My Yard

garlic-breadgasm: YOU DON’T OWE YOUR PARENTS ANYTHING IT WAS THEIR CHOICE TO HAVE, KEEP AND RAISE...

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:37:54 -0400

YOU DON’T OWE YOUR PARENTS ANYTHING

IT WAS THEIR CHOICE TO HAVE, KEEP AND RAISE YOU BUT IT WASN’T YOUR CHOICE TO BE THEIR CHILD

ANY EXPECTATIONS OR IDEALS THEY TRY AND ENFORCE ON YOU ARE BULLSHIT IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM

THEY SHOULD ACCEPT THEIR CHILD AS THEY ARE NOT JUDGE THEM ON A MINOR DETAIL THAT DOESN’T AFFECT THEIR LIFE

DO NOT FEEL BAD IF YOU AREN’T THE PERFECT CHILD YOUR PARENTS THINK YOU SHOULD BE

"Let me tell you something. You know very well that if they do not help me there is probable chance..."

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:36:06 -0400

“Let me tell you something. You know very well that if they do not help me there is probable chance that multiple people will die one day if I don’t find a gf.”

- governmentsgetgirlfriends is a sociopath and a danger to society, and I sincerely hope that someone contacts the proper authorities in Croatia or where the fuck ever he lives so he can never hurt anyone for as long as he lives. (via twoshibaswalkedintoabar)

jesus christ

(via takeawaygirl)

This dude is either a troll or is an actual danger to society and needs actual therapeutic help.

(via doulaness)

Wow, I can’t believe this guy can’t find a girlfriend, he seems like a prize.

(via stfusexists)

Yeah….a prize on the new reality TV show “Who Wants To Date a Misogynistic Cockmonger?”.

Wednesdays at 10 on Fox.

quickhits: Using the Threat of Violence to Shut Down Debate....

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:56:00 -0400

quickhits:

Using the Threat of Violence to Shut Down Debate.

You didn’t have to be Nostradamus to see it coming, but I’ll take credit for it anyway. When Mayors Against Illegal Guns announced they’d be holding rallies in eight states Mother’s Day weekend, I wrote, “Expect armed goons to show up to at least one of these, because if there’s anything the gun nuts really lack, it’s class and a nose for good PR.” Lo and behold, at a rally in Pennsylvania, said goons showed up.

PhillyBurbs.com: As victims of gun violence spoke about how universal background checks might have saved a loved one’s life, pro-gun supporters jeered and yelled remarks Saturday in Morrisville’s Williamson Park.

Steve Kesselman of Holland raised his voice above the crowd to briefly talk about the loss of his 20-year-old son from a deadly shotgun blast after an argument last year.

“My son is dead! His mother cannot enjoy him anymore because of gun violence! Universal background checks is all we’re looking for. I have nothing against guns!” Kesselman yelled into the microphone.

“Do you believe in unicorns?!” a pro-gun supporter yelled from the crowd.

“Gun owners from groups such as Concerned Gun Owners of Bucks County, the National Rifle Association and a New Jersey group called the NJ2As gathered at Williamson Park before the marchers arrived,” according to the report. “Many wore guns and rifles.”

“I think it’s ridiculous the way they’ve been acting. I’m so numb to the idiots out there,” Kesselman said of the armed counter-protesters.

I don’t want to refer to my own writing on the subject too often, but I’ve been on a bit of a tear lately, so the info I’ve for previous posts is the info I have closest at hand. So I’m going to go ahead and refer back to a post from last week, where I argued that things like armed protests should be taken as open threats of violence on par with terrorism:

So you’ve got people who hate government and want to kill tyrants. And these are the same people who see tyranny under every rock. Polling shows that nearly half of all Republican voters think armed revolution “might be necessary” in the near future. A reasonable person wouldn’t be out of line to wonder when all this tyrant-fighting was going to start and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think it could be any second now. And when they hear about a terrorist attack with an unknown motive, it’s not unreasonable to wonder if maybe all this tyrant-killing has finally gotten under way.

When people argue that violence, murder, and assassination are legitimate political tools, brandishing firearms is meant to frighten people into silence. It’s bullying and, like all bullies, these bullies are cowards. Anyone who shouts in the face of a peaceful grandmother isn’t a model of courage. And anyone who heckles a father speaking about death of his son is not a paragon decorum. These people don’t want to have a debate. In fact, they’re so terrified of the discussion that they’ll show up with guns to try to shut it down. These people call themselves “patriots,” but they’re really just cowardly thugs. Courageous people don’t need to hide behind their weapons.

And they’re ineffective thugs, at that. They couldn’t shut down the rally in Morrisville and they won’t stop the growing movement to reduce gun violence, because the issue is way too important. It’s not going to get derailed by a bunch of tantrum-throwing toddlers afraid someone’s going to take away their binky. That importance was underscored the very next day, with a Mother’s Day mass shooting in New Orleans. Nineteen people were injured while attending a parade, when three men opened fire on the crowd. Two of the victims are children.

So wave your guns around and menace old ladies and jeer at grieving fathers all you want, gun nuts. We’re not going anywhere. Every time there’s a mass shooting or a dead kid, it strengthens our resolve. And if you feel the need to wave your guns around in a crowd of families and children, you’re just proving our point. We’re pretty convinced you shouldn’t be able to do that.

If you want to have a rational discussion about how to deal with gun violence, that’s fine. We may not agree on everything and may walk away as divided as we were before, but that’s the way it’s supposed to work. Democracy’s not supposed to be easy or comfortable all the time. But if your idea of “debate” is to stick a gun in someone’s face and tell them to shut up, then we don’t have a lot to talk about.

You’re nothing but a goon and you’re part of the problem.

-Wisco

[photo via PhillyBurbs.com]

Ever heard the saying, “Never bring your mouth to a gunfight”? Well, the reverse of that saying is also true. Never bring a gun to a mouth fight. If you show up armed to a debate, you’ve lost the debate. Period.

I just unlocked the Marvel’s Iron Man 3 Box Office...

Mon, 06 May 2013 09:42:35 -0400

I just unlocked the Marvel’s Iron Man 3 Box Office sticker on GetGlue

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Don’t you wish you had your own Iron Man suit? We sure do. Thank you for seeing Iron Man 3 in theaters. Share this one proudly. It’s from our friends at Disney.

I’m watching Iron Man 3 593...

Mon, 06 May 2013 09:42:34 -0400

I’m watching Iron Man 3

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everythingrhymeswithalcohol: iridessence: garsedj: iridessence...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:40:22 -0400

everythingrhymeswithalcohol:

iridessence:

garsedj:

iridessence:

garsedj:

Feminist Frequency on race and casting for The Hunger Games

I don’t see you burning shit up in hollywood…I see you complaining on the internet…

why the fuck are you even following if you’re going to say things like this?

hollywood’s consumers are all over this site. that’s how this reaches hollywood.

With that logic, cosmopolitan and other “women magazine” would have changed.

“The last airbender” white trashed every single character of its whole universe and there is a sequel on the way, I don’t see how anyone changed anything about it.

I don’t deny the good intentions, but I’m looking at the results.

you think nobody went to the actual people who have done casting and or write for movies like that?

the problem is that they don’t give a shit, partially because their consumers don’t. these people don’t whitewash everything just because they want to. they also do so because it makes money, because consumers are obsessed with whiteness, so informing consumers helps as well.

I exist as proof, and as someone who hopes to work in the film industry, I will take it to Hollywood. Do you know how many other writers are potential casting directors are on this site? who will remember that whitewashing is wrong once they begin their work because of a simple blog post? do you really underestimate the power of tumblr so quickly?

So please, while you’re ahead, stop assuming that posts like this and many others just “remain” on the internet. You don’t know how many people take them and apply them to the offline world.

YOU have been affected in reality by messages like this. Whether you choose to take your knowledge and apply it to the outside world or stay inside and say people aren’t reaching anyone because they’re on the internet, is YOUR choice/fault.

Some people actually learn from things like this and take them elsewhere. Don’t assume everyone is so pessimistic and reluctant to talk about these things in their everyday lives like you.

It as this point in the conversation I like to bring up the Twilight Saga.

Stop rolling your eyes.

Despite it various faults and fails (of which there are so, so many), in this one area Twilight films did a lot right and even good.

The Twilight books feature white people and Native American people. Not much else.

In the films, there is more diversity. There are black students, Asian students, & Latin@ students. Moreover, all of the actors who portray Native American characters from the book are actually Native American or First Nations actors.

There is some dispute about Taylor Lautner’s heritage, but I’m not about to pay ancestry.com to figure that out.

The directors and casting agents for the Twilight films looked specifically for people who are Native American/First Nations to portray these characters and what do you know, they found actors for every single named role and then some.

So, I don’t want to hear about ‘Hollywood not paying attention’ or how they ‘went with the best actor for the role’ or how they ‘couldn’t find an actor of that ethnicity/race with the level of talent’ they desired. It’s bullshit. They know exactly what they’re doing. None of this is mistake or unhappy/unrealized accident.

…..yeah.

Hollywood whitewashes damn near every story it puts out, but when it gets to a movie based on a book that essentially glorifies and showcases an abusive relationship, THAT’S when they start casting minorities.

You’re right. That wasn’t a mistake or an unhappy/unrealized accident.

I just unlocked the Defiance Premiere sticker on...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:13:00 -0400

I just unlocked the Defiance Premiere sticker on GetGlue

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New Earth. New Rules. Dive into the wild new world of 2046 and see St. Louis like you’ve never imagined. Arkfall is officially upon us! Will you grab the Hellbug by the horns or get lost in the rubble? Watch the Show. Play the Game. Change the World. Share this one proudly. It’s from our friends at SyFy.

I’m watching Defiance “And...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:12:59 -0400

I’m watching Defiance

“And here…..we…..go.”

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quickhits: Rebranding Failing Because GOP Doesn’t Do Listening....

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:45:59 -0400

quickhits:

Rebranding Failing Because GOP Doesn’t Do Listening.

So, Republicans are now in the midst of their big rebranding effort that includes outreach to minority and female voters. Frankly, the woman voter outreach is going pretty lousy, because they’re doing it all wrong. You don’t take away people’s freedoms then ask them to reward you for it at the ballot box. If the GOP wants to win over women, it might be a good idea to stop with all the War on Women stuff.

But there’s always the minority outreach. Let’s see how that’s going…

Washington Post:

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), in an interview with a local radio station released Thursday, referred to Latinos working on a ranch by using the derogatory term “wetbacks.”

“My father had a ranch. We used to hire 50 or 60 wetbacks and — to pick tomatoes,” Young said in the interview with KRBD. “You know, it takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It’s all done by machine.”

The term “wetback” is a slur often used to refer to illegal Mexican immigrants. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a Mexican who enters the United States illegally,” “from the practice of wading or swimming the Rio Grande where it forms the U.S.-Mexico border.”

OK, so that’s not doing it right either. Young later released what some are calling an apology, but is really just an explanation. There is no apology. “I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in central California,” he said. “I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.”

In other words, “You’re wrong to be offended by what I said.”

“Just so we’re clear, it’s 2013,” Steve Benen reminds us. “Republicans were recently reminded not to use words like ‘aliens’ and ‘anchor babies’ when referring to Hispanics, but apparently that advice was not all-encompassing enough, since we still have at least one congressman using the word ‘wetback’ — on the air — as if it were perfectly acceptable.”

This comes on the heels of a Republican National Committeeman posting a homophobic screed on his Facebook page. And the committeeman, Dave Agema, isn’t apologetic. He likewise released a statement of explanation, claiming to be the victim of harassment and playing the Helen Lovejoy “Won’t somebody please think of the children!?” card, saying someone has to post these hateful lies, because “It’s about maintaining the family and its importance to the well being of the children and this nation.”

“And here’s the problem with the wise, beltway-driven Rebranding effort,” writes Dave Weigel. “You’re a D.C. Republican consultant who gets booked on TV to talk about the glories of gay marriage? Good for you. I agree with you! But most of your party adamantly disagrees with you, and these people know how to write or say things that can make their way onto the Internet.”

Reince Priebus may think the GOP needs to change it’s image, but other than saying maybe they might possibly give an inch someday on immigration reform, no one seems willing to actually change anything. They don’t want to change their policies, they don’t want to change their language, they don’t want to change anything. They’ve just decided to declare themselves friendlier to people they so far haven’t removed from their enemies list. “No abortions or birth control for you, you whore!… Now vote for me because I’m pro-woman.”

You can’t change the perception without changing the party — and people who think they can change the party need to check the dictionary and see what “conservative” means. It doesn’t mean open to change. In fact, I always say that when a Republican talks about change, you should watch out — it means he wants to change things back the way they were when they sucked. The party doesn’t look to the future, it looks back at the fifties and wonders why we changed from that.

The perception of the party won’t change until the party members change. And they’re not willing to do that. In fact, most are probably incapable of doing that. And incidents like Young’s keep happening because of another conservative trait: they’re lecturers. They don’t listen, the dictate. It’s why these Republicans keep saying stupid and offense things — then explain why they aren’t gaffes, instead of apologizing. The GOP is a strict, top-down hierarchy where elites tell everyone below them what to think. Why do you think talk radio works so well for the right? They don’t think they have to change, they think you have to change. They’ll explain why you have to change until you do. Todd Akin thought he was winning voters to the Republican cause by educating them about rape and abortion. And take a look at Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson — all he ever talks about is how wrong everyone else is and how they need to listen to his teachings and become enlightened. Republicans tell, they aren’t told. Not by voters, anyway.

And not, apparently, by Reince Priebus and the RNC.

-Wisco

[original photo by MACSwriter]

comicsalliance: Avengers Assimilate: Identity Politics in...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:49:39 -0400

comicsalliance:

Avengers Assimilate: Identity Politics in ‘Uncanny Avengers’

By Andrew Wheeler and Joseph Hughes

Uncanny Avengers #5 was mostly a strong issue, the best of the series so far, in part because it gave readers the clearest sense of the team’s dynamic and purpose, and in part because the guest art from Olivier Coipel was exceptional. Yet there was one part of the issue that didn’t hit its mark.

Uncanny Avengers #5 features the formal unveiling of the Avengers Unity Team, the public name of the book’s Avengers/X-Men mash-up roster. As part of the big reveal to the press, team leader Havok gave a little speech. And in that little speech he shredded the central thesis of minority identity politics. And that is a problem.

The pertinent section of the speech, by series writer Rick Remender, reads as follows: “I don’t see myself as born into a mutant cult or religion. Having an X-gene doesn’t bond me to anyone. It doesn’t define me. In fact, I see the very word “mutant” as divisive. Old thinking that serves to further separate us from our fellow man. We are all humans. Of one tribe. We are defined by our choices, not the makeup of our genes. So please, don’t call us mutants. The “m” word represents everything I hate.”

One can see the outline of good intentions in that speech. The fight for equality is predicated on the idea that our differences should not divide us. Minorities should not be defined by difference, and equal rights and opportunities should include freedom from the expectation that one will think or act a certain way based on one’s minority identity.

On Formspring, Uncanny Avengers editor Tom Brevoort suggested this reading; “I think that the point of Havok’s speech is that people aren’t all just one thing, and need not be defined by one aspect of who they are.” Others have framed the speech in similar terms; “How can anyone argue against someone wanting to be identified as a human being first? It’s a message of inclusion.” Remender himself said that Havok is “trying to make people stop seeing a ‘mutant’ and start seeing a ‘person.’”

All of which is admirable, but that’s not actually the speech Havok gave. Havok’s speech makes a huge leap from, “my minority identity doesn’t define me” to a rejection of minority identity. Havok is a mutant, but he says the word is divisive and that it represents everything he hates. He asks people not to use it. He is, definitively and explicitly, self-loathing about his identity.

READ MORE.

womenaresociety: Nerds and Male Privilege (definitely worth a...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:08:11 -0400

womenaresociety:

Nerds and Male Privilege (definitely worth a read!)

I want to tell you a story.

A few years ago, I was dating a girl who was decidedly not nerd curious. She tolerated my geeky interests with a certain bemused air but definitely didn’t participate in ‘em… not even setting foot inside a comic store on new comic day. She’d wait outside until I was done… which could be a while, since I was friends with several of the staff.

She came in the store exactly once, after I’d explained that no, it’s a pretty friendly place… well lit, spacious, organized and with helpful – and clearly identified – staff members who were willing to bend over backwards to make sure their customers were satisfied.

She was in there for less than 4 minutes before one mouth-breathing troglodyte began alternately staring at her boobs – evidently hoping that x-ray vision could develop spontaneously – and berating her for daring to comment on the skimpy nature of the costumes – in this case, Lady Death and Witchblade. She fled the premises, never to return.

When both the manager and I explained to him in no uncertain terms as to what he did wrong he shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, I was just trying to help you guys! She couldn’t understand that chicks can be tough and sexy! Not my fault she’s a chauvinist,” he said.

And that was when I shot him, your honor.

So with that example in mind, let’s talk about a subject I’ve touched on before: Male Privilege and how it applies to geeks and – more importantly – geek girls.

MALE PRIVILEGE: WHAT IS IT, EXACTLY?

I don’t think I’m breaking any news or blowing minds when I point out that geek culture as a whole is predominantly male. Not to say that women aren’t making huge inroads in science fiction/fantasy fandom, gaming, anime and comics… but it’s still a very male culture. As such, it caters to the predominantly male audience that makes it up. This, in turn leads to the phenomenon known as male privilege: the idea that men – most often straight, white men – as a whole, get certain privileges and status because of their gender.

(Obvious disclaimer: I’m a straight white man.)

In geek culture, this manifests in a number of ways. The most obvious is in the portrayal of female characters in comics, video games and movies. Batman: Arkham City provides an excellent example.

The women are all about sex, sex, sexy sextimes. With maybe a little villainy thrown in for flavor. They may be characters, but they’re also sexual objects to be consumed. I will pause now for the traditional arguments from my readers: these characters are all femme fatales in the comics, all of the characters in the Arkham games are over-the-top, the men are just as exaggerated/sexualized/objectified as the women. Got all of that out of your systems? Good. Because that reaction is exactly what I’m talking about. Y’see, one of the issues of male privilege as it applies to fandom is the instinctive defensive reaction to any criticism that maybe, just maybe, shit’s a little fucked up, yo. Nobody wants to acknowledge that a one-sided (and one-dimensional) portrayal of women is the dominant paradigm in gaming; the vast majority of female characters are sexual objects. If a girl wants to see herself represented in video games, she better get used to the idea of being the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. If she wants to see herself as a main character, then it’s time to get ready for a parade of candyfloss costumes where nipple slips are only prevented by violating the laws of physics. The number of games with competent female protagonists who wear more than the Victoria’s Secret Angels are few and far between. The idea that perhaps the way women are portrayed in fandom is aleetle sexist is regularly met with denials, justifications and outright dismissal of the issue. So regularly, in fact, that there’s a Bingo card covering the most common responses. Part of the notion of male privilege in fandom is that nothing is wrong with fandom and that suggestions that it might benefit from some diversity is treated as a threat. But what is that threat, exactly? In this case, the threat is that – ultimately – fandom won’t cater to guys almost to exclusion… that gays, lesbians, racial and religious minorities and (gasp!) women might start having a say in the way that games, comics, etc. will be created in the future. The strawmen that are regularly trotted out – that men are objectified as well, that it’s a convention of the genre, that women actually have more privileges than guys – are a distraction from the real issue: that the Privileged are worried that they won’t be as privileged in the near future if this threat isn’t stomped out. Hence the usual reactions: derailment, minimization and ultimately dismissing the topic all together. As much as my nerdy brethren wish that more girls were of the geeky persuasion, it’s a little understandable why women might be a little reticent. It’s hard to feel valued or fully included when a very vocal group insists that your input is irrelevant, misguided and ultimately unwelcome. It’s small wonder why geekdom – for all of it’s self-proclaimed enlightened attitudes towards outsiders and outcasts – stil retains the odor of the guy’s locker room. HOW MALE PRIVILEGE AFFECTS GEEK GIRLS IN REAL LIFE Don’t make the mistake of thinking male privilege is solely about how big Power Girl’s tits are, fan service and jiggle physics in 3D fighters. It affects geek girls in direct, personal ways as well. Remember the example I mentioned earlier with my then-girlfriend in the comic store? Her opinions were deemed mistaken and she was told she didn’t “get it”… because she was a girl. Y’see, one of the issues that nerd girls face is the fact that they are seen as girls first and anything else second. And before you flood my comments section demanding to know why this is a bad thing, realize that being seen as a “girl” first colors every interaction that they have within fandom. They’re treated differently because they are women. We will now pause for the expected responses: well that’s a good thing isn’t it, girls get special treatment because they’re girls, guys will fall all over themselves to try to get girls to like ‘em so it all balances out. If you’re paying attention you’ll realize that – once again – those reactions are what I’m talking about. Y’see, nobody’s saying that women don’t receive different treatment from guys… I’m saying that being treated differently is the problem. And yes, I know exactly what many of you are going to say and I’ll get to that in a minute. Male privilege – again – is about what men can expect as the default setting for society. A man isn’t going to have everything about him filtered through the prism of his gender first. A man, for example, who gets a job isn’t going to face with suggestions that his attractiveness or that his willingness to perform sexual favors was a factor in his being hired, nor will he be shrugged off as a “quota hire”. A man isn’t expected to be a representative of his sex in all things; if he fails at a job, it’s not going to be extrapolated that all men are unfit for that job. A man who’s strong-willed or aggressive won’t be denigrated for it, nor are men socialized to “go along to get along”. A man can expect to have his opinion considered, not dismissed out of hand because of his sex. When paired with a woman who’s of equal status, the man can expect that most of the world will assume that he’s the one in charge. And, critically, a man doesn’t have to continually view the world through the lens of potential violence and sexual assault. Now with this in mind, consider why being a girl first may be a hindrance to geek girls. A guy who plays a first person shooter – Call of Duty, Halo, Battlefield, what-have-you – online may expect a certain amount of trash talking, but he’s not going to be inundated with offers for sex, threats of rape, sounds of simulated masturbation or demands that he blow the other players – but not before going to the kitchen and getting them a beer/sandwich/pizza first. Men will also not be told that they’re being “too sensitive” or that “they need to toughen up” when they complain about said sexual threats. Men also won’t have their opinions weighed or dismissed solely on the basis of how sexy or attractive they are. The most common responses a woman can expect in an argument – especially online – is that she’s fat, ugly, single, jealous, a whore, or a lesbian – or any combination thereof – and therefore her opinion is irrelevant, regardless of it’s actual merits. This is especially true if she’s commenting on the portrayal of female characters, whether in comics, video games or movies. Men can expect that their presence at an event won’t automatically be assumed to be decorative or secondary to another man. Despite the growing presence of women in comics, as publishers, editors and creators as well as consumers, a preponderance of men will either treat women at conventions as inconveniences, booth bunnies or even potential dates. Many a female creator or publisher has had the experience of convention guests coming up and addressing all of their questions to the man at the table… despite being told many times that the man is often the assistant, not the talent, only there to provide logistical support and occasional heavy lifting. Men are also not going to be automatically assigned into a particular niche just based on their gender. A girl in a comic store or a video game store is far more likely to be dismissed as another customer’s girlfriend/sister/cousin rather than being someone who might actually be interested in making a purchase herself. And when they are seen as customers, they’re often automatically assumed to be buying one of the designated “girl” properties… regardless of whether they were just reading Ultimate Spider-Man or looking for a copy of Saint’s Row 3. Of course, the other side of the coin isn’t much better; being dismissed for the sin of being a woman is bad, but being placed on the traditional pillar is no less insulting. Guys who fall all over themselves to fawn over a geek girl and dance in attendance upon her are just as bad. The behavior is different, but the message is the same: she’s different because she’s a girl. These would-be white knights are ultimately treating her as a fetish object, not as a person. It’s especially notable when it comes to sexy cosplayers; the guys will laude them for being geek girls and celebrate them in person and online. They’ll lavish attention upon them, take photos of them and treat them as queens… And in doing so, they’re sending the message that women are only valued in geek culture if they’re willing to be a sexually alluring product. Everybody loves Olivia Munn when she enters the room ass-cheeks first as Aeon Flux, but nobody is particularly concerned by the girls dressed in a baseball tee, jeans and ballet flats. One of these is welcomed into geek culture with open arms, the other has to justify their existence in the first place. WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN TO YOU? The reason why male privilege is so insidious is because of the insistance that it doesn’t exist in the first place. That willful ignorance is key in keeping it in place; by pretending that the issue doesn’t exist, it is that much easier to ensure that nothing ever changes. Geek society prides itself on being explicitly counter-culture; nerds will crow about how, as a society, they’re better than the others who exclude them. They’ll insist that they’re more egalitarian; geeks hold tight to the belief that geek culture is a meritocracy, where concepts of agism, sexism and racism simply don’t exist the way it does elsewhere. And yet, even a cursory examination will demonstrate that this isn’t true. And yet geeks will cling to this illusion while simultaneously refusing to address the matters that make it so unattractive to women and minorities. They will insist that they treat women exactly the same as they treat guys – all the while ignoring the fact that their behavior is what’s making the women uncomfortable and feeling unwelcome in the first place. They will find one girl in their immediate community who will say that she’s not offended and use her as the “proof” that nobody else is allowed to be offended. Changing this prevailing attitude starts with the individual. Call it part of learning to be a better person; being willing to examine your own attitudes and behaviors and to be ruthlessly honest about the benefits you get from being a white male in fandom is the first step. Waving your hands and pretending that there isn’t a problem is a part of the attitude that makes women feel unwelcome in fandom and serves as the barrier to entry to geeky pursuits that she might otherwise enjoy. Bringing the spotlight onto the concept of male privilege as it exists in nerd culture is the first step in making it more welcoming of diversity, especially women. *Thanks to Madoka for bringing this to my attention.

I just unlocked the Robot Combat League: The Fight of Your...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:00:45 -0400

I just unlocked the Robot Combat League: The Fight of Your Life sticker on GetGlue

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The Robot Combat League does the time warp when Steam Punk and Medieval do glorious battle. One thing’s for sure, one of these bots is getting sent back to the Dark Ages. Share this one proudly. It’s from our friends at Syfy.

I’m watching Robot Combat League “The first round...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:00:45 -0400

I’m watching Robot Combat League

“The first round ends tonight! Kinda sad Lucas’ daughter is gone already.”

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I just unlocked the WWE WrestleMania Moments Series:...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:16:30 -0400

I just unlocked the WWE WrestleMania Moments Series: McMahon vs. Hulk Hogan sticker on GetGlue

3593 others have also unlocked the WWE WrestleMania Moments Series: McMahon vs. Hulk Hogan sticker on GetGlue.com

Congratulations! You’ve unlocked our WWE WrestleMania Moments Series sticker, featuring Mr. McMahon and Hulk Hogan from WrestleMania XIX. Don’t miss WWE WrestleMania 29 LIVE April 7 at 7/6 CT, exclusively on PPV. Share this one proudly. It’s from our friends at WWE.

I’m watching WWE Raw “Titus O’Neil in a...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:16:29 -0400

I’m watching WWE Raw

“Titus O’Neil in a stupid ass wig? AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT.”

4093 others are also watching. WWE Raw on GetGlue.com

REBLOG IF ASEXUALITY EXISTS.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:36:34 -0500

thesummonersunderwear:

Because this little douchemuffin in my biology class doesn’t understand that ‘asexuality’ doesn’t equal ‘asexual reproduction’.

I just unlocked the Robot Combat League: Blood, Sweat and...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:17:12 -0500

I just unlocked the Robot Combat League: Blood, Sweat and Gears sticker on GetGlue

1800 others have also unlocked the Robot Combat League: Blood, Sweat and Gears sticker on GetGlue.com

Thunderskull and Brimstone clash in this week’s bout. Both Robots are known for fighting with their heads, so it’s anyone’s guess who will come out of the ring with theirs held high. Share this one proudly. It’s from our friends at Syfy.

I’m watching Robot Combat League “Commander and...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:17:12 -0500

I’m watching Robot Combat League

“Commander and Brimstone. Them’s my picks.”

2081 others are also watching. Robot Combat League on GetGlue.com

I’m watching Iron Man 3 “May I just say, for the...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:27:34 -0500

I’m watching Iron Man 3

“May I just say, for the record: HELLS YES.”

694 others are also watching. Iron Man 3 on GetGlue.com

thatfunnyblog: Funny Stuff you like? PREACH, white guy that I...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:12:03 -0500

thatfunnyblog:

Funny Stuff you like?

PREACH, white guy that I don’t know! (Seriously, who is this dude dressing down Hollywood’s answer to Methuselah?)