Geek Girls Lambast Prejudice in Music Video

[PedroSteckecilo]

Hey some of my Con-Friends are in this video! Always amusing to see people I know in well reported on material like this... though I guess I know quite a few semi-famous geek ladies... I guess that comes with the territory of being an avid, sociable and international con-goer.

 

[cthulhuspawn82]

I know that the "fake geek girl" insult is usually thrown at overly attractive girls who guys couldn't possibly believe are into geeky things. I feel like such a jerk thinking that a small few of the girls in this video are fooling themselves into believing they are perceived like that. I hate sounding mean, but I cant help thinking someone needs to put a hand on their shoulder and say, "Oh sweetie, nobody is doubting "your" geek cred".

 

[RatherDashing89]

I guess my question is, what are the specifics of the victimization in question? When you say financially, all I can think of is using sex appeal to sell something. Which happens all the time. And as was previously mentioned, EVERYONE with a booth at a con is trying to take advantage of you by selling overpriced stuff. Heck, so are the celebrities selling $40 autographs and the food carts selling $15 slices of pizza.

What is happening that is being called emotional or sexual victimization, provided the victims are over 18? Like I said before, maybe someone's devotion to a hobby shouldn't be your basis for sleeping with them. What is emotional victimization? "I just spent 15 minutes talking to that girl before I realized she wasn't really interested in my hobbies. I'll never be burnt like that again!"

If I'm completely on the wrong track with the nature of this "abuse", correct me. But some more specifics of how it goes down would help, because I'm not sure what's being referred to.

 

[Gorrath]

I guess my question is, what are the specifics of the victimization in question? When you say financially, all I can think of is using sex appeal to sell something. Which happens all the time. And as was previously mentioned, EVERYONE with a booth at a con is trying to take advantage of you by selling overpriced stuff. Heck, so are the celebrities selling $40 autographs and the food carts selling $15 slices of pizza.

What is happening that is being called emotional or sexual victimization, provided the victims are over 18? Like I said before, maybe someone's devotion to a hobby shouldn't be your basis for sleeping with them. What is emotional victimization? "I just spent 15 minutes talking to that girl before I realized she wasn't really interested in my hobbies. I'll never be burnt like that again!"

If I'm completely on the wrong track with the nature of this "abuse", correct me. But some more specifics of how it goes down would help, because I'm not sure what's being referred to.

Your desire for clarification is appreciated. Usually such victimization does not originate at cons or other such gatherings. A good friend of mine used a dating website that was specifically set up for people into geek interests. He was contacted by two different females who claimed to share many of his interests. Being that his romantic life has suffered in near non-existence for a very long time due to his social awkwardness, he latched onto these replies. The females in question leveraged his desperation to get him to send them money and gifts.

One of the two completely stopped talking to him once she had the cash but the other agreed to meet him in person. It became pretty apparent to him that she actually had nothing in common with him and that she had simply been pretending to like the things he liked in order to keep him interested and give her things. She wasn't actually interested in any relationship or his hobbies, just his wallet. He was emotionally hurt by this pretty bad and became suspicious of any girl who claimed to be into geekdom.

The one who had stopped responding to him actually contacted another friend of mine who also used the site and started the same BS. So, why did these women choose a geek dating site as their hunting grounds of choice? I find it likely that it is because of the stereotype of the lonely, desperate nerd willing to do anything for a little attention.

The fallout of this is that the suspicion and hatred bred by situations like this spill over into cons and become the equally problematic witch hunts we now see. This phenomenon of abuse is hardly unique to geekdom though, as any place where you find people desperate for romance you will find predatory people taking advantage of that desperation.

 

[shrekfan246]

Except its not. Its like if i walked around calling my self a heart surgeon because i spent an afternoon on wikipedia looking up heart surgery. Or me telling you that i'm a formula one racer, when in truth i don't even have a learners permit.

You know what a key difference between being a 'geek' and being a heart surgeon or F1 racer is?

You don't need years of schooling/training and an official certification saying you're qualified to practice as a 'geek'.

OT: A lot of those signs made me laugh, and a few of them made me sigh at the stupidity of people who want people to 'prove' how nerdy they are. But as has been exemplified in this very thread, it's still quite common for people to question the validity of someone's claim to nerddom and ostracize them as being "fake" because of some completely arbitrary prerequisites.

Or in other words, hot girls can be geeks too. Chill the jets.

 

[cthulhuspawn82]

I know that the "fake geek girl" insult is usually thrown at overly attractive girls who guys couldn't possibly believe are into geeky things. I feel like such a jerk thinking that a small few of the girls in this video are fooling themselves into believing they are perceived like that. I hate sounding mean, but I cant help thinking someone needs to put a hand on their shoulder and say, "Oh sweetie, nobody is doubting "your" geek cred".

Ok, quoting myself here to try an alleviate the potential flamestorm because I swear the video changed after I watched it. I will swear to anything that the first time I watched, and posted, there were many dorky/homely looking girls there, but every time I rewatch I see a larger percentage of beautiful girls.

I still stick by my first post though. I think when we describe fake geek girls as, "Attractive women, looking for attention." some girls are partially pleased to be perceived that way. Not because of the "seeking attention" part but because of the "attractive" part. And I do genuinely feel bad that some girls might fool themselves into thinking thats how they are perceived.

 

[Weaver]

Err, when people think "Fake Geek Girl" aren't they more imagining the ilk of Jessica Chobot and TradeChat? You know, the people who post pics of them sensuously licking a nintendo DS or in a bikini for views and fanservice while claiming they're super nerds? Basically, people making money off the gaming industry while knowing next to nothing about it.

I've never seen a girl in artists alley with a batman T-shirt get the 3rd degree from some neckbeard. People claim it happens "all the time", but I have female friends, some very attractive, who have been going to conventions for like 12 years or more and they've never run into this fabled inquisition. Also, they cosplay. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I can't imagine it's a plague that runs anywhere but the internet.

One of the same friends is a really hardcore gamer. I've never met someone who has insisted, to the point of contention, that females can't play games. Colour me perhaps a little bit skeptical at how widespread this witch hunt is.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Eh, I get the message of the song, but I don't really think the song itself is all that good, personally.

I'm not even going to dive into the issue it is discussing though, I don't particularly enjoy running through minefields.

 

[RatherDashing89]

Err, when people think "Fake Geek Girl" aren't they more imagining Jessica Chobot and TradeCHhat? You know, the people who post pics of them sensuously licking a nintendo DS or in a bikini for views and fanservice while claiming they're super nerds? People, basically, making money off the gaming industry while knowing next to nothing about it.

That's what PewDiePie does, and people don't hate all Swedes because of him.

 

[Lilani]

But it is videos like these coupled with complete denial that there is any other problem that creates a sense of total injustice to those victimized and, I would think, makes them all the more likely to continue being suspicious instead of realizing that what happened to them does not excuse an over zealous persecution of all geek girls.

But what is the inherent value in admitting there is a "problem" with these "fakes?" What is to be gained from it? In my experience, talking about the "fakes" only leads to hostility from all sides. And what exactly are we supposed to do after we've "admitted" the problem? Start taking steps to eliminate them? Isn't that the EXACT behavior you just said is unacceptable?

These people are going to exist whether or not we as a community agree they are a "thing." And I don't see anything positive that can come from our entire community becoming united in the idea that there are some among us who do not "belong." I really don't see anyone who's all fired up on the idea that these "fakes" exist just letting them do as they please without hostility. If anything, they become more secure in calling these people out because they know more members of the community are on their "side." The idea of our community becoming a biker gang that's all tuned to the same frequency of awareness and disdain toward a specific group is disgusting to me.

 

[Lilani]

I'm still confused on why you would think anyone was referencing the article, when no such reference to the article existed in the quoted material.

Your very first post in this thread:

"Fake Geek Girl Concept Destroyed by Music Video"

/facepalm.

No its not. All you've done is demonstrated that these particular women have some claim to geekdom. You've not demonstrated that fake geek girls don't exist, you've only demonstrated that real geek girls exist.

That's like creationist proving creationism, by trying to disprove evolution. Disproving one positive assertion is not evidence for a competing positive assertion.

The argument isn't that real geek girls don't exist, its that there are girls out there who are faking being geeks: The basics of logic folks. An again i am disappointed in the obvious bias shown by Escapist writers. I get that biased joournalism sells more, but there is a point where ones bias becomes so silly, that you become the gaming version of faux news.

If this isn't you directly referencing the article written and accusing them of claiming that NO "fake" geek girls exist, then what is it?

 

[Weaver]

Err, when people think "Fake Geek Girl" aren't they more imagining Jessica Chobot and TradeCHhat? You know, the people who post pics of them sensuously licking a nintendo DS or in a bikini for views and fanservice while claiming they're super nerds? People, basically, making money off the gaming industry while knowing next to nothing about it.

That's what PewDiePie does, and people don't hate all Swedes because of him.

What, pray tell, does your hilarious straw man have to do with anything I said?
Please, explain. I can't wait to be enlightened.

 

[barbzilla]

Geek Girls Lambast Prejudice in Music Video


The Doubleclicks' Nothing to Prove plays tribute to the worlds many female nerds.

Despite the classic cliches of intelligence, nerdom still occasionally comes out with some stupid stuff. For instance, we're dumbfounded to tell you how the concept came to be, but somehow a bunch of people under the nerd umbrella decided that one of the pre-requisites for liking geeky things was the possession of a dangly bit between your legs. If you're one of the people who actually believes this, feel free to take a moment to find a blunt object and knock some sense into yourself.

If that fails to do the trick, you can try watching the video to the Nothing to Prove, a song by Adam Savage also appear, among others, to lend their support.

We're not going to harp on the stupidity of this whole thing for much longer. Others have already done <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/6535-Fake-Nerd-Girls>exemplary jobs dissecting how and why the whole fake geek girl thing is about dumb as it comes. That said, we can't help but puzzle at why some would even want nerd-ism to be male exclusive. Personally we'd love there to be more women that share our joy of Star Wars and oddly shaped dice. It's just a bit easier to get past our crippling social awkwardness when we have things like the various ways George Lucas butchered the prequel trilogy as conversation starters.

Source: <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Rjy5yW1gQ>YouTube


Permalink

Honestly I can't get a grasp on why people care if some chick pretends to like geeky things. Doesn't that help spread our geek culture? Even if they are faking their love of geekdom, that is still one more person to add to the sea of geek supporters. At this point we are so wide spread that we are breaking out of the minority, that is why "fake" girls (of any type) have started to latch on to our culture. It doesn't have anything to do with us as a gamer, and a lot to do with them as a person.

In short for everyone who thinks that "fake gamer girls" are a problem, get over it please. You are the problem. Them pretending to like our culture is just one more vote of confidence that our hobbies and interests are deemed valid to the rest of the world. Meanwhile when you (as a fake gamer girl hater) make a scene about someone not really being interested in our culture, you A: make us look like a bunch of socially awkward people from a bad 70s movie about nerds and B: cause the loss of a vote towards making our culture acceptable to the rest of the world.

 

[Gorrath]

But it is videos like these coupled with complete denial that there is any other problem that creates a sense of total injustice to those victimized and, I would think, makes them all the more likely to continue being suspicious instead of realizing that what happened to them does not excuse an over zealous persecution of all geek girls.

But what is the inherent value in admitting there is a "problem" with these "fakes?" What is to be gained from it? In my experience, talking about the "fakes" only leads to hostility from all sides. And what exactly are we supposed to do after we've "admitted" the problem? Start taking steps to eliminate them? Isn't that the EXACT behavior you just said is unacceptable?

These people are going to exist whether or not we as a community agree they are a "thing." And I don't see anything positive that can come from our entire community becoming united in the idea that there are some among us who do not "belong." I really don't see anyone who's all fired up on the idea that these "fakes" exist just letting them do as they please without hostility. If anything, they become more secure in calling these people out because they know more members of the community are on their "side." The idea of our community becoming a biker gang that's all tuned to the same frequency of awareness and disdain toward a specific group is disgusting to me.

The value here is not that we can ostracize fake people, that is totally impossible. The value is in admitting that there is more to the issue of the fake gamer girl than a bunch of misogynists trying to keep their hobby 'pure'. The value is in seeing that some of those that are suspicious are so because of bad things that have happened to them. Instead of outing them as liars for being victimized, we can instead address their issues of distrust in a way that isn't totally hostile and dismissive. Instead of splitting apart into two factions who blame each other for the problem, we come together to understand its causes and work to alleviate the roots of the discrimination.

It isn't about us deciding people don't belong, its about being aware that this issue is more complex than it is often portrayed. In what other situation do we gain anything by pretending a fraud isn't a fraud? In what other situation does understanding the complexities and admitting the root causes of an issue harm us? I am not advocating a witch hunt, I am advocating understanding that there is more to this topic than is often reported, that there are people who have been harmed by the phenomenon beyond the persecuted females at cons, and that dismissing those who have been harmed does nothing but make the problem worse because it does nothing to alleviate their suspicions.

 

[Sutter Cane]

You know i fail to see how the attitude that some people seem to have that since some women pretend to be geeks to take advantage of guys, it's fair to be suspicious of geek girls, is any different than saying that since some black people are criminals it's fair to be suspicious of black people, or because some men are abusers its ok to suspect any guy of being abusive.

The attitude is stupid, prejudicial, and needs to stop.

 

[RatherDashing89]

Err, when people think "Fake Geek Girl" aren't they more imagining Jessica Chobot and TradeCHhat? You know, the people who post pics of them sensuously licking a nintendo DS or in a bikini for views and fanservice while claiming they're super nerds? People, basically, making money off the gaming industry while knowing next to nothing about it.

That's what PewDiePie does, and people don't hate all Swedes because of him.

What, pray tell, does your hilarious straw man have to do with anything I said?
Please, explain. I can't wait to be enlightened.

Whoa...that's a lot more hostility than I was intending to introduce into the conversation. I thought it was pretty apparent, since it was a direct reply to your last sentence in that quote.

PewDiePie, and many many other very popular Youtubers, use the lowest common denominator to appeal to the masses rather than offering quality content. That is the category these fanservice girls fall under. Why is this a problem, and why should it lead to girls being grilled and excluded because they are being compared to the fanservice girls, despite their only point of similarity being their gender?

 

[xplosive59]

I have no idea why people would label themselves as a 'geek' or anything for that matter.

 

[Gorrath]

You know i fail to see how the attitude that some people seem to have that since some women pretend to be geeks to take advantage of guys, it's fair to be suspicious of geek girls, is any different than saying that since some black people are criminals it's fair to be suspicious of black people, or because some men are abusers its ok to suspect any guy of being abusive.

The attitude is stupid, prejudicial, and needs to stop.

I'm curious as to which people you mean. I'm not sure I've seen anyone who made that leap of logic. Mostly what I've seen is some people claiming fake gamer girls either don't exist or are in no way a problem and other people saying that they do exist and that they can be if they are using lies to manipulate people. Can you quote anyone who has said that the resulting suspicion is justified? Advocating for understanding why some male geek gamers might hold a prejudicial opinion is not the same as saying that said opinion is justifiable.

I mean no disrespect to you, I am simply confused by our seemingly different views on what has been said.

 

[Jerry Peterson]

OMG so much fail in these replies. And people wonder why Jim keeps speaking on this subject. I'm just gonna leave these here.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/6535-Fake-Nerd-Girls

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/7671-Gamer-Guys