Ink-Stained Amazon

 Cross-Posted at GeekGirlCon.com 

One of my most treasured GeekGirlCon memories involves puppets. Okay, several of my favorite GeekGirlCon experiences involve puppets (looking at you, Puppet Joss Whedon – you handsy bastard), but this one in particular involves the spectacular Red Fraggle and her handler, the extraordinarily talented & singularly kind Karen Prell.

Karen had attended our inaugural con in 2011 for a sing-along screening of Labyrinth at the EMP. We’d held a sock-puppet making workshop earlier in the day, led by our Design Team, and she pointed out some key moments for puppet participation. (Seeing happy geek women & girls singing and smiling and waving sock puppets they made themselves packing the JBL theater was SQUEE.)

In 2013, celebrations for the 30^th Anniversary of Fraggle Rock were taking place, and GeekGirlCon was presented with an opportunity to get in on the joy. The Jim Henson Company agreed to loan us Red – but she needed to be flown out with a handler and put up in a hotel. Red was certainly not a diva, and the expense was less than I’d predicted, but more than our entire programming budget.

The Executive Director and I decided it was something too special to not make happen.

So we did.

(Dance your cares away . . . Worries for another day . . . Let the music play . . .)

And it was worth it.

Karen and Red were delightful in their spotlight session, engaging the audience with song and humor and curiosity. During the audience Q&A, a little girl, held up to the microphone by her mother, asked Red if she knew the song, “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.” Red replied that since Fraggles live underground, she didn’t know the song because she didn’t often get to see stars – and asked the child if she could teach her the lyrics.

The little girl was shy, her voice nearly inaudible, and all of a sudden, whispered, gentle voices rose up around the room. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star . . .

Everyone in the room came together, collaborated, shared something as a community . . . Up above the earth so high, like a diamond in the sky . . .

It was heart-swelling tears and sparkling magic and quiet beauty. I’ll never forget the feeling and I cherish that experience. I know I’m not alone.

After the panel, Red and Karen enthusiastically posed for photographs for nearly three hours. Then, seemingly tireless, they graciously signed photos that Karen had brought special for the occasion. (THEN, Karen made sure to seek out and say thank you and goodbye to everyone. As I said, singularly kind.)

This story illustrates just one of the many reasons I am GivingBIG to GeekGirlCon on May 3, and I’m hoping that you’ll accept my invitation to help us make magic.

That may be through #GiveBIG, but it may be by buying a pass and coming to the convention. It could be following GeekGirlCon on Twitter, applying for one of our 100% volunteer staff positions, or coming out to one of our year-round events.

Karen Falk, the Head Archivist for The Jim Henson Company, once told me that Henson created Fraggle Rock with the intention of inspiring world peace. The hope was that the show would both entertain as it taught kids about getting along with people who are different from you, and, about sharing your environment. Falk said that it was one of the most important projects he did.

The mission of GeekGirlCon might not be quite so lofty as world peace – but in celebrating and supporting women & girls in geek culture, we are advocating for shared space. Or, at least a space to sing.

The Monday after GeekGirlCon ’13 I posted the following on Facebook:

You know . . . I think I’ve exchanged the words “I love you,” “I’m proud of you,” and/or, “You amaze me,” with more women in the past 72 hours than I have in my entire life so far. It feels really fucking good.

Before GeekGirlCon, I’d never been part of a female community before – even as a self-identified feminist. Being part of this organization with our passionate, committed, and hard-working all-volunteer staff, and the enthusiasm, support, and collaboration of our extended community has been enormously healing for me – as well as a source of personal and professional growth.

This year’s convention event went above and beyond to create an inclusive and diverse experience, both in terms of identity politics and genre or thematic interests. We bridged academia with career advice, nerdlesque with puppet shows, and cosplay with social justice issues. We had gaming, art, science, and crafty-vendors. The design was beautiful, operations kept things running smoothly, and marketing generated enthusiasm while keeping our public informed. The celebrations and the conversations were phenomenal. We had more programming, panelists, and attendees than ever before. Through year-round programming & events, and some damn fine marketing, we increased our audience by 50% over last year’s convention – and actually sold out before doors opened! And knowing my ambitious GeekGirlCon family – we will strive to be ever-better.

* * *

In the past, people have described the experience of GeekGirlCon as “warm,” “safe,” and “inspiring.” And this year these words were repeated again and again.

For GeekGirlCon ’13, here is a select collection of post-event thoughts, wrap-ups, and suggestions for improvement from press, attendees, staff, and contributors.

GeekWire – “GeekGirlCon: Where you can be whatever you want” by Emily Shahan

“In fact, above all else, it seems to me that acceptance is the main focus of GeekGirlCon. This is apparent from the curated panels to types of vendors and artists on display. . . . the classic nerd stereotype is changing as more women, LGBT folks and people of color step forward and claim their space in Nerd-dom. We are demanding that the media we love so dearly reflect its fanbase — that there are more stories to tell than that of the white, male hero.”

ICV2 – “Separate or Integrate: How Can Geekdom’s Minorities Preserve Safe Spaces at Conventions?” by Rob Salkowitz

“Is nerd culture fragmenting along dominant-minority lines? Will underrepresented voices retreat to their own spaces or continue to push the dialogue forward in fandom’s most populous arenas? . . . Though it is oriented toward women as a deliberate strategy, [GeekGirlCon] in practice represents the very opposite of ‘separatist’ fandom and aims to be an inclusive space where geek dads can bring their daughters and geek moms can bring their sons without the implicit biases that color interactions at other kinds of cons.”

“A couple things on my return” by Sigrid Ellis

“I have no insider knowledge of how Geek Girl Con is run. I don’t know any of the organizers. But, damn, y’all, that operates like a finely-run fan convention. It was like a professional media or comic-con, except run by cheerful, enthusiastic, friendly volunteers who all cared enormously about what they were doing. . . The thing I will remember most about Geek Girl Con is how HAPPY everyone was to be there, how HAPPY everyone was to see everyone else and to all be doing this awesome thing, together, at the same time.”

“Three Years, Three Different Experiences: The Magic of Seattle’s Geek Girl Con” by Megan Christopher

“[W]hile it’s still more intimate than many of its established cousins, in its third year, organizers should have considered renaming Geek Girl Con ’Katniss,’ because the ‘Girl’ was on fire.”

GeekMom – “Why GeekGirlCon Is Uniquely Satisfying” by Corrina Lawson

“I went expecting a regular-style con only with more women. What I found was a community basically throwing a huge getaway weekend. Instead of being exhausted at the end, as I feel like at most cons, I left energized and excited about the future.”

Through a City Geekly – “GeekGirlCon: A Geekly Recap”

“The message I heard over and over again as I spoke to attendees was clear: this is a safe space. As women have increasingly become a part of ‘geek culture’, the harassment they face has also increased. And women who want to work in the comic or gaming industries, or, heaven forbid, who want to be scientists? That’s an uphill battle of Sisyphusian proportions. Yes, thankfully, the game is changing and slowly — so, so slowly — the opportunities are starting to emerge. Organizations like GeekGirlCon are part of that solution.”

“GeekGirlCon 2013” – by Anne Bean

“How do I describe GeekGirlCon? Do I talk about the gender distribution: maybe 75% women, 25% men? Do I talk about how much more visible queer geeks, geeks of color, and geeks with disability were than at other cons? Do I talk about the high quality of cosplay, the seriously good panels, or the interesting bits that other cons don’t have, like the DIY Science section or the networking section? . . . There are important conversations about women and race and disability and all kinds of neat things! There’s a lot of rad cosplay! There is actual science! There is a non-creepy vibe! . . . It is a magical place.”

Fangirl Confessions – “GeekGirlCon 2013 Wrap Up”

“The most beautiful thing about cosplaying at Geek Girl Con is that the cosplayers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, colors, sexual orientations, etc. The cosplaying community here is respectful of each other. I felt as if I were a part of something special. . . . I have never felt so included in an event as I have here. I felt as if I had just dropped in on some old friends, even though this was my first Geek Girl Con and I was attending alone. I might have showed up alone, but I am leaving with a ton of new friends.”

“You’re Welcome Here: Geek Girl Con 2013” by Elicia Sanchez

“[R]ight at that moment, it hit me. That special indescribable feeling of security and safety that comes over you when you realize you’ve just stumbled upon a safe space where you can just be you. . . . A feeling of belonging and acceptance, like a huge sigh of social anxiety relief. It may seem to some as a stretch to equate a sticker photograph policy to an encompassing feeling of acceptance, but it really was just my first reminder that not just women, but all geeks were free to be themselves here without the leering eyes of some creeper trying to gawk at tight or suggestive cosplay or some asshole trying to get a picture of a fat ‘slave Leia’ to make mockery of on Reddit. I immediately realized this may not be your average nerd gathering.”

XOJane – “I SPENT TWO WEEKS ATTENDING TWO WOMEN-FOCUSED GEEK CONS AND IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME” by K. T. Bradford

“There were far more men at GeekGirlCon than I expected and they participated at every level: on staff, on panels, and as attendees. And yet GGC people also spoke of the con as a Safe Space. Again, the idea of what is safe differs depending on what type of woman you are, yet I was pretty confident that there wouldn’t be anyone there saying that they ‘want to buy an umbrella [that comes] with an Asian girl,’ no matter the gender. It’s not about banning or even discouraging guys from coming to the con, it’s about making it clear what is and is not valued that leads to a con women can feel safe attending.

So forget any ridiculousness you hear about how cons that cater to specific or marginalized groups are all about self-segregation. They’re not — not completely. Because if the con has all the elements geeks flock to cons for, it will attract all the geeks. And if these cons can attract geeks away from events that foster a hostile environment, then those other cons (and the media entities that support them) will either have to change or die.”

Burlesque Seattle Press – “Bechdel Test Burlesque” by Paul O’Connell

“To understand GeekGirlCon’s perspective, Jo Jo says that she went straight to the source: Jennifer K. Stuller, Director of Programming and Events for the annual conference. ‘We love strong female characters and we love them even more when they are complex and we believe that performance provides opportunities to tell new, challenging and inspiring stories about our favorite female characters and their allies.'”

Fangirl Blog – “GeekGirlCon 2013: Convention Recap” by Tricia Barr

“Once again this year’s convention was a delight. The staff is friendly, the panels enjoyable and enlightening, and the venue is top-notch.”

Geekquality – “We’re Back from GeekGirlCon!” by Tanya

“At the convention, there were a lot more parents with young children, as well as teenage geeks this year. Many times I overheard kids excitedly discussing their favorite comic book characters or games, and it reminded me just how fun it is to discover your hobbies and interests for the first time. There is something really moving about seeing so many young people in a comfortable space where they can feel at ease, while also bonding with their parents who brought them to the Con. That enthusiastic, playful energy wasn’t just limited to the younger set, as plenty of geeks and nerds of all stripes came to GGC, making it a completely sold out event both days.”

ACLU of Washington State – “GEEKGIRLCON: A PLACE FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUND THEIR OWN VOICES” by Alicia Briones

“It’s amazing to see so many women together, contributing to and creating a woman-friendly environment where people can openly speak about their experiences in their field. Many men come to the Con as well, supporting not only their mothers, sisters, friends, wives, and girlfriends, but also showing support for female-created works and incorporating those pieces into their own lives. There is room for both women and men in all these industries. . . . But most importantly, GeekGirlCon is a stepping stone for young girls looking for their voice by being able to interact with women who have found their own voices already.”

Almost Nerdy – “GeekGirlCon: A Growing Celebration of Female Geeks” by SIERRA HOUK

“The inclusive environment that GeekGirlCon creates is a lovely thing to be a part of. Panels ranged in topics from race, consent, and body image in regards to cosplay, self-publishing tips, how feminism is reflected in nerd culture and what it means to be a female nerd, to craft competitions and a fully improvised parody of classic Star Trek episodes. There was something there for everyone, no matter your gender or fandoms. It was obvious that everyone there wasn’t afraid to hold back, whether they were cosplaying as their favorite Batman villain or singing along with one of the nerdy musicians putting on a ninja gig (see: The Doubleclicks pleasing the crowd at their lobby show).”

The Backup Ribbon Project – “Coming Home: Geek Girl Con 2013”

“At Geek Girl Con, found myself connecting with random people with whom I was standing in line to wait for a panel. People told me their stories, asked for ribbons, and gave me their contact information. It was, in a word, overwhelming to see an entire con — including the staff and con com — committed to making geek spaces accessible for all. . . . In two days at Geek Girl Con, I felt more a part of the geek community than I have in more than 20 years of geekdom.”

WatchPlayRead – “My Adventures at GeekGirlCon 2013! Real Geek Girls, Seriously!!!” by Becky Hansen

“Attending GeekGirlCon gave me a feeling of empowerment, a feeling of respect for my contributions, and those of other females, to the world of geek. One of the greatest parts of the con was seeing women of all ages coming together to stand up for geek girls everywhere. There were girls as young as 5 getting dressed up as their favorite characters. An immense confidence filled every nook and cranny of the convention center.”

PopMatters – “Geek Girl Con 2013 Synthesized Pop Culture, Science, Technology, and Critical Inquiry” By Shaun Huston

“While Geek Girl Con has its roots in the experiences of mainstream comics conventions (see the organization’s About page), the event is not, specifically, a “comic-con”. The convention’s tagline, “The Celebration of the Female Geek”, points to this broader mission, which is to provide a safe and welcoming space for women and girls to share and express their geeky pursuits, whether in the lab, at the X-Box, or in the pages of a comic. . . .Other comics conventions will feature academic panels, even parallel academic conferences, and there are, of course, actual comics studies meetings, but I can’t think of another gathering of academics, practitioners, and fans that places comics alongside not just other pop media, but also science, math, and technology. . . .More importantly, unlike other conventions, which are largely promotional in nature, whether from a corporate perspective or that of individual creators, Geek Girl is rooted in the desire for a critical unpacking, interrogation, and re-construction of the category ‘geek’ in a way that is more open and inclusive than is normally possibly in the predominantly male spaces through which fields like comics, computer programming, and video gaming are defined.”

Suvudu – “GeekGirlCon 2013 Wrap Up” BY THALIA SUTTON

“GGC offers a safe place to discuss issues that women face, but upon attending I found that its programming tackled every highly-visible issue within the geekosphere, including bullying, women’s empowerment and equality, minority issues, portrayal of physical disabilities, geek parenting, geek children, cosplay and fashion, and freelance vs. corporate work, just to name a few. Whereas New York Comic Con the week before was a sink-or-swim atmosphere that continued to carry the apparent flag of ‘industry not issues,’ GGC was the stark reverse, a helping-hand mentality focusing exclusively on “issues within the industry” and what to do about them.”

Geek With Curves – “So, GeekGirlCon was amazing” by Amy Ratcliffe

“I have never been to a more organized, low-stress, and fun convention. That’s the surface level. Beyond that, most every panel felt like it was written just for me and every vendor felt like it was chosen for me. GeekGirlCon offered a comfortable space for all of its attendees, and the attitudes and general moods of others reflected that feeling. I never felt like I had to be on guard, and it was beautiful and so damn relaxing.

GeekGirlCon, you are my favorite.”

Off the Written Path – “GeekGirlCon: Fandom, The Next Generation” by Andrew S. Williams

“But ultimately, the number one reason I say that GGC felt like the next generation of fandom is because of how open, diverse, and inclusive it felt. To me, it felt like how fandom and geekdom could be, once we get past the misogyny and homophobia and various market-driven forces that seem determined to tell us how to be a geek in present times, how certain pursuits and books and games are ‘boy’ or ‘girl’. I was only at GGC for one day, but I still felt that in some sense GeekGirlCon represents the potential for what geek culture could become; hopefully it really is a window into the next generation.”

The Lobster Dance – “Geek Girl Con Recaps #1: Creating Safe Spaces in the Period of ‘Peak Geek’” by Leah

“I attended Geek Girl Con in Seattle over the weekend, and it was beautiful.”

Plastic Heroines – “Geek Girl Con ’13 Debriefing” by Wendy

“Summary: Geek Girl Con rocked, and I can’t wait for next year!”

Examiner – “GeekGirlCon 2013 recap, part 1: Uniting all nerds!”

“Fan conventions traditionally bring fans and creators together over shared passions, and at GeekGirlCon panelists repeatedly encouraged audiences to break down the barrier and become creators themselves.”

I Wrote This – “After the Geeks: On Arriving Home from Geek Girl Con” by Rachel Lynn Brody

“I went, I listened, I learned – now what? GGC ’13 gave me a lot to think about, and I’m sure the effects will be percolating and expressing themselves in my work and interactions with others for months to come. I want to look into some of the information from the STEM careers in the humanity – and the acronym STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts & Math, as I learned on Sunday). I have a pile of books to read and notes to parse. I’ve already approached a few artists about cover commissions for upcoming books. I met new people. I had a blast. I’m already looking forward to 2014.”

Black Girl Nerds – Geek Girl Con Podcast

“Attendees Rachel Brody and Jaz will be featured on the podcast to provide us up-to-the-minute information about the event and how important this con is for nerdy girls”

Bitch Media – “Popaganda Episode: Dress Up”

“Costumes have an undeniable power. In this show we examine tomboy fashion with founders of upstart company Wildfang, head to Geek Girl Con to talk with cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch, and dig into sexy Halloween costumes with Portland fashion designer Adam Arnold and designer/retailer Cassie Ridgway.” [*With Transcript]

Have You Nerd – “GeekGirlCon Photo Roundup” By Terra Clarke Olsen

“This past weekend was GeekGirlCon, and boy was it amazing! Meg and I are both staff members, so we were busy running around all weekend. Happily, everyone seemed to have an amazing time! We’re still both recovering from it, so until we have the energy to give a proper report, here are some photos from the event.”

“GeekGirlCon: The Future Is Very, Very Bright” by Michael Shean

“In the end, what I really saw at GGC wasn’t just a supremely well-orchestrated nerd carnival staffed by immensely caring and motivated people, it was a community women of all ages, races and sexualities claiming their own in a community that in many corners still thinks that a woman in a video game tee must have raided her boyfriend’s closet.”

Heroine TV – “GeekGirlCon 2013: Saturday Panel Recap” by Lucia

“[Y]ou may be wondering, “What is GeekGirlCon?” It is a celebration of the female geek, inclusiveness in fan communities, and a place to discuss gender and race in geek culture. This was my first time attending, and the third year of the convention. Entertaining and informative, GeekGirlCon felt like a hybrid between a fan convention and an academic conference, with a hint of a job fair thrown in. I went as press, and was very impressed with how well-organized, welcoming, and downright calm the whole thing was. Seattle may be full of over-caffeinated people (of whom I am very much one), but everyone was just relaxed.”

Wonder and Risk – “You’re Welcome Here: Geek Girl Con 2013” by Elicia Sanchez

“[R]ight at that moment, it hit me. That special indescribable feeling of security and safety that comes over you when you realize you’ve just stumbled upon a safe space where you can just be you. . . . A feeling of belonging and acceptance, like a huge sigh of social anxiety relief. It may seem to some as a stretch to equate a sticker photograph policy to an encompassing feeling of acceptance, but it really was just my first reminder that not just women, but all geeks were free to be themselves here without the leering eyes of some creeper trying to gawk at tight or suggestive cosplay or some asshole trying to get a picture of a fat ‘slave Leia’ to make mockery of on Reddit. I immediately realized this may not be your average nerd gathering.”

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve updated my blog – and there’s been so much that’s happened over the past year!

Highlights include:

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines – which drew research from Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors (and in which I appear!) – screened on PBS Independent Lens.

(Image Credit: Andy Mangels)

I’ve been speaking about Ink-Stained Amazons, Cinematic Warriors, and Superwomen in Modern Mythology through Humanities Washington at libraries, wineries, and schools across the state – and am bookable for 2014!

I had a blast working in Festival Publications for SIFF 2013 – and loved being a minion for a very special secret Whedonverse screening during the Festival, as well as participating in the forum Sheroes in the Media: From Guerrilla Girls to Women in Film.

Spike, Buffy, and Yummy Sushi PJs

First rule of Secret Screening: We don't talk about secret screenings, only about how they make us feel.

Dr. Amy Peloff, Jo Jo Stiletto, and I talked about Geek Feminism at Western Washington’s VikingCon – and we got to meet the Cigarette Smoking Man.

Geek Feminism

With William B. Davis - aka "The Cigarette Smoking Man"

I contributed a chapter on Lost Girl called, “Choosing Her ‘Fae’te: Subversive Sexuality and Lost Girl’s Re/evolutionary Female Hero” for the forthcoming anthology, Heroines of Film and Television (Edited by Norma Jones; Maja Bajac-Carter and Bob Batchelor).

The anthology I edited and contributed to, Fan Phenomena: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Intellect) was published.

Fan Phenomena: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

And was celebrated with an epic launch party!

Scoobies FTW (Photo: Guy Eats Octopus)

With the help of my friends, there was a Handsy Puppet Joss Whedon, a Naughty Fan Fic Reading, Trivia, Rupert Giles singing “Behind Blue Eyes”, an Author Signing, Band Candy, and Snoopy Dancing. Drink Specials included “The Class Protector” and “Boinking the Undead.” We had music, limited edition GeekGirlCon buttons, squee-tastic photo ops, costumes, Scoobies and Slayerettes galore!!! Grr. Argh!

More Photos of A Night at The Bronze Here.

I got to talk about comics and gender with some of my favorite people at a Velocity Dance Center Speakeasy Conversation – BOOM! POW! COMICS, GENDER + MOVEMENT.

Boom Pow + Red Boots (Photo: Amy Peloff)

And of course, GeekGirlCon had its third annual convention! We had between 4300 and 4700 attendees – and sold out of passes before we even opened our doors on Saturday. Huzzah!

Plus, I got to make moments like this happen.

Something to Sing About (Photo: AltaStation)

And this – Where I experience Pure Joy.

Red, Karen, and Jen! (Photo by Josh Weiner: GeekGirlCon)

Most recently, Dr. Amy Peloff, Jo Jo Stiletto, and I took our Geek Feminism presentations to the National Women Studies Association Conference in Cincinnati. We were thrilled to have an enthusiastic and engaged audience – especially as we were scheduled at the very end of the conference!

What’s next for The Ink-Stained Amazon? There are a few projects on the table, but unless anything extraordinary presents itself I’ll be taking it easy for the rest of the year. (Though I’m always amenable to extraordinary. So if you think of me for something, let me know.)

This is the most phenomenal review of my book yet. It’s an honor and a compliment from someone I’ve only recently *met* online, but someone that I deeply respect.

And, wow, she completely groked my intent. Thank you, Tricia.

‎”The message of the book comes through loud and clear: This is where we were, this is where we are, and here’s my knowledge-base and the brain-trust of a lot of other smart, strong women – now go use it to make things better for all of us. . . .[T]hroughout the course of the book she doesn’t judge women for their tastes or their preferences, or insist that anyone agree with her point by point. Stuller simply lays out her own experiences as a geek girl, ambassador, and historian, then has the bravery to let the reader decide things for herself.”

And it’s accompanied by a thoughtful companion post.

“What Ink-Stained Amazons provides is deep knowledge about past portrayals of women, effective (and not-so-effective) characterization, and the ruts that storytellers get stuck in.

Self-awareness grows as you read the book. Jennifer is very effective at demonstrating the ways that we truly do write what we know in terms of tropes, relationships with our family, and our own internal biases from a lifetime of experience. Once a writer recognizes his or her own bias – yet another form of rut that can trap our storytelling – that is the path to breaking new ground, making the stories better.

Finally, Jennifer’s book reminds everyone that writers must have empathy, for their characters and for their audience. This book should be a must-read for any writer working in genre storytelling. As a resource for women in fantasy and science fiction who are still searching for that sense of who they are, this book will be a big help as well.”

As always – Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology is available at Amazon, or your local independent book seller.

More wonderful articles, posts, and podcasts featuring GeekGirlCon!

Portrait of an Adoption
“You Have To Hand it to the Geeks,” By Carrie Goldman
“Katie and I just returned from Seattle, where we attended the first-everGeekGirlCon. In case anyone doubts the need for a con devoted solely to the female population, consider the fact that the con was sold out and there were people lined up outside each room before panels began.”

Ape in a Cape
SOME PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM GEEK GIRL CON, Gail Simone
“Everything felt a little different. Lest you think this con didn’t have geek cred, let me assure you, the superhero/genre panels were absolutely as hardcore nerdy as any I have attended, but it was from a female and safe perspective. As a whole, the con felt more like a festival at times than a con…it was much less aggressive and without that odd hostility that some big cons have acquired. You would walk out of a panel, and there would be female musicians playing awesome acoustic sets. There were artists EVERYWHERE, women doing crafts and cosplay and drawings and paintings and mirror art and stained glass, and just on and on, everywhere you looked was something beautiful.”

Just Jenn
Geek Girl Con 2011, Just Jenn
“More than any other con I came away with a renewed desire to create, to become a better person. For the first time at a con – every single panel topic appealed to me and pertained to my interests. It was small enough to be able to walk and talk with my heroes and my peers and it really felt like the things that I did mattered.”

Critical Hits
I Was a Manchild at Geek Girl Con, by Logan Bonner
“After the concert, I checked out “Ink-Stained Amazons & Cinematic Warriors,” a panel about the book by Jennifer K. Stuller. She appeared multiple times in the Wonder Woman documentary, and I was interested in hearing more from her. Her presentation was great, with a slideshow and video to supplement her lecture/discussion. She broke down the traits typical of heroes, the ways female characters match or defy those expectations, what that says about how female characters are viewed, and the ways their roles have changed over time. This and the Wonder Woman panel were both great, and it seems like this book and that movie could serve as great companion pieces.”

Fangirl Blog
Geek Girl Con Sunday Roundup, by Tricia
“Cattiness has been a hot topic in geek girl circles recently, and the Killing Cattiness and Creating Community panel dove right into it. Just like the SDCC panel, Oh, You Sexy Geek!, this topic was addressed as part of the discussion, and two of the panelists from that discussion were on the dais again – Bonnie Burton and Jennifer Stuller. I think it’s important for geek girls to see all different types of women interacting in a positive manner, even if they don’t like the same things or they hold contrasting beliefs. I’ve witnessed it at two separate cons now, and it’s so uplifting and empowering to watch.”

Gender Focus
Geek Girl Con: Feminism, Race, and Geek Culture, by Jarrah Hodge
“[T]he panel addressed how geek communities, especially online, can exclude women and people of colour. The panelists said they felt like when they or others raised objections to sexist or racist language or behaviour guys would rally to defend the sexist and racist games, attempting to make the argument that somehow criticizing the language or behaviour was against their geek allegiance.”

Geek Wire
What geek guys missed at GeekGirlCon, by Mónica Guzmán
“It was liberating to be one of many women at session after session, if only because you knew you could say out loud some of the things women whisper to each other at other geek events.

In some ways, the geek gender gap had to be part of the conversation, if only to assert the reasons why GGC exists in the first place. But talking about the gender gap alone won’t close it. And to organizers’ credit, their convention was in no mood to whine, ruminate or despair.”

Comics Bulletin
Geeking Out at Geek Girl Con, By Kyrax2
“At Geek Girl Con, women and men came together on an equal playing field. Geeks of all stripes were in attendance. I saw Trekkies and Twihards, Star Wars fans and Harry Potter enthusiasts, coders and gamers and mathletes and science geeks and otaku and yes, even comics geeks. Everyone was welcome. Everyone was treated with respect, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, weight, height, or any other factor.”

A mí, mis comics
Geek Girl Con: primeras impresiones, Alejandra Espino
“It was my first convention of this kind, and I could not have chosen better.”

Lotus Girl Films
1ST ANNUAL GEEKGIRLCON!!!
“The prospect of attending a full-on geek fest devoted to all things SHE was exciting to ponder. The reality has gone so far beyond the expectations, that it all feels a tad surreal.”

Chicks With Crossbows
Geek Girl Con Panels: Steampunk!
“This panel was so popular, they actually had to switch rooms and put it in the larger space. The line wrapped all the way around the hallway.”

Stranger SLOG
Geek Girl Con, by MARY TRAVERSE
“And most importantly there were the nerds themselves: it filled my heart with joy to see women in their 60s as well as teen and tween girls all gleefully letting their geek flag fly. It made me wish I’d had a con like this when I was all awkward and 14 and hiding my obsession with dinosaurs. (Note to teen me: it gets better!)”

Paper Napkins on the Edge of Insanity
Geek Girl Con: Reflections
“I still can’t believe how my girls opened up at Geek Girl Con. I can’t believe how welcome I felt, and I usually am uncomfortable in high female ratio environments. I was so nervous, yet excited before it started, and now I hope next year will bring the same feeling, but more than that. I hope the self confidence that was some how given, inspired, drawn-out of my precious little geeks stays a gift from Geek Girl Con for their lives, making them strong women of the future (whether they stay on the paths of the geeks or not!)”

GeekGirlCon Reflections (a guys perspective.)
“GeekGirlCon benefited from being focused on GeekGirls, but also on the broader geek culture as a whole. It worked very well and there was an amazing amount of content. In addition to the geeky topics I mentioned above, there were panels on ethics, sexism, and gender issues to be sure, but also a refreshing look at academic, science, and STEM careers, geek parenting, working as a coder, game design, and geek crafting (cosplay, craft, and mask making among others). There were often four panels running at once along with signings and craft and game workshops. One person could only see maybe 25% of the Con even if they ran full steam all day long.”

The Inferno
“Reblogging to get the word out. Geek girls are not a small target audience. How long can the media and society ignore that? If GeekGirlCon is any indication, not much longer.”

Optimystical Studios
GeekGirlCon Round-Up
“First let me give some major props and thank you’s to the astounding crew of GeekGirlCon. These ladies worked their collective butts off to make sure everyone had a good weekend. And it showed. Zaph & I spent some time discussing the con on the drive home, and we both agree that everyone on the crew both knew what their job was and knew to ask (instead of making up an answer) if something wasn’t part of their specialty.”

Look! It’s Julia
GeekGirlCon Links!
“I’ve been reading some of the wonderful things that people are writing about GeekGirlCon online, so I’d thought I’d share some links.”

Defective Geeks
Geek Girl Con 2011: Not Just for Girls: by Space Pirate Queen
“Most of all, a shout out to the women who put the entire convention together. The convention sold out! The entire thing ran smoothly. More so than a lot of conventions that has been around for many years. These girls worked their butts off and I am proud of all of them for following their visions and sticking to what they believed in. They’ve created a platform where we can discuss important topics without fear of getting attacked or misunderstood. I believe that it will change our community for the better.”

THE TERESA JUSINO EXPERIENCE
GeekGirlCon: The Squee-port
“The staff was extremely helpful, the design of the show was great, and all of the programming was actually substantive. There wasn’t a “fluff” panel on the entire schedule. Each one either taught you how to do something, or brought together panelists who were truly knowledgeable and articulate about the topic being addressed. “
. . . and . . .
“[T]he fact that I was sitting on a panel with these ridiculously talented women, and afterwards was treated as if I deserved to be there? Well, that made me feel rather good.”

Ramblings of a Prodigal Goddess
GeekGirlCon review, etc.
“I am writing this review from the point of view as a staff member. I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to see and therefore cannot give an opinion. The review also serves as a reflection on my feelings and thoughts toward the experience that forced me to come out of my shell.”

Possible Impossibilities
It’s the Geek Girls’ World
“GeekGirl Con‘s time had come. Women have had panels thrown to them here and there — with, for the most part, the same topics, the same panelists, and, alas, the same problematic moments — at behemoth geek convergences like Comic-Con International for years. Could they have a convention of their own? Would it be a success?

After the past weekend’s GeekGirl Con, we now know: Yes and yes!”

GeekGirlCon
THANK YOU!
“The first-ever GeekGirlCon was a huge success! The con sold out on both Saturday and Sunday. We saw approximately 2,000 people come through the doors over two days to celebrate the contribution of women in geek culture. Attendees, panelists, guests, volunteers, vendors, artists, exhibitors, sponsors, media, parents, kids, and staff came together to create a safe place for everyone and anyone identifying themselves as geeks this past weekend. We should all be very proud of making this ambitious idea a reality.”

Sliver of Ice
GeekGirlCon 2011: Some Presidential Thoughts and Other Things
“I am pretty much beyond biased about how awesome GeekGirlCon was. Along with my staff, I’d worked since August 2010 to make the dream of GeekGirlCon a reality, and I believe that it truly happened. I fought back happy tears all weekend; only to finally cry Sunday evening after reading what Greg Rucka wrote in my Batwoman trade. (Don’t worry, at that point, I was surrounded by people who care and love me and hugged me.)”

KING 5
‘Geek Girls’ gather at Seattle Center
“GeekGirlCon is drawing hundreds of women and girls to an event centered on gaming, fantasy, technology and science fiction. KING 5 Photojournalist Ron Sanford has the story.”

Chicks with Crossbows
Geek Girl Con Panels: Batgirls! (Or, Women in Comics)
“If you haven’t heard of Kyrax2, aka San Diego’s Batgirl, here’s the deal: She’s a fan of comics. This year at San Diego Comic Con, Kyrax2 went to many of the DC panels and asked questions about the lack of women both in the comics and on the panels themselves. This got various responses although she was booed at least once. Thus, at Geek Girl Con, she hosted a panel, along with DC Comics Writer Gail Simone, to address these issues and discuss the state of women in comics.”

CNN: Geek Out Blog
‘Dammit Liz’ went to Geek Girl Con (and it was worth it)
“It was a panel-centric convention, with panelists like Jane Espenson, Gail Simone, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Amy Berg and Bonnie Burton emphasizing strong, capable female characters in science fiction, comics, games and pop culture. Over-sexed, stripper-clad female characters were barely mentioned, Smith said.”

Sarah Darkmagic
Geek Girl Con Recap
“Why go? . . .To hear a diversity of viewpoints . . . To see women presented as experts and leaders . . . To learn about some pretty awesome books, movies, and projects I have to admit, I hadn’t heard of Ink-Stained Amazon before the con. I went to the panel by Jennifer Kate Stuller and it was really good and I can’t wait to buy her book, Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology. Womanthology also presented at the con. . . . Building networks . . .”

Fleeing Indecision
Safety; or a lesson in geekery from GeekGirlCon.
“Well, how was it? In a word: unbelievable. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and safe. Every single volunteer had a smile on their face the entire weekend. The panels were informative, varied and fun. The cosplay was some of the best I’ve ever seen. But I’ll repeat myself here and say that the most important thing about GeekGirlCon was its safe and welcoming environment.”

Back That Elf Up
GeekGirlCon 2011 Report
“Basically, I got to see something awesome and be a part of something where I FELT like I belonged. In a lot of settings I can feel left out because there is usually something about me that does not quite fit. Sometimes it’s my gender, sometimes it’s my introversion, sometimes it’s my pastimes and interests and sometimes it’s my race. But I didn’t feel like that GeekGirlCon. Even though I was hawking books I still felt…at home. Which is kind of strange because the types of geeks that were there spanned the universe (almost literally, heh).”

Closet Nerd Network
Geek Ladies in the House: Reflections on GeekGirlCon 2011
“At GeekGirlCon, like many others, I felt like FINALLY here are my people: accepting, joyous, smart and vibrant geeks who are going to be the future of nerdom. We care about issues, we want to make things better, we question what media we’re fed and we want to show the world how awesome being a nerd is instead of closeting our community away! GeekGirlCon has become the exception to the rule of geeks who turn the tables on what they consider to not be “true fans” and have created a safe place where we can get down to brass tacks about how to change fandom.”

Good Game Media
GGM Visits Geek Girl Con 2011
“Last weekend the Good Game crew piled into the GGM Mobile and drove down to Seattle Washington to check out the first ever Geek Girl Con. While we were down there I had a chance to talk to some of the female con goers and ask what they thought of a con just for them.”

Sailor St. Claire
GeekGirlCon 2011
” Lots of great conversation arose about a variety of topics relating to female fandom: objectification of “booth babes,” women in webseries, women in tech, race and technology, and other practical and craft-based panels on steampunk costuming, cosplay, and gaming. “

Stern-Rake Studio
GeekGirlCon at Night
“As the autumn sun set and the younglings were sent off to their suppers, the gears of GeekGirlCon shifted to more adult-themed topics.”

The Girl in Row B
GeekGirlCon:Life on the other side of the registration table
“Thank you to all of our panelists, vendors, special guests and attendees. And a special thank you to all of the people who gave money, time, and/or support to make this convention happen. It was a success and without all of you it would never have happened.”

Archive Six
HOW GEEKGIRLCON CHANGED MY LIFE: A REFLECTION & REVIEW
“In the past, I had wasted so much time and energy trying to conform to society’s expectations that I lost sight of who I really am. GeekGirlCon not only gave me an opportunity to design for a cause I could stand behind, but also welcomed me into a safe community where I could finally let my geek flag fly without having to prove or justify my geekiness, or be judged for my gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, size, or Doctor preference (4th and 11th, for the record). It amazes me how much personal growth I have achieved in this past year alone. It is through GeekGirlCon that I was able to meet and form meaningful and long-lasting relationships with people who I greatly respect and admire, and who inspire me more and more with each passing day. These people have helped me find my voice in this world, and gain the courage to finally speak up for myself and my beliefs.”

Chicks With Crossbows
Geek Girl Con: General Con Report
“The Con Was Organized by Meticulous OCD Ninjas [and] The Panels ROCKED.”

Gender Focus
Geek Girl Con: Media Literacy, Criticism, and Production
“I was particularly excited about this panel because it featured the awesome Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency as well as Kelsey Wallace and Kjerstin Johnson, who were my editors when I was writing the Revenge of the Feminerd series for Bitch Magazine blogs. The other panelists were Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, director of The History of the World as Told by Wonder Woman as well as Wilson, editor of Smart Pop Books. The panel was moderated by Maile Martinez, programming director at Reel Grrls.”

PopMatters
Comics Needs Women: Why Marvel and DC Should Have Been at Geek Girl Con
“[T]he publishers need girls and women more than girls and women need Marvel and DC.”

Girl Hack
Geek Girl Con 2011 Review
“I am still new to the geek- convention circuit, but Geek Girl Con delivered the most fulfilling con experience I’ve had, as both a geek and a woman.”

Defective Geeks
Geek Girl Con 2011: Feminism, Race & Geek Culture Panel
“I am glad I went to this panel. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was rewarded with a great discussion with well-spoken women. They touched on quite a few interesting points about female and Asian culture in geek media. What I really appreciated about the way these women approached sensitive issues without having to be defensive or threatening to other people. They even gave great advice on how to deal with negative internet interactions.”

Journal of J
Geek Girl Con Reactions
“Overall this con was a great jolt of inspiration for me, not only as a girl gamer but as someone who hopes to make games. The camaraderie and heartfelt support was palpable, and the issues discussed were thought provoking and important. It was a great start to an awesome new tradition, and I don’t have any doubt that it will be continuing next year.”

Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether
NYCC and Geek Girl
“GGC felt practically like a family gathering, and I suppose, in a way, it was just that. The fact is, women remain under-represented and poorly served in so many realms of geek culture; having a convention that speaks to that lack, that attempts to address it, is more than a worthy goal; it may well be a holy one.”

Comics Bulletin: The Squeaky Wheel
Geeking Out at Geek Girl Con: Part Two
“I *got* it. We women subsume our own tastes for fear of being thought ‘too feminine’. We are limited by what people think will appeal to us. We are seen as an amalgamation, as though what appeals to one woman will appeal to all. We push our children to be like us, to like the things we like, never realizing that we are repeating the same mistakes our parents made. We’re told that we have to ‘vote with our dollars’, but when we do choose not to buy something, the action is often ignored or misinterpreted.

And that’s what I learned at Geek Girl Con.”

GeekMom
The GeekMoms Podcast #6 GeekGirlCon, Women of Wonder Day
“Women of Wonder Day, an annual auction and in-store event where you can bid on beautiful art and collectibles in support of domestic violence charity programs. Later I’m joined by fellow GeekMom Cathe Post to talk about her weekend with her husband and daughter at the first ever GeekGirlCon in Seattle, Washington. This new entry on the convention scene drew some big Geek Girl names to help promote a positive attitude toward all geeks, men, women and especially kids. And you’ll also hear how the GeekMoms took a stab at the Google+ Hangout feature and ended up having a chat with Felicia Day.”

Defective Geeks
Geek Girl Con 2011: Arts & Crafts with the GeekGirlCon Design Team
“[T]his was a cute arts and crafts panel hosted by Tammy Vince Cruz and Rachelle Abellar from the Geek Girl Con’s design team. Not only were these two ladies busy churning out all the design collateral for the convention; they also organized a successful, interactive panel that encouraged attendees to drop by and make sock puppets.”

Nerd Appropriate
Geek Girl Con: No I Am Not a Booth Babe : Panel Coverage
“[U]ltimately the message that was delivered by the panelists was that we, as fans, need to play nice and work together towards better representation of women in video games. The trolling on message boards, the flame wars are all counterproductive and detract from the end goal: working to see women presented in games in a positive light. Behind the user names, Twitter handles, there are people. It’s one thing to be critical, to express dissatisfaction over a feature/presentation of a character/level, but making a personal attack does more harm than good and inhibits bringing about the desired change.”

The Intersection of Dykedom and Dorkdom
Geek Girl Con 2011 Report
“The programming had something for everyone – a variety of topics, genres and media, both academic and non-academic discussion, films, science [and] was accessible for younger and older audiences”
…and…
“The Ink Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology panel: Jennifer Stuller gave a presentation that hit the highlights of her book, discussing female heroes in modern popular culture from the 40’s to the 21st century and their impact during their time and on future heroes. One of the trends she noted was the lack of women training women: in most cases the women are mentored by their father or a father-figure. That’s a trend I hadn’t noticed before, but see frequently now that I’m aware of it –definitely food for thought. Booboo enjoyed the panel enough to buy the book immediately after the panel ended.”

Jewish Book Council Blog
Their (Our) Time Has Come
“GeekGirlCon is for the Rest of Us; maybe not 99%, but definitely 52%, the women who have for so long been shut out of a male-dominated comics industry, and all the related male-dominated industries, like computers and gaming. It’s for us geeky girls who spent our high school years as outsiders, never cheerleaders, never dating the football team (often never dating at all!), but with our noses buried in science fiction or fantasy books or comics. All those geeky girls have grown up into enthusiastic and talented young women who are making great clothes and jewelry, creating wonderful new comics — and with not a superhero in the bunch. The energy level in the rooms was high and optimistic.”

The Official Website of Nancy Holder
Geek Girls are Here to Stay
“One of the best cons so far this year was GeekGirlCon. Girls and boys enjoyed panels on webseries, Science, Math, Technology, Engineering, vampires, and of course, all things Joss Whedon! I am very happy to say that Geek Girls are thriving! And DEFINITELY here to stay!”

Defective Geeks
Geek Girl Con 2011: Women Running Geeky Businesses
“I admire anyone who are smart enough to be able to turn their own passion and interests into a self-sustaining career… but it’s just that much more cool to have these geek girls talk about their own success. It was also a unique panel where the audience heard different success stories from women of all ages and very different career and life choices.”

Last week I attended my fourth Comic Con as a professional. For those who don’t know me, I’m a feminist media critic, pop culture historian, comics scholar, member of the Whedon Studies Association, public speaker, freelance writer, author, and programming director for GeekGirlCon.

One of my passions is making critical thinking fun and accessible. I believe it’s important to ask questions about the media we consume, as well as enjoy, because we are shaped by culture, just as we shape it.

I also believe that criticism does not automatically mean condemnation. (For example, I love the entirely problematic television series, True Blood.)

I was asked to participate on the “Oh, You Sexy Geek” panel by moderator and organizer, Kat Hill (aka Action Flick Chick) along with Bonnie Burton (Grrl.com and Star Wars Craft Book), 
Adrianne Curry (America’s Next Top Model), Clare Grant (Team Unicorn, “G33k & G4m3r Girls”), 
Kiala Kazebee (Nerdist.com), 
Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), 
Nerdy Bird – Jill Pantozzi (“Has Boobs, Reads Comics”), and
 Chris Gore (G4).

I almost didn’t. I respect the women involved, but my main concern was that any criticism about sexuality and gender in the Geek Girl community is immediately interpreted as an “attack” and a decree that “women should not be allowed to do that” rather than the suggestion that when we present ourselves as sexual, we’re interpreted as sexual objects. Or that anyone who suggests that empowerment for the one is not empowerment for the many is just a mean, feminist/not-feminist, jealous, prude who doesn’t like other women. When really, these conversations are so much more complicated – or to my mind they should be.

I also debated whether I wanted to use this opportunity to promote (or destroy) my career. Certainly, more people would know about my work after the session, but I wasn’t sure this was the venue I wanted to use to gain exposure. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to participate in a conversation. Different people have different ideas about whether or not it was an actual discussion and I’ll let readers peruse those responses via the attached links themselves. It’s important to me to present several different ways of considering something, so that you can draw your own conclusions. I’ll also update this post if a video recording of the panel is posted. (I was told it was to be professionally recorded, and apparently, it wasn’t – boo.)

Additionally, I want to stress that I really admire, Kat, for continuing to present and consider an array of opinions, but regardless of her intentions that doesn’t mean that everyone adheres to the idea that we can be supporters of each other even if we have different opinions. And that saddens me as someone who works to create female community. I’m not speaking about any of the panelists – who have been supportive – but to some of the responses online.

This particular discussion went as I expected it to. Most everyone maintained a degree of respect, though there were times when I definitely felt that some voices dominated the conversation. Now, sometimes conversations steer in certain directions; things move quickly, and occasionally erratically, on a panel – especially in front of a GIANT audience. Conversation can be difficult, and understanding takes both time, and learning not just how to listen, but how to listen to what the other is saying. What is their perspective? Where is it coming from and why? Are you saying the same thing but with words so different that it sounds like you are arguing? Is this why suggesting asking questions about why we do what we do, and what the real-world effects are is interpreted as an attack?

I’m glad I got to say a few things that were important to me – and from the response I’ve gotten, important to many of you as well. Thank you for speaking up – it’s incredibly difficult when you know your voice is in the minority. But I also want to stress that I feel it’s important to respect difference of opinion, as well as those who express it. All I can hope for is that I receive the same courtesy.

Because there isn’t video, I wanted to just recap some of the questions that were posed in the session.

Does displaying the sexiness of fangirls benefit or demean them? When geek girls show off, are they liberating themselves or pandering to men? Do some “fake fangirls” blend sex appeal with nerdiness just to appeal to the growing geek/nerd market, or is that question itself unfair? How about sexy fanboys? And what’s up with all the Slave Leias?

And to be honest, I can’t remember all we covered.

But questions I wanted to include in the discussion were:

What IS sexy? (And when we say something is sexy – are we only talking about a specific type of sexy?)

What is the benefit of women making media vs. participating in media that’s being made?

How, or in what ways, are heteronormative depictions of “sexy” damaging?

If geek girls, especially prominent geek girls, are willing to show themselves as objects of male fantasy, why would male-dominated industries such as comics, film, or even television, bother to represent women as anything else? (Additionally, there is a post-feminist idea that if a woman does something, and is okay with it, then that somehow automatically makes it feminist. If something is empowering for the one, is it necessarily empowering for the many?)

Where is the line between exploitation and empowerment?

How can we disagree with each other and still move forward as a community?

I didn’t really want to talk about the “Slave Leia” outfit because that’s one of those issues where people aren’t going to be amenable to critical discussion surrounding it. As I said in my book: Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology:

The “Slave Leia” outfit—as it has come to be known—ensures her status not as an icon of female empowerment and political influence (as she was in the first, and arguably second, film installments) but as an object of heterosexual male fantasy. The pervasive, and perverse, popularity of the outfit is seen throughout popular culture––from parades of “Slave Leias” at Comic Con International to Ross Gellar of the television series Friends admitting it’s one of his sexual fantasies. Admittedly, Leia’s bikini is memorable precisely because it ignited a generation of young boys’ first “funny feelings” and thus serves as nostalgia for sexual awakening. But it’s also troublesome that an outfit a powerful woman was forced to wear in a tactic meant to demean and objectify her, and in which she may have been sexually assaulted (her captor, Jabba, does feel her up with his suggestive tail), has become one of the dominant images of Leia.

In my opinion it’s not hot – it’s demeaning. And that’s because it’s intended to be demeaning. It’s not an outfit that Leia chose as an expression of empowerment or sexuality. The “Slave ” outfit was was forced upon Leia because she was being held as a slave. (And didn’t Carrie Fisher admittedly have an eating disorder – the kind that such exploitative outfits contribute to?) And if it were truly empowering, wouldn’t Leia have freed the other slaves on Jabba’s sail barge?!?!?

Feminism is about changing social and political systems of oppression – not about saving yourself.

(Don’t get me started on the problematic and unexamined use of the word “slave” in reference to sexual arousal.)

Kat brought up the subject of a photo someone sent her of her seven year old daughter in the notorious “Slave Leia” outfit and asked what we thought about that. One panelist’s response to was to joke, “Was she hot?” Another noted that Europe has less Puritanical views regarding the human body, and when I suggested that was different from sexualizing a child, I was asked what I would tell my daughter if she said that was her favorite character? (I never got a chance to answer, but a conversation would definitely be involved. I also came home and read this post on Jezebel about Dance Moms and why it’s important for little girls to be “hot” – to be clear, not what the panelist was saying, just a suggestion that what we say does matter.)

I’m not jealous. I’m not a prude. And I don’t have a problem with skimpy outfits per se. I haven’t put anyone “down” for wearing a costume – or questioned their personal empowerment – and I certainly support women’s right to wear what they want. Especially to wear what they want without being sexually harassed.

What I have a problem with is the emphasis on conventional expressions of sexuality in cosplay being the dominant option. I have a problem with women’s bodies being used to sell product (as in booth babes). And I have a problem with the idea that those options are all we have because that’s the only way women are drawn or portrayed in popular entertainment media. One of the comments I heard on the panel was along the lines of “What are we supposed to do when that’s how the characters we love are drawn or dressed?” [Head. Desk.]

It was also suggested that we simply ignore media we don’t like. Ignoring it won’t make it go away, and it won’t change the status quo. Only talking about it will.

I agree with this assertion from “Feminist in Wonderland: The Women of Comic Con” on The WIP via Ms. that:

“What matters is not whether we wear the seven-inch heels. What matters is whether we have asked ourselves—why do we wear them? If we have not addressed that question, then this is objectification, and it holds all of us back.”

I haven’t heard any feminists assert that feminism is about telling other women what to do, or wear, so don’t know where that response is coming from (see Twitter). But I believe we do need to examine the cultural messages marketed and received by media. We need to teach our children how to read entertainment. And we need to open up our definitions of what is sexy by representing diverse body types, races, ethnicities and sexualities as sexy – as well as emphasizing that sexuality is something to be explored, but not everything has to be “sexy.”

If people are going to make hyperbolic statements about how “if feminism is this or that then count me out” (also, see Twitter) – I’ll play along and say that if feminism is about accepting the status quo and never challenging oppressive systems or asking questions, then I’d like to be counted out of that definition of feminist politics.

I’m also continually frustrated by the post-feminist attitude that cries “If it’s empowering for me, then it’s feminist.” That’s an individualistic and privileged perception that does nothing for feminist activism or social justice.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one. (Yeah. I quoted Spock.)

I also don’t believe that either asking critical questions or difference of opinion is girl-on-girl hate. It was suggested by panelists that women are just bitches and that we are hard-wired to hate each other. I absolutely do not believe this.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’ve just been fortunate to be part of female community and have female mentors. Each year at both Wondercon and Comic Con, cartoonist and herstorian, Trina Robbins and I get together with other women comics scholars for lunch and conversation. Trina has been a wonderful mentor, and is always gracious and available whenever I need research advice, an introduction, or a pull quote. I look to her, and women like her, for inspiration about the kind of woman I’d like to be.

I also believe in fomenting sisterhood through community – something wonderful that is happening through GeekGirlCon.

All in all, I got to name check some of my favorite feminist (and feminist influenced) organizations including Reel Grrls, Bitch Media, Girl Scouts, and GeekGirlCon. I also got to mention Whedonesque Burlesque, where sexy and geeky – the topics we were exploring on the panel – had come together in a creative expression of wonderfully diverse representations of sexuality.

I’m glad I had the chance to try to say something about women and body image, the sexualization of our daughters, understanding media images, and the necessity of creating media making opportunities for women. In trying to expand our definitions of what is beauty and what is sexy, I tried to ask why people who are adamant that the “Slave Leia” outfit is empowering say that they would wear it “if” they had the body. If it’s so empowering, why must you be denied such empowerment?

All of that said, I am horrified that some of my co-panelists found Chris Gore’s comment that he’d like to stick his “penis into every woman on the panel” amusing. His behavior was reprehensible and his comment (which he alternately joked was a “compliment” and “satire”) was completely and totally out of line. It was inappropriate given the context of panel, and not knowing sexual history/orientation of his co-panelists. It felt like street harassment in which someone yells “nice ass” and then calls me a “bitch” for not smiling/lightening up. A couple of people have asked why “the feminists” didn’t say anything. I can’t speak for Kiala – but I can say that it wasn’t my panel, and that it was the moderator’s job to address it. Any comment from me would validate his “humor,” and reinforce the “humorless feminist” label I had tried to joke about – and which was later suggested as the problem of anyone who didn’t get the joke via Gore’s Twitter feed, along with accusations of sexual repression.

Finally, a lot of people have been praising Seth Green as the best part of the panel. I’m also very appreciative of what Seth got the chance to say (even though he admittedly hijacked our panel for several minutes – Oh, Oz . . .) but want to note that:

– The most memorable and praised part of a panel of women is something a dude said.

– Seth said many things I’d been attempting to say through the entire session. Thing is, many of my comments were talked over, and suggestions deflected with humor, but Seth was listened to and respected because he’s a celebrity. Once the conversation got away from him, I brought up the Girl Scouts PSA as a way of attempting to steer the conversation back to the issues at hand.

I’m glad people are talking about various issues involved, and hope the conversations remain civil and enlightening. In fact, I’m going to say here and now, that with the exception of Gore, I respect my co-panelists on the Oh, You Sexy Geek panel and their opinions, no matter how much I might disagree with, or perhaps simply misunderstand, them. If you plan to comment on this post, I ask that you remain civil. I’m the moderator in this space, and I don’t mind if you disagree with me, but if you aren’t being thoughtful, or are being negative rather than critical, I will not approve your comment.

I also would like to say that I’m sure I’m not the only one that didn’t get to say everything they wanted to in our limited time together. What I would like to conclude with is two documentary trailers that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.

The first is for a film called Miss Representation (the tagline is, “You can’t be what you can’t see).

Newest Miss Representation Trailer (2011 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection) from on Vimeo.

The second is for History of the Universe as told by Wonder Woman (full disclosure, yeah, I’m in it).

I invite you to watch these and think about the idea that we can’t be what we can’t see, what it is that we are seeing, and how it affects American culture and politics.

Recaps/Reports/Related Reading on the Oh, You Sexy Geek Panel

Oh You Sexy Geek: Live Blog event #SDCC

Feminist Fatale: Comic-Con Recap: Oh, You Sexy Geek!

Jennifer de Guzman: Comic-Con 2011: Oh, You Sexy Geek Recap

Jennifer de Guzman: Oh, You Sexy Geek: The Responses

Angel-Headed Hipster: Hey, You Sexy Geek

It’s not just atheists with a diversity problem…

Stellar Four: The Origins of the Slave Leia Costume

San Diego Comic-Con 2011 Recap (Episode II: Attack of the Princess Naked)

ifanboy SDCC 2011: Panel Report

Costume Drama: Cosplay or Can’t Play, by Bonnie Burton

MTV Geek (Quoted every panelist but me and Clare Kramer – and misspelled Kiala’s name. Thanks, MTV Geek!)

NBC San Diego: Get Your Hands Off My Spandex! (completely misquoted/misunderstood me)

CLARE-ified: Oh, You Sexy Geek! – Comic-Con 2011

Ladies Rule the Day at Comic-Con Thursday

Re-Orientation: Sex and Gender in the Modern World: Oh, You Sexy Geek: SDCC Panel, Gender, Sexuality, And Feminist Waves

Racialicious: On Geekdom and Privilege: Sympathy For The ‘Pretty’?

Ms. Magazine: A Feminist Visits Comic Conhttp://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/07/26/a-feminist-visits-comic-con/

Seattle City Arts: Game Changers

#FFF Fake Fangirl Friday Follow-Up: Oh, You Sexy Geek! San Diego Comic-Con Panel Reactions and Controversies

The Great Buffy Rewatch starts tonight! Organized by Nikki Stafford and taking place on Tuesday nights throughout 2011, the rewatch will feature a variety of amazing contributors including:

Nikki Stafford herself. Nikki is the author of such books as: The Finding LOST guides and Bite Me!: The Chosen Edition The Unofficial Guide to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Elizabeth Rambo – co-editor of Buffy Goes Dark.

Ian Klein – Contributor to Inside Joss’ Dollhouse: From Alpha to Rossum.

David Lavery and Rhonda Wilcox – the father and mother of Buffy Studies and co-editors of Fighting The Forces: What’s At Stake In Buffy The Vampire Slayer?.

Stacey Abbott – the world’s leading Angel scholar and author or editor of such books as: Celluloid Vampires: Life After Death in the Modern World, Reading Angel: The TV Spin-off With a Soul, and The Cult TV Book: From Star Trek to Dexter, New Approaches to TV Outside the Box.

Husband and Wife power duo- Ensley Guffey and Dale Guffey. Dale is the author of Faith and Choice in the Works of Joss Whedon.

There are many more – including yours truly!

I will be doing my best to watch every Tuesday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm – West Coast time – before reading that week’s post online at Nikki’s blog! I love thinking about my Buffy peeps watching all over the world and hope you will join us over the coming year!

Day 11 of the gift guide is for the fan of female super and action heroes! It’s the Superwoman edition!

I’ve already gushed about my favorite superwoman, Modesty Blaise, on Day 1 of this gift guide.

So be sure to look there if your Superwoman Geek is a fan of British Spy-fi!

Jaime Sommers

Fans of Bionic Woman, Jaime Sommers, are in luck – The Bionic Woman has finally been released on DVD in the U.S.!

Na-na-na-na-na-na . . .

And for those wanting to know more about the show there’s Bionic Book Reconstructed – a history of both Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man. (With interviews!)

Wonder Woman

Anyone who knows me, or is familiar with my work, knows how influential Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman was on me as a child and on the woman I’ve become.

For those that want to revisit their childhoods, pop culture research junkies like myself, and parents wanting to introduce their children to the Amazon Princess, Wonder Woman The Complete Collection is the perfect gift.

Wonder Woman: The Animated Feature is more for adults than children. (Get the 2-disc special edition for great features! )

The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia by Phil Jimenez and John Wells (and which I reviewed for Bitch) is truly THE guide to the character.

Wonder Woman: The Complete History by Les Daniels is a well-researched and thorough history of the character. And while I don’t care for Daniels’ weird dislike of Gloria Steinem I would still recommend this book for Wonder Woman fans.

Buffy Summers

Buffy Summers is another of my personal favorites when it comes to Superwomen. Get me started talking about the emotional resonance and feminist message of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I’ll never stop. I’ll also probably say things like, “I’m a Slayer. Ask me how.”

As mentioned in Day 5’s post, if your Geek doesn’t own Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Complete Series they’ll need it so they can participate in the upcoming Great Buffy Rewatch. Organized by Nikki Stafford and taking place on Tuesday nights throughout 2011, the rewatch will feature a variety of amazing contributors.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 will get your Geek caught up in the world of Buffy and the Scoobies as they lead an army of Slayers against the latest Big Bad.

And Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel from Dark Horse will provide reference to all the non-canonical Buffy comics in a coffee table book format.

Sydney Bristow

I miss Sydney Bristow. From the very first episode of Alias I was hooked on this Superwoman and spy-fi shero. Your Geek can get hooked too, or just revisit the adventures of Sydney and her family of spies with Alias: The Complete Collection.

For context, reference, and those that can’t get enough of the show, its characters, and its mythology, Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide to the Show and Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies And SD-6 make for great reading.

Honey West

Private eyeful Honey West debuted in 1957’s This Girl for Hire – a novel co-written by husband and wife team Gloria and Forrest Fickling under the pseudonym “G.G. Fickling.” In addition to the 10 novels Honey appeared in, she was the star of an eponymous television series in the mid-1960s. (I wrote about her for the Noir Issue of Bitch.)

Fans of Superwomen would enjoy Honey West: This Girl for Hire – the novel that introduces us to the busty blonde detective.

Honey West: The Complete Series – as one of the first American television series to star an action heroine is an absolute joy.

Honey West by John C. Fredriksen provides a guide to the series with episode synopses and interviews.

The Honey West Comic Book from Moonstone – the first two issues of which are written by the great Trina Robbins! (I interviewed Trina about the project here.)

Dr. Catherine Gale and Mrs. Emma Peel

Cathy and Mrs. Peel are two of the first action heroines of television period. Played by Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg respectfully, they were not only beautiful, stylish, and sexy, but smart, talented, fearless and perhaps more capable than their male colleague, John Steed.

Fans of Superwomen will love the The Avengers – The Complete Emma Peel Megaset as well as early episodes featuring Cathy.

Get Christie Love

Get Christie Love started out as a made-for-television movie loosely based on a novel called The Ledger, written by Dorothy Uhnak, who herself had worked with the NYPD. Teresa Graves (Laugh-In) starred as Christie Love – a sassy, skilled, take-no-shit, undercover cop.

Get Christie Love aired as a series during the 1974–5 season making Graves one of the first Black women to headline her own television show. Only the pilot is available on DVD.

The character was modeled after New York Police Detective, Olga Ford, one of the first African American women on the force. Ford served as a consultant on an early episode.

Varla

Tura Satana once said that “You can still be feminine and have balls” and those words describe her just as well as the famous line in Russ Meyer’s Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! where her character, Varla, is told “You’re like a velvet glove cast in iron.”

With it’s brash delivery of one-liners, cinematography as stunning as the cleavage on display, and sexually confident, if amoral, women, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is a classic film for the Superwoman Geek.

Belted, Buckled, and Booted

For more on Ms. Satana your Geek might enjoy Big Bosoms and Square Jaws: The Biography of Russ Meyer, King of the Sex Film by Jimmy McDonough.

Gina Torres (Or, the Gina Torres Collection.)

Okay, so Gina Torres is not a super or action hero per se – but she’s an Amazon Warrior nevertheless!

Cleopatra 2525

Guilty Pleasure? Feminist message? Exploitation? Let your Geek decide! I, for one love Cleopatra 2525 in all it’s awesome awfulness as well as the teamwork of Hel, Cleo and Sarge. And Torres sings the theme song.

Okay, every Geek already owns Firefly: The Complete Series and Serenity– but since they star Torres as the badass, Zoe Washburne, they need to be listed.

Superwomen Geeks can also catch Torres in Season Four of Angel – or you can go ahead and get the entire series.

Hit-Girl

One of the most fascinating Superwomen to come out of the past year is Chloë Grace Moretz’s Hit-Girl from Kick-Ass.

She was more than just a pint-sized, foul-mouthed assassin (and more than a gimmick). She was the most capable, talented, forceful, and driven person in both the movie version of Kick Ass and the comic book version of Kick Ass.

For more on both, Geeks will appreciate a copy of Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie.

Recommended Reading for Superwomen Geeks: Criticism and History

Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology

Action Chicks: New Images of Tough Women in Popular Culture

The Modern Amazons : Warrior Women on Screen

Athena’s Daughters: Television’s New Women Warriors

Girls Who Bite Back: Witches, Mutants, Slayers and Freaks

A Very Short List of Recommended Reading for the fan of Superwomen in Comics

Birds of Prey Vols 1-7 by Gail Simone.

Wonder Woman: The Circle by Gail Simone.

Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer by Greg Rucka.

Queen & Country by Greg Rucka.

Batwoman: Elegy by Greg Rucka. (See Erica McGillivray’s lovely review from Day 9 of this list.)

Promethea by Alan Moore. (Find out more about Promethea here.)

GoGirl! by Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons.

Huntress: Year One by Ivory Madison.

The Ink-Stained Amazon’s second day of Geekmas is For the Star Wars Fan!

Wait, what!?!? You don’t have a Tauntaun Sleeping Bag from Think Geek yet?!?!?

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag

Originally an April Fool’s Day joke, this awesome bag will delight jedis young and old. (The Ink-Stained Hubby kept his on our bed for months!) Plus, the opportunities for action shots with pets are endless. Just look at Wesley!

He thought they smelled bad on the outside . . .

What’s that? You already have the sleeping bag! Of course you do. Well then how about a Wampa Throw Rug?

Snow Beast!

Are you, or your significant other, a little like Homer Simpson? Always misplacing your pants? Nevermore, as you’ll never want to take off these Star Wars-themed jammie pants!

May the cozy be with you!

Wouldn’t these Bounty Hunter Masks look cool on your fridge?

Bounty Hunters

And I’m thinking this Star Wars Mural is perfect for either the man-cave OR the she-cave.

Star Wars Wall Mural

Thank Geekness for Ashley Eckstein and Her Universe featuring Star Wars themed items that actually fit women!

Star Wars Logo Shirt

Empire Thermal Hoodie

For the Star Wars fan who likes to cook Williams Sonoma has a plethora of goodies for you from pancake molds and cookie cutters to aprons for kids and adults.

Impressive. Most impressive.

Bake tasty cookies, you will.

Star Wars apron.

Though it won’t be released until March 2011, I absolutely recommend the awesome Bonnie Burton’s forthcoming Star Wars Craft Book. Take a first look here.

Geeky Crafting!

Speaking of crafts – Etsy is a great place for unique, geeky, and crafty Star Wars-themed items such as this totally cute AT-AT Attack Pillow Cover.

Super-Geeky!

Bonus Recommended Geek Gift Guide!
A Holiday Gift Guide for the Harry Potter Fan from Smart Pop Books!

Hey nerds! Who has two thumbs, speaks limited french and is excited for the holiday season? This moi!

That’s why over the next 12 days (naturally) I’ll be posting gift ideas for all your geeky loved ones, from your Jedis and Padawans, to your Doctors and companions, to those who believe that Whedon is their master now, to your favorite feminist geeks and geek girls – there will be no shortage of gift ideas for the geeks in your life!

Since everyone knows I’m a huge Modesty Blaise fan (and I’ve already alerted the Ink-Stained Hubby to these items) I’m starting the list with . . .

Gifts for the Modesty Blaise Fan

This tres cool Modesty Blaise luggage set features images by Enrique Badía Romero who took over illustration duties after the untimely death of original artist, Jim Holdaway.

Modesty Blaise Luggage Set

Also available is a laptop case.

Modesty Blaise Laptop Case

I’m totally digging this Modesty Blaise t-shirt featuring the tagline from the horrid 1966 film version of the character and an image from the cover of Modesty Blaise.

Nothing can faze, Modesty Blaise

Modesty Blaise

I also recommend any of the collected strips – published by Titan Books – such as The Gabriel Set-Up – any of the 11 novels (though Modesty Blaise, A Taste for Death, I, Lucifer, and The Silver Mistress are my favorite), or either of the two collections of short stories, Pieces of Modesty and Cobra Trap.

Pieces of Modesty - A Collection of Short Stories

The Gabriel Set-Up Collected Strips

Bonus Recommended Geek Gift Guide of the Day!
DC Women Kicking Ass’ Kick Ass Holiday Gift Guide, part one (under $25).“Gift ideas if you like DC women who kick ass or are buying for someone who does.”