As I read the contributions that would become GEEK ELDERS SPEAK, at some point I stopped counting how many women reported that they had been “the weird girl.” I wasn’t surprised; I’m one of them.
In mid-20th century, we were the girls who puzzled librarians because we enjoyed reading science fiction. We became the young women who startled Hollywood when we wrote thousands of letters to save a television program from being cancelled because we were thrilled by Star Trek‘s optimism about the future and by characters who explored the outer space where “no man”—or woman, or, better yet, no one—”has gone before.”
And yet, many of us didn’t yet know anyone else who shared our interests. In GEEK ELDERS SPEAK, when a woman writes about discovering fandom, she’s talking about finding “my people,” “my tribe,” “my community”—in which being a “weird girl” is the gold standard, and among whom she thrives.
Over fifty years ago, media fandom emerged from science fiction fandom with a burst of creativity from the women who loved Star Trek. Within five years, they were publishing fanzines filled with articles, interviews, and fan fiction; they were organizing and holding the first Star Trek conventions. Within ten years, some were writing stories that broke barriers on female erotica. By the 1980s, Star Trek fandom was the Grande Dame who opened the door for not only Star Wars fanzines and fanac (fan activity), but so many other interests of “weird girls” who wrote, created art, made costumes, and played games in their favorite universes. Media fandom was becoming what the world now thinks of as simply “Fandom.”
In the 21st century, the women of that era are Geek Elders, and they’re somewhat surprised to hear that fandom is a realm of boys. I’ve been fannish with more than a few of the women in this book for over 40 years. Some are fellow writers and artists; some have been my editors and some, pen pals. I’ve met a few as fellow convention attendees. Most have lived far away from my city and state, but fandom had a way of collapsing distance long before social media turned the Earth into one giant neighborhood. Now that we have honest-to-Roddenberry real pocket tricorders and communicators, many of us Elders are posting fanlit on worldwide fan fiction websites.
I hope GEEK ELDERS SPEAK brings the pen and paper days of fandom to life. With it, readers can sit in their own virtual convention hotel room where fannish foremothers are sitting around, talking about writing and illustrating fanfic back when slash fiction and art were new, and about what it was like to publish print fanzines. Some of the older women are wearing Hall Costumes—Cosplay nowadays—or getting ready for a Saturday night Masquerade. Filkers are singing old and new songs, while some music videos play on the TV. Gamers are sharing stories, as are convention organizers, who for many years have interacted with the actors in, and producers of, our favorite movies and television series.
These Geek Elders, these women who have lived to see fandom transform into popular culture, hope to provide reassurance that today’s “weird girls” have a rich history to draw on, and an entire community of foremothers who can smoothly tell off anyone who says that women aren’t real fans. Or can’t be nerds. Or whatever words we use to describe ourselves to other people and to the fangirls yet unborn.
Personally, I still like the term, wonk –although I’ll attest that eccentric works wonders at work.
The Fantasy Inn would like to thank Maggie for her guest post! Geek Elders Speak: In Our Own Voices is available now and you should be able to buy it or read a sample via the Amazon widget below.
