Leslie Simon - Geek girls unite: how fangirls, bookworms, indie chicks, and other misfits are taking over the world

Geek Girls Unite

How Fangirls, Bookworms, Indie Chicks, and Other Misfits Are Taking Over the World

Leslie Simon

Illustrations by Nan Lawson

To all the bands that have appeared on the soundtrack of my life, and all the songs that have gotten me through the awesome times, the awful times, and all the stuff in between

Contents

I won the Invention Convention in second grade for creating Stegosaurus Cereal, a breakfast snack that was packed with nutrients and educational tidbits about our now-extinct terrestrial vertebrate friends. In seventh grade, I wrote the lyrics to the Eagles Hotel California and Don McLeans American Pie on flash cards so I could memorize them and then sing along effortlessly when they were played at bar and bat mitzvahs. When I was twelve, I used to hold a tape recorder up to my television speakers to record episodes of the original Beverly Hills, 90210 so I could listen to them while I sat by the pool. I keep a stash of Hello Kitty Band-Aids in my purse at all times. When Im waiting for the subway, I often pass the time by trying to brainstorm new portmanteaus. I wouldnt dare upgrade my cell phone without consulting Bonnie Chas reviews on CNet.com. I have a long-standing date with Gilmore Girls every weekday at 5:00 p.m. on ABC Family. Most of my Facebook status updates are Liz Lemon quotes from 30 Rock . One of my goals in life is to collect Bright Eyess entire discography. In other words...

My name is Leslieand Im a geek.

GEEK IS THE NEW COOL

Once upon a time, to be labeled a geek was a fate worse than death. It meant you were an outcast. A loser. Destined for a solitary existence where a twelve-sided die would provide you with the only action youd ever know. However, over the past decade or so, four-eyed social pariahs have been waging a quietyet powerfulrevolt. Weve developed our own fashion sense. (Geek chic, anyone?) Weve penned pieces of literary brilliance. (Rest in peace, David Foster Wallace.) Weve even reinvented the art of modern cinema. (Kudos, Coen brothers!)

Geek is no longer a four-letter word. Instead, its a badge of honor for anyone who has ever played World of Warcraft on a Friday night, appointed themselves commissioner of their fantasy football team, or memorized every single line of Jason Schwartzmans dialogue in Rushmore, using flash cards or not. Its a geeks world; everyone else is just living in it.

But, Leslie, you cry, putting your hand on your hip and stomping your foot. Whats the difference between a geek and a nerd? Are geeks cooler than dorks? This is too confusing. I feel light-headed and my left arm is starting to go numb.

Take a deep breath. Its going to be all right, assuming the numbness isnt a warning sign of a stroke, in which case you should throw down this book and call 911 STAT. Lets outline some basic terms that will help you understand what it means to be a geek (at least in the context of this book), as opposed to your typical nerd, dork, or weirdo.

geek (\'gk\, n.) A person who is wildly passionate about an activity, interest, or scientific field and strives to be an expert in said avocation. Person does not necessarily sacrifice social status to participate in area of expertise; instead, person will often seek out like-minded peersin both the real and the virtual worldsin order to connect, bond, and celebrate mutual love for this area.

nerd (\'nrd\, n.) A person who excels academically and who thrives on such educationally induced pastimes as memorizing UNIX manuals and correcting your grammar. Such persons may not possess the most advanced social skills, but they are armed with a huge heart and an even bigger brain.

dork (\'dork\, n.) A person who is delightfully oblivious to present-day trends, slang, and references.

dweeb (\'dwb\, n.) A person who is oftentimes mistaken for being highly intelligent when, in fact, the person is usually technologically and academically inept. The person may feign aptitude by doing such things as wearing a NO, I WILL NOT FIX YOUR COMPUTER T-shirt or talking in a robot voice.

weirdo (\'wir-(')d\, n.) A person who exhibits particularly strange, nonconformist, and eccentric behavior and mannerisms. See Bai Ling or Tila Tequila.

HE-GEEK VS. SHE-GEEK

Self-proclaimed geeks like actors Seth Rogen and Michael Cera have become inadvertent sex symbols. Tech-savvy savants like MySpaces Tom Anderson and Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg are probably laughing all the way to the bankand flipping off all the high school jocks who made their lives miserable during their teenage years. I couldnt be happier that male geeks have already started to earn well-deserved respect in the eyes of pop culture. But what about their female counterparts?

Embracing the idea of girl power isnt something that just ceased to exist after the Spice Girls broke up then got back together and then broke up again . After all, fangirls are just like fanboyswe put on our Imperial Stormtrooper Lycra pants one leg at a time. But, for some reason, she-geeks have yet to be truly encouraged and accepted by mainstream societyand thats probably because we also remain largely misrepresented and misunderstood.

Contrary to popular belief, if you see a girl buying a copy of BioShock 2 , that doesnt mean shes getting it for her little brother or her boyfriend. When you hear a girl say she enjoys vampire lit, that doesnt mean she goes to sleep every night underneath her Twilight duvet cover. Oh, and eleven-year-old boys arent the only ones whore stoked about the new ThunderCats cartoon reboot. Sure, gals like Google VP Marissa Mayer and explorista Samantha Brown have started to break new geek ground, but weve got a long way to go, ladies.

Its time for us to reclaim the connotations of being a geek and hold tight to the term as a source of pride and distinction. In other words, embrace your quirkiness! Celebrate your idiosyncrasies! There is power in your geekiness! Trust.

MEET THE GEEK GIRL GUILD (AKA )

Because this is a topic near and dear to my heart, I wanted to do something Ive never done before: involve readers in the writing process. More specifically, I wanted to engage with the kindred spirits Id be applauding in the pages of this book. I never joined a sorority in college, so it seemed like a great idea to start my own as a way to connect with my long-lost, like-minded sisters. And so, the Geek Girl Guild was born.

After I posted an initial query on my website and forwarded the idea to a few friends to distribute, I was completely overwhelmed by the response. Women of all ages, backgrounds, and areas of geek expertise wanted to joined the sisterhood, making the first pledge class over one hundred strong! And these girls have as much spirit as any chapter of Pi Beta Phi. As part of their membership, they let me pick their geeky brains about a variety of topics so I could better understand what makes a she-geek tick. Youll find their incredible input peppered through the pages of Geek Girls Unite , which I couldnt have completed without their advice and insight.

My goal for the Geek Girl Guild was to learn more about our individual passions, unite us as a geektastic girl community, and ultimately celebrate our fantastic uniquenessand I think the Tri Gams achieved all this and more!