Photo from YayaHan.com
While playing online games I’ve received messages like: “You’re a fake nerd girl” and “You’re just a stupid gamer girl. Get back in the kitchen!” I’d be lying if I said I only received messages like these from males. Why are so many nerdy fandoms ashamed of the females in them? Is it embarrassing to lose to a girl? Or is there more to it?
Let’s think about it a little bit: comic books and video games were originally marketed at young boys. While boys asked for a stack of comics, girls would ask for Nancy Drew novels. But, as time has passed, girls have taken interest in these “boyish” pastimes as well! It’s only natural that they become interested and there’s nothing wrong with that. This started happening in the 80s, so why is all this harsh discrimination happening now, nearly 30 years later?
If a girl likes comics and dresses up as Powergirl, she’s labeled as a slut by onlookers at conventions. Girls who dress up as the “sexier” heroes (i.e., all of them) receive sexual harassment and insults from convention goers, who may even question the girl’s knowledge of the comic. It’s not likely that a woman who spent days making a superhero costume knows nothing about that hero. Please point out what she’s doing wrong.
Women have always been over-sexualized in comic books. Their skimpy spandex outfits and curvy shapes wouldn’t help protect them from bullets, ray guns or even punches, yet that’s what they’re drawn in. The men are typically in full body suits that allow them to absorb hits. Though the women are sexualized, it doesn’t stop them from kicking ass. Let’s be real, Cassie Sandmark could probably rip Red Robin apart if she wanted to. The women in these comics are both beautiful and strong.
Despite this, many fans still don’t understand. Even female fans scoff at other girls for dressing up as superheroes, saying that they’re showing off too much of their body. Apparently there’s some unspoken rule that says: if you have cleavage and dress up as Starfire, you’re a dumb slut who’s not actually a real fan. Why are we throwing around words like slut or whore at women who are just having fun? Women should be free to do whatever they want, whether it’s having sex with many people or dressing up as their favorite comic book character, without being insulted. Girls are fighting with other girls, because they themselves want to avoid the stereotype. They don’t want to be looked down upon by their male peers and will pipe in their comments in search of acceptance. What girls don’t realize is that calling other girls sluts or whores makes the guys think it’s okay for them to do it as well.
Popular cosplayers like Jessica Nigri and Yaya Han have been under fire for dressing up as characters like Lollipop Chainsaw, Litchi Faye Ling and other scantily dressed women, simply because they’re true to the character’s design. Despite this they still cosplay, hoping to show that they’re serious about the hobby that they’ve made into a profession.
Next time you tell a girl to make you a sandwich during that online match, I honestly hope she snipes your head off. It’s time to stop making stupid sexist jokes. It’s 2013.
Want to refute my argument? Do you think I’m wrong? Or maybe you just want to mourn over the fact that there’s no One Piece update this week? Comment below or e-mail me at dahrae@terpmail.umd.edu.