Commentary on the "Fake Geek Girl" Issue

I was first introduced to this phenomenon this past spring, shortly before making my first presentation Anime Boston, through an article on The Mary Sue. It really resonated with me, having been vaguely aware of it in my own surroundings but never really putting a name to the problem.

For example, if I was going to a comic book store to check out a new series, or find a new series to check out, I'd know I was running the risk of being pegged as a poser, or a bimbo just getting into comics/manga/whatever for attention. This makes entering a new fandom a daunting task. Look clueless, and people will get the wrong idea about your intentions. I finally faced that fear to pick up my first Captain America comic.

Now, I get that there are female posers in nerd culture. There are male posers as well but no one seems to care about their existence nearly as much as "fake geek girl." There are no doubt some women doing it for attention, girls who wear Marvel t-shirts because it's cute and trendy, or some women just attending conventions for the "wrong reasons;" hell sometimes they'll even admit to it. I'd say that they're ruining everything and this is why we can't have nice things and all that other angry grumbling, but I think these young women aren't nearly as common as people seem to think.

A lot of people slapped with the "fake geek girl" tag are probably just newcomers. Why are they new? Why are they getting into it? Who the hell cares? As long as they're trying something new, why is it a big deal why? And when someone is new to a series, franchise, fandom, etc. they're not going to know much right away. One episode at a time. One comic at a time. One game at a time, one level at a time, people get into these things gradually, although their interest and enthusiasm may develop faster than their knowledge. Enthusiasm is a big part of what makes someone a geek. Yes, having a vast store of knowledge is part of being a geek too, but that can only come with experience. How is someone expected to gain that experience and knowledge of all things nerdy if she (or he) is constantly encountering elitist gatekeepers telling her to get off their lawn? It's intimidating as hell.

Sure enough, the article on The Mary Sue concluded with:

But who are you to say that a stranger, someone you’re never likely to meet, is not genuinely interested in the thing they appear to be interested in? Who are you? I just… what? I’m rendered incoherent. Here at the Mary Sue, when an actress goes on a talk show anddescribes her personal affection and involvement and enjoyment and FANDOM for geek properties, we take it at face value. Why? Because we don’t actually have a reason not to. Because the alternative breeds a closed community of paranoid, elitist jerks who lash out at anyone new.
The proper response to someone who says they like comics and has only read Scott Pilgrim is to recommend some more comics for them. The proper response to someone who appears to be faking enthusiasm is to ignore them and not project their actions on an entire gender or community. The proper response to someone who appears to want to be a part of your community is to welcome them in. End of story.

My problem with the "fake geek girl" witch hunt is that it's largely femiphobic. Society, not just nerd culture, often associates femininity with being stupid and frivolous, only doing things in relation to others. This fuels the assumption that women only claim to like comics for attention. Maybe they assume a girl is only claiming to like Zelda games because her boyfriend or crush likes them. We're still getting used to the idea that women could possibly be legitimately interested in nerdy things without some ulterior motive.

The debate about whether "fake geek girl" are a legitimate threat sprung up again recently when this garbage sprung up on CNN, prompting this cartoon on The Escapist:

This cartoon did an excellent job of pointing out how ridiculously women are treated at conventions, by reminding us that you wouldn't even think of talking to a guy that way.

The new article added a new problem to the discussion: women who wore sexy costumes just to look good, without really knowing anything about the characters. Again, while I'm sure some women do this, I think a lot of women do cosplay as characters they know little about, but that doesn't necessarily make them posers. A girl who does that could have just been introduced to the character and wanted to dress as her, liking what she's seen but not exactly being an expert. 

I can't blame people for not liking actual posers, especially at conventions. You see, conventions are getting crowded, and many conventions can't move to bigger venues to accommodate growing interest. Going to a convention, you deal with long lines at registration, long lines getting autographs, long lines getting into panels and events, even long lines at the food court and hotel elevators. The dealer's room is packed, even the hallways can be packed. It's only natural to convince yourself that the people getting in your way, taking what you feel is rightfully yours, don't deserve it. They're not nerdy enough to take up space, to get into the panel you were turned away fro, to get the good seat at the masquerade, to meet your favorite artist before you do. Who hasn't fallen into this way of thinking at some point? It's frustrating, but still oddly comforting to think this way, because then you can believe that if you could somehow kick out these posers, there'd be a lot more nerdy resources for "true believers" like yourself.

Thing is, conventions are also expensive. They take a lot of dedication, especially if you cosplay. You need to pay to get there, pay to get in, pay for food, and often pay for a hotel as well. Cosplaying costs money, and time if you make it yourself (no judgement against those who can't, Lord know I can't sew for beans). So if someone is at a convention, especially in costume, they deserve to be there.

Not saying that's the right way of thinking, just a very common way. Still, it's not right to assume that anyone is "fake" until you get to know them. Not quiz them on obscure trivia, not gauge whether they've watched "enough" anime or read "enough" comics, or if they've been a nerd "long enough," but whether they legitimately like what they're into. Maybe it's time to just put an end to the stupid, paranoid witch hunt. Posers exist, and one of two things will happen to each poser: 1) he or she will get bored if it all, because they're not actually into it, and move on to some other interest; or 2) he or she will develop a legitimate interest and become a real geek. Either way, posers don't last.