20 Tweets: Too Pretty to Geek?

Magic Sensei @fivewithflores started quite the discussion when he linked to a CNN blog about women in geek culture–especially “non-geek,” attractive women at geek events. Magic culture is so inseparable from “geek culture”  that many Twitter wizards wanted to air their thoughts about the blog. While some debated the geek credentials of so called Booth Babes, others asked what “geek culture” even meant and whether it should have membership requirements. Can you claim geek status if you’ve seen a Spider Man movie but never read the comic? Can geek culture even be invaded? Should we care?

Let’s start with the response from one of the women mentioned in the article as an acceptable form of female geekdom: @feliciaday

Dear reporters, getting a bit tired of being held up as an "authentic" geek as you write posts against women who "exploit" geek culture.

— Felicia Day (@feliciaday) July 25, 2012

@bonniegrrl @feliciaday I mean, no one accuses guys who dress up as storm troopers of not being "true" geek, because they assume they are.

— Mariah Huehner (@TiredFairy) July 25, 2012

@amy_geek @bonniegrrl @feliciadaywe should be MORE inclusive, not acting like petulant toddlers demanding "proof".

— Mariah Huehner (@TiredFairy) July 25, 2012

@fivewithflores Yep. Twitter's not the forum, but I've never met a women like this, and men never have their motives questioned, so...

— thea steele (@wmap) July 25, 2012

@fivewithflores All he (or anyone who complains about mythical girls pretending to be nerds) is doing is questioning motives.

— thea steele (@wmap) July 25, 2012

@mulldrifting I actually disagree with you. I read him as sincere and also think he is entitled to his opinion... Which is wrong :) @wmap

— Michael Flores (@fivewithflores) July 25, 2012

@fivewithflores @wmap How about directing ire at marketers with littlerespect for their geek fanbase and pander with boothbabes.

— Brian David-Marshall (@Top8Games) July 25, 2012

I love the idea that "geek culture" is some precious tradition that's been passed down generation to generation in an attempt to preserve it

— Justin Treadway (@GriffnValentine) July 25, 2012

I welcome new members to the community but I also can understand how some people are "geek" because it's a good image to have right now

— Hobbes, Tigre Hussar (@HobbesQ) July 25, 2012

@natasha_lh the big problem as i see it, is that the word "geek" implies a longstanding, possibly obsessive devotion to something 1/2

— Elliott Hunter (@erjhunter) July 25, 2012

@natasha_lh Are you familiar with studies of geekdom and masculinity? I suspect this is coming from a similar place as some of that.

— Liz Cady (@JhoiraArtificer) July 25, 2012

Having hot chicks stand at booths to draw in horny nerds then have someone else talk to them propagates every stereotype about female nerds.

— Dr. Jeebus (@Dr_Jeebus) July 25, 2012

Goddamn it getting messages on deviantart on how I'm just like " those booth babes" at comic con. Really? You just going along with the

— christine sprankle (@cspranklerun) July 25, 2012

Women are "finally able to enjoy" geek culture? Pretty sure this guy can die in a fire. We've always been here. geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/24/boo…

— Alli Medwin (@trulyaliem) July 25, 2012

My comment on the Internet geek topic of the day: Could we please make geekdom inclusive and not exclusive. Let's be better than that.

— Mark Rosewater (@maro254) July 25, 2012

@maro254 any subculture can be exploited. I'd rather we focus on our own passion and let karma (or whatever) handle the dishonest.

— Sean Quinn (@CT37) July 25, 2012

@maro254 No booth babes is a PAX rule. One I agree with. It isn't about excluding, it is about preventing exploitations of our fandoms.

— Ryan Payne (@ryanp84) July 25, 2012

Since when did "geek" become the latest hipster goal? "I was a geek BEFORE it was cool."

— Kyle (@Kerrydan) July 25, 2012

If you don't have 70 long boxes of Spider-man comics in your closet, it should be illegal for you to see the movie.

— Justin Treadway (@GriffnValentine) July 25, 2012

WOMEN IN MAGIC. WAOT WAIT NO, WOMEN THAT ARE GEEKS. that is all. #rablerable

— Jay Boosh (@JayBoosh) July 25, 2012