here's fandom :)

[mickeym]

Link courtesy of missyjack: Move Over Alpha Geeks, Here Come the Fangrrls

It's a pretty awesome article :)

Comments

[lazy-daze.livejournal.com]

It is pretty awesome! I like positive portrayals of our fandom. :D Though I do object to use the use of 'fangrrls'. Patronising, much?

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

I think (though maybe it's just me wanting it to be this) maybe it's more meant to just be using the lingo, than meant to be patronizing. But yeah, it's nice to see a truly positive portrayal of fandom and fannish activities (I love that they got fandom_rocks and sweet charity in there!).

And you! You posted your D/s thing right when I have 1093841230948 deadlines and shouldn't be doing anything BUT writing. *whimpers* Not fair!

[lazy-daze.livejournal.com]

HEE, I am sorry!! I hope you enjoy it when you get around to it *evil smirk*

[linda3m.livejournal.com]

Positive and accurate. I've been in fandom since dinosaurs ruled the cons. I remember the old boys club it used to be. As with so many things, women found that our needs were not being met by existing product, so we reworked it and made it our own.

I think there are two basic reasons the 'fangrrls' of today don't bare much resemblance to the 'geekboys' of yesterday. First, women are better socialized. Female fandoms are not havens for the socially awkward, but places to escape the responsibilities of being wives, mothers, daughters and co-workers. Places where we can let our hair down and enjoy each other's company.

Second, female fandom is by it's nature, subversive. It takes a certain type of woman to wrestle control away from TPTB and experiment. We control the stories. We control the sexuality.

Thank you for linking to that article!

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

it's an interesting article but good GRAVY it's patronizing!! both in how it defines earlier conventions (conventions = pimply-antisocial-boy-space was always how mundanes looked at fandom to me, not what it was -- at least not in the sf and la areas of california) and using "fangrrls" (most of the ppl i know in fandom are women and men, not kids).

there WERE badly socialized ppl (of all ages and genders) at conventions in the 70s and 80s, but they were way, way in the minority, and most of them after a few conventions weren't badly socialized anymore because they realized here are a whole bunch of other ppl who are also WAY too smart for their own good and really interesting that you could talk to, but who wont talk to you if you act like an idiot.

on the plus side there were plenty of ppl who considered some kinds of socializing a very bad thing and refused to buy in to it, so there was way less pressure about looks/weight/outside social or work status/gender/orientation/interest in sex or lack, and i think that is a very good thing. but it makes ppl who are invested in being popular for any of those isntead of just who they are very uncomfortable, i think.

in all the local groups we were in in the sf bay area the gender ratios were only a little skewed towards boys, but i dont think we were ever the only girl from the first local star trek club (1973, we were all in 6th grade) on. i am trying to remember names from basfc and cant so i found pictures, and going thru them there's 8 girls (including us) and 10 boys. that was 1978-1980 or so, i think.

it makes me sad to that to so many ppl creation cons are typical conventions. back when they started there was a popular motto "putting the con back in convention" and from what i have seen that has not changed! $400 for a weekend??? but at least if the writers only know creation cons and comic cons that does explain a lot of their attitude :/