“Geek Girls” and the Problem of Self-Objectification Article

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What do you think of this article?

Geek Girls

the article asks good questions, but since when is being into comics and sci-fi so "geek"?

"Geek" used to be more technical than that. Where there ever real "geek girls" who could hack a banking mainframe or reprogram a chip by replacing the firmware with a hacked version?

That'll impress me more than some chick who go to a comic con dressed as a WOW character.

Sexism does exist in so-called geek culture. Starting with the notion that female geeks don't exist and/or it's some big surprise that they are capable of being sexy.


As far as objectifying goes, well it's nice to see women actually like stuff instead of just being into what TV and magazines tell them to be into, but I suppose things can get out of hand when both sides are thinking with their organs.

Being Geek is best left to aspies (the pros).

My personal opinion is that this glut of sexily-dressing model geeks is what you get when the marketing world gets mixed up with fandom. There have been some sexy geek girls at conventions since at least the eighties (my time), but they were usually women enjoying the power of being an attractive female.

In my day, a geek woman got attention no matter how she looked. The geek guys just liked being around someone who could talk on his level. I think there must still be some guys in the culture who would rather have a girl who could keep up with him-or who challenges him to keep up with her- rather than someone who is a cheerleader for comic books.

this is what I like about this world. you never know is this one pretty girl's a geek or even a nerd. But some of us don't like unpredictability and would more likely to be more comfy with geeky looking girls. But that may be called called "stereotyping, depending on what your views are. JUST WARNING YA!

Women who are beautiful in a traditional, heteronormative way are objectified and given more praise/recognition in all walks of life, not just in geek culture (such as the fact that beautiful women are more likely to get jobs/promotions). But the essay is right in saying that geek women who are not considered "hot" are more open to ridicule by being referred to as "annoying, squeeing fangirls". What's even worse is that I have never seen that label applied to the "sexy cosplayers", but only to the geek girls who are either fans of attractive male characters, and/or who create actual content within fan communities (such as fanart and fanfiction) that are deemed socially unacceptable (such as slash/yaoi and mpreg).

One thing I disagreed with in regards to the essay is that sexy cosplay can be used to subvert society's expectations. The problem lies within the fact that it doesn't matter what someone's reasons are for wearing a sexy cosplay outfit, all the guys are going to think is, "Hey look! She's showing off her body!" So it renders the original intention behind the costume moot, unless that intent was to cater to men in the first place.

I always found those geek and gamer girls insulting. I play video games heavily but gaming doesn't require anybody to show off their body. I feel a little upset that when people think of women as gamers or geeks that's what they think of. I feel like there's no such thing as an average anymore. I imagine it's not just men who think of that image.

i don't like the phenomenon involved in the "sexy geek" thing...it's not what the industry is about, and it adds another barrier for females. it's hard enough for women to be taken seriously in gaming and such, but adding another level to it where women are expected to be sexy is problematic.

the article basically addresses my concern about "slu*ty" costumes too. like, "sure i am a zombie, but such a sexy flesh eater"....

I wish I was pretty. Then boys would like me, and I would hate myself less.

When I hear the word "Geek girl" i think of someone that is intelligent and interested into technology (medicin, computers, electronics, biology, construction, etc). Looks are really irrelevant in that aspect, as is sexyness. But of course if it's about having a girlfriend there ought to be at least some basic physical attraction.

The "sexy geek girls" are just a new sexual fantasy.

I feel like models and stuff are just using geekdom for their own profit (and to seem "quirky"), but there are girls that are girly and are geeks as well. I tend to call myself Geek Chic, and I'm sure I'm not the only girl that likes geeky stuff and shopping for clothing XD

People are always going to play to their strengths - so pretty girls/women will play up the sexy angle and intelligent/geeky ones will play up their intelligence/knowledge/personality. I think it all evens out in the long run as in later life intelligence/a good personality will stand a woman in good stead whereas those women who rely on their looks will become very insecure and try and cling to their youth as their identity is more invested in being pretty/sexy.

I hate people who judge me on how sexy or not I am as it's an unfair game when others are more so. I judge people for being unintelligent though so I have my own prejudice. I prefer not to be put in competition against women I'm never going to win against lol but if it's a general knowledge test I'm always up for that! The type of men overtly sexy women attract are often nasty controlling types anyway so being plainer can be an advantage. In my opinion you're more likely to get murdered if you're pretty.

I tend to like geeky looking men as opposed to standardly good looking ones as they are too bland for my liking and you just know they will be boring and rarely witty.