[Air-L] nerd culture and new media

[Paula]

and yet they overperform it without us even asking them to ;) i think 
it's not only women who overcompensate -- 'nerdy' masculinity is also 
against the 'perfect' male type of jock/warrior.

it's a pity that nerdy blokes so often seem to feel the need to put down 
women in order to 'prove' they're really 'men', despite the intellect 
and sedentary pursuits.

being 'nerdy' presents a gendering problem to both men and women, the 
inequality proceeds from institutionalised selection of men and 
exclusion of women rather than 'nerdiness' being 'more natural' to men. 
it's a pity both don't refuse the stereotypes which perpetuate their 
emotional suffering.

Paula

Suely Fragoso wrote:
> As far as we (all) don't oblige the men to "perform (or overperform)
> their gender role" to validate whatever tendencies either... 
>
> Sue
>
>   
>>>> stuszyn at UTNet.UToledo.Edu 18/06/08 11:38 >>>
>>>>         
> I had a feeling that godawful Newsweek article was going to come up.
> Because it's only okay for women to be geeks/nerds/"fill in intellectual
> stereotype here" as long as they "sex it up" enough? grr.
>
> Broadsheet wrote about that article last week as well:
> http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/06/12/nerd_girls/index.html
>
> There's a big difference between being able to be yourself without
> suffering the repercussions and *having* to perform (or overperform)
> your gender role in order to validate or offset your non-conformist
> tendencies.
>
> Rar.
>
>
> Stephanie Tuszynski
> Visiting Assistant Professor
> Department of Theatre and Film
> University of Toledo
>
>
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:26:56 -0400
> From: Steve Cavrak <Steve.Cavrak at Uvm.Edu>
> Subject: Re: [Air-L] nerd culture and new media
> To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
> Message-ID: <09B29B8B-B795-45AD-B832-FF2A387B3FB1 at Uvm.Edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=WINDOWS-1252;	delsp=yes;
> 	format=flowed
>
> A post on the Chronicle of Higher Education Wired Campus points to a  
> Newsweek story on "nerdchic," the follow up comments provide  
> interesting reflections on the value of nerds and role models, etc.
>
>
> 'Nerd Girl' Group at Tufts U. Seeks to Challenge Stereotypes of  
> Engineering
> June 16, 2008 | 4 comments
> http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3092/nerd-girl-group-at- 
> tufts-u-seeks-to-challenge-stereotypes-of-engineering
>
> The latest issue of Newsweek features an article about?and plenty of  
> glossy pictures of??Nerd Girls,? a student group at Tufts University.  
> They group is working on building a solar car that they plan to drive  
> around the country visiting schools and encouraging girls to pursue  
> engineering?and making a documentary about their adventures. ?They?re  
> ?Beauty and the Geek? all in one package!? says their Web site. ? 
> Jeffrey R. Young
> Posted on Mon Jun 16, 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comment [4]
>
> [1] Revenge of the Nerdette, http://www.newsweek.com/id/140457
> "As geeks become chic in all levels of society, an unlikely subset is  
> starting to roar. Meet the Nerd Girls: they're smart, they're techie  
> and they're hot."
>
> [2] NerdGirls.org, http://www.nerdgirls.org/
>
>
>
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