‘In Real Life’ by Cory Doctorow

Anda, a teen girl who has just moved to a new school, is inspired to join a guild in a massive multiplayer role-playing game, at the invitation of the guild’s organizer, who came to speak to her high-school computer class.

A more experienced player soon invites Anda on missions with real-world earning potential: money will be deposited in her PayPal account if she kills “gold farmers” in the game.

At first, Anda is excited by the opportunity to earn easy money; she dispatches gold farmers, and has money to buy snacks for her Sci-Fi Club at school.

But Anda discovers that the gold farmers she is killing are not game-generated “bots,” but people who make a living under grueling conditions: during 12-hour shifts at computers, they direct their in-game avatars to collect artifacts. Their employer sells these resources to players who want to “level up” or acquire online possessions without putting in their own effort.
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John Scalzi makes harassment policy a condition of convention appearances

John Scalzi

Thank you to writer John Scalzi, who makes it a condition of Guest of Honor engagements that conventions have a harassment policy that clearly defines unacceptable behavior and where to go for help or action.

As explained by Scalzi, “When my friends and fans go to conventions, I would like them not to have to worry, if they are skeeved on by some creep at the convention, that the convention will take the problem seriously. I would also like them to be able to know how to report the problem, should such a situation occur.”

Cosplay ≠ Consent

Here's Cosplay ≠ Consent, created by Kanthara on Tumblr, that is rich with themes I blog about: victim-blaming and the importance of bystanders to combat/negate bullying. Add to it the realm of science fiction/fantasy fandom in which, far from being an inclusive haven, women can be targets of hostility on the basis of their looks.

Credit goes to my brother Andrew Parkhill for bringing my attention to this image, which offers commentary on an incident at PAX East in which a male journalist posed sexually-suggestive questions to women portraying Lara Croft.

‘Microagressions’ don’t belong in fandom

In July 2011, I weighed in on a debate whether Miss USA Alyssa Campanela was too pretty to be a genuine geek.

It bothered me that self-professed geeks would exclude someone from their ranks. I believe a person should be able to declare herself a geek and the declaration should be accepted.

In an essay published Dec. 21 on TheMarySue.com, Dr. Andrea Letamendi discusses “microagressions” directed against women in fandom.

The term “microagressions” was applied in 2007 by psychologist Derald Wing Sue, Ph.D. to encompass “subtle and seemingly harmless expressions that communicate ‘hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults’ toward people who aren’t members of the ingroup.”

Microagressions reinforce stereotypes about who belongs and who does not.

Letamendi raises an interesting question: What do we find so threatening about “imposters”? A false notion of limited resources, misinterpreted sense of ownership or resentment of changing culture? Her essay is a worthwhile read for its thoughtful perspective.

Letamendi’s essay supports my belief that there is too much exclusion in the world; real geeks shouldn’t practice it. Fandom should be an inclusive haven; it should not be an exclusive club.

Who gets to be a geek?

A bitter debate is raging online whether Miss USA Alyssa Campanella is a genuine “geek” or whether she is too pretty, too popular or too whatever to qualify as a genuine fan.