I’ve been sitting on the topic of Geekuality now since mid-summer. I’ve taken a real liking to the idea of it and yet, have been scared to write about it. I told Chris about my fear earlier this morning when I announced that I thought today was the day that I’d face it and write it. Without hesitation he cheered, “Good for you!” And followed up with a high five.

That was exactly what I needed because a moment before that, I was about to solicit a cheering squad from him anyway to help me face my insecurities about tackling a topic that I’m new to and not very experienced with. I told him I was scared. And he simply said, “Well, you don’t have to be, because that’s not what being a Geek or what Geekuality is about!” More wise words from my husband, friends….

So you’re thinking what the heck is Geekuality, Jen, and where are you headed with this?

You’re right. I know I get side-tracked. But, take  a look at this…

Geek+Equality=Geekuality

I made that sign after seeing an inspiring YouTube music video, called Nothing to Prove by two geek girls who call themselves, “The Double Clicks.” It just so happens to be a song about geek girls. In some kind of off-center way, I think its a gently feministic tune about how girls can like the same geek stuff as boys and no single gender was created to like said stuff more than the other. And, also, its about not being a jerk. Honestly, its worth your four-and-a-half minutes if you want to go see it for yourself. I might have to insist that you do. The link is right up there at the start of this paragraph.

But if you didn’t go back and look at it, it’s really fine. I’ll just go ahead and explain… Basically, it is a message that says girls can hold their own against boys while doing things that are most likely labeled as things that boys do. For example, girls can be really good at playing World of Warcraft; girls can fix your computer; girls can dress up like Batman or carry around a toy model of the U.S.S. Enterprise or dress like Spider Man for Halloween. Girls can run the comic book store down the street; they can rattle off all nine doctors of Doctor Who without pause and they can build an impressive structure out of Legos that aren’t pink. And let me be clear, girls aren’t necessarily doing it better than boys…the point is, is that their doing it at all and that they love it. Just as much as boys. Girls are Geeks, too.

So, if Geekuality is born from the idea that boys don’t like sci-fi more than girls and vice-versa, and they can like them equally as well as like them together, why not make that idea a whole, encompassing umbrella over everything we like a whole lot, obsess over and well, Geek out about?

But what’s a Geek these days? 

I asked Chris to help make me a Geek this summer. As if there was a formula to follow, like if I watched 700 hours of Sci-Fi, learned the ins and outs of the DC Universe, held my own with a gaming console and attended a Comic Con, maybe I’d be let in. But I found out that it doesn’t work that way. Geeks aren’t made. They just are!  There’s no one in charge who says I can or cannot be one. The best thing about “Geek” is that there is room for anyone. 

When we talk about being a Geek, I think its easy to sway toward the idea of a thick-rimmed, nerdy type who loves Star Trek and lives in his mom’s basement. Its true that might make up a small part of Geek population, but more common today is the freedom that comes with falling under the umbrella of Geek.

 Wil Wheaton describes what being a Geek is all about when he says (and I’m paraphrasing), “Oh! You like that? I like that, too! Let’s like it together!”

Being a Geek is no longer a label to be feared, friends. Remember, during the God-forsaken, wicked days of junior high and high school, when you, or someone you knew, were ridiculed for being a little different because maybe what they liked and what they were into wasn’t accepted into the mainstream and they only felt safe in the band hallway? I remember it. Speaking of mainstream, look at this…

Felicia Day is an actress and writer, but most importantly a huge force in the world of  web series and advocacy for women within Geek culture.

 Why hide it?

 I don’t know what high school is like now, but I might venture a guess that wearing this label isn’t as dangerous as it once was? 

I can’t forget the very brief experience that I had outside the Denver Convention Center last June, when, on a whim, my family and I decided it was quite necessary to attend the Denver Comic Con. We hadn’t purchased our tickets yet (that is how much of a whim I’m talking about here), but we felt confident that we could just show up and get in. Boy were we wrong, but that’s not for this story.

During the 30 to 45 minutes that I stood in line while Chris and the boys drove around in search of a place to park, I think I have never felt so comfortable in a group of strangers. Me. Alone. Strangers. Downtown Denver.

And normally, the folks that I found company with should have solicited feelings of discomfort, great discomfort, even. Around me were people dressed up in every costume imaginable! I won’t even pretend that I know who half of them were, but some were actually kind of scary! Maybe from some video games that I don’t know about or aliens from other sci-fi worlds. They weren’t all like that, though. I saw plenty of Batmans and Spider Mans and Green Lanterns and Thors and Supermans….not to mention a rousing representation from Star Wars and Star Trek. Young and not-so-young all in line to show their unwavering love for all things Geek. I even saw Punky Brewster and Rainbow Brite, for the sake of Pete! 

Moving on. I said to Chris at some point later, after dealing with the disappointment of not getting in because the conference was 100 percent sold out, that I have never felt so safe in a situation where I probably shouldn’t have. And he told me that he wasn’t at all surprised. “These people”, he explained, “Most of them were the ones who were made fun of and bullied in their younger years. They know what its like to be excluded for their differences, idiosyncrasies, nerdy ways and love for things that weren’t the same as everything else.”

He said they don’t have any reason to judge others. 

In a sea of hundreds and hundreds of people that day, there was a glorious sense of peace, calm and unity. A perfect example of what I picture Geekuality to look like. No one was better than the other, or cared to be, even. Some convention-goers spent two weeks building their costume and others spent an hour the night before rummaging through their kid’s dress up bin for thier’s. And what difference does it make? It’s all for the same purpose. What I saw that day were people representing every difference in the book, I’m sure, but who shared the commonality of Comic Con and what its about.

And it doesn’t have to be Comics or Star Trek or Super Heroes or video games! Its whatever you love! I love to craft. I Geek-out about BUNTING! I’m a bunting Geek!! Whose with me? But if you’re not, guess what? It’s ok!

Chris loves craft beer! (Well, I do too, who are we kidding, lets face it). We are beer Geeks! And, I know we’re not alone with that one.

My sister loves and teaches Yoga and is ever so passionate about it! Yoga geek!!!!

My kids bug-out over Skylanders! Hey boys, guess what? Skylander-Geeks! 

So, you see? It’s OK now. What I was afraid of before writing this, was the idea that someone might misconstrue my opinions of Geek and Geekuality as from someone who knows a thing or two about the topic. This isn’t the case. But learning about the word, nay, the idea of Geekuality, from that YouTube video, resonated with me because I believe my family to fall under the umbrella of Geek and to be accepted about it and have it be something we are proud of together is a really great feeling. It goes hand in hand with the way we are raising our boys, what we stand for and who we are! And besides all that, its just fun! 

What are you a Geek about?