Not Fake

There was a huge hullaballoo recently about "Fake Geek Girls" and how they weren't real geeks because, well, they were girls--how could they be?? The concept is just stupid. And I'm going to get into that whole argument.

However, I think we can all agree that there are varying levels to being a geek, or nerd (as I prefer). You may be a passing fan of a particular show (i.e., I enjoyed Buffy and Angel very much, and I could watch random episodes without missing a beat, but I probably wouldn't own the series, or merchandise); or perhaps you saw a few episodes, became hooked, couldn't believe they cancelled  it after just one season, but at least we got a movie later...sorry, I got a little carried away there. I was talking about Firefly in that case (if you didn't know that...you're damaging my calm. And you didn't get that). I have a Jayne hat, several t-shirts and the entire series and movie on DVD. I am crazy about Doctor Who, too, I can admit. Possibly around the same level as Firefly. I have some Lego-style miniatures and I'd like a few t-shirts, too.

You see, even in my own nerd-dom, I have my own levels of fanaticism. This weekend at Gen Con pretty much proves it. I'm not a gamer; I don't pretend to be. I'm just not competitive enough to care enough to bother playing games. I know part of it stems from not liking to be wrong, or screw up, or lose because of the incoming backlash. (Thanks, Bullies). But otherwise, I just really don't get into games. And for most of the weekend, that was okay. When asked, I didn't really have a problem saying, "I'm not really a gamer." And when I did have to say this, the reaction was a shrug, a to-each-his-own attitude.

Except for one guy. He and his wife went from offering to set me up with some random red-headed friend of theirs who wasn't present, to suddenly being flabbergasted when I said I wasn't a gamer. "Then why are you at Gen Con??" I shrugged and said I was there for everything else that was there. "Like what??" I laughed at his complete confusion and said that I was there to see webcomic artists and merchandise and some events.

But inside, I was seething a little. You don't get to tell me what to be geeky about. I go to a Star Trek convention and see things for Star Wars on sale there, you don't see me flipping out. Most conventions have become a generic sci-fi/fantasy type. Even when they're "specialized", like a gamers convention, every-fan in every sense of the word is there.

And we're sexy.

Speaking of, I had no luck this weekend. But I did get to see Second Guy (looking way too good again) and Hates-Cats (harassed me as always). I have no idea what's going on there...but I'm not stressing.