them in because they’re hot – stop it!” sounds petulant and wrong to me, and moreso “hey – you all are messing up our scene, you’ve just been let in because you’re hot!” To me this is more a mildly embarrassing coordinator-class navel-gazing thing than a feminist issue. Fun is great but if we’re bringing politics in at all, we should go ahead and bring politics in – the species is struggling, you’re already at a rally, why are you rallying to Really Like Droids?
Sometimes the byzantine sexual rules that typify our class (what Chris Hedges calls the Liberal class and pareconists call “coordinators” – the one producing proud geeks) become rallying cries of the “don’t let the posers in” variety, while sometimes – as sometimes with the varying rules of the social groups we look sideways at, they’re absolutely essential in the conditions we face for living together as humans.
Kristine says:
07/26/2012 at 12:47 am (UTC -7)
Hi there! I’m the Twitter Administrator for <a href="http://www.geekgirlcon.com/"GeekGirlCon and I wanted to stop by and let you know that I was linking this article on our feed tomorrow!
Tori says:
07/26/2012 at 4:34 pm (UTC -7)
I saw on my feed! Thanks so much! Geek Girl Con is amazing.