This popped up among several friends, from an anonymous geek person . [Sic] all around.

Geekdom is the only place where socially shunned males can be save and be themselves. So when women, who exclude them outside geek culture, invade those save spaces and force the scene to conform to their wants and rules they leave the men with nowhere to go. Where can they flee? They’re backed into a corner. Attacking invading women is not harrassment – it is defense. Women hate socially inept males. Why should they not hate them back when they try to destoy their only sanctuary.

First, it’s blatant nonsense that women – or rather not cis dudes – were never part of “geekdom”, it’s bullshit to say women “invade” geek spaces. The first games I bought were by Roberta Williams and Jane Jensen; I was reading Ursula le Guin before I knew I was apparently supposed to hate all girls (i.e. teens); and the most popular character among me and my friends for Halloween was Frankenstein’s monster, created by – *gasp* – a woman.

But, I don’t need to list women who revolutionised the various mediums they were part of or elaborate on the quality and beauty they brought to their various genres. The works speak for themselves.

While some of us dudes were writing shitty poetry and thinking we could be the next Stephen King, women were adding quality to stale genres and mediums that were constantly poised to antagonise them.

If you tell me women are invading geek spaces, I just don’t know what you mean because the “geek spaces” I know and grew up with are comprised of women and their creations, of women friends coding software, winning awards, and building computers; writing books that have stayed with me for generations; creating games I still get nostalgia for (I’m replaying Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers. Thank you, Jane Jensen!)

That geekbros don’t know this shows that the first premise is false: Geekdom is not maledom. Never has been. If the first premise is false, everything else collapses – since this is how logical arguments work.

But this Anon Geekbro isn’t trying to make a sound argument: it’s a justification to maintain the status quo, to not self-reflect; to mend the fences feminists and others have to started to rightfully dismantle, fences propped to keep the privilege soft and warm.

That was just the first part, though.

So when women, who exclude them outside geek culture, invade those save spaces and force the scene to conform to their wants and rules they leave the men with nowhere to go.

Note the assumption that geeks are straight and men (more diversity would inform you about different sexualities and genders!). We’ve already seen that “invading” is bog-stained horse manure.

But let’s assume it really is the case that before, um, 2012 women never appeared in geekdom anywhere (sorry Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and other Vertigo writers who then became household names: Karen Berger can’t get a job creating the finest line of comics imprint, because women can’t invade geek spaces!)

Many dudes growing up have often felt excluded by girls* (not girls’ fault), been bullied and were considered weird and strange in high school – that’s a lot of us. The first issue, you’ll note, is that they want to blame women for this sense of rejection, not themselves. Even blame might be the wrong term, since there could be a multitude of factors, beyond our control, that left us feeling isolated, socially awkward and so on. The issue requires care to think about – but you throw any sensitivity out the window as soon as you attack women as the catalysts for your male geek troubles.

Thus even if women had never been part of geekdom and now suddenly want to be, it’s still not a reason to oppose them. We’re not talking about someone who threw you into Robben Island and now wants to join your board game club; we’re talking about a particular group you were attracted to, but had trouble engaging, now entering a space you assumed was your own.

Why do male geeks not think any geeks from other genders exist? Could it be because, um, male geeks only hung out with other male geeks? The idea that girls were doing the same nerdy thing but among themselves seems alien. Instead, women appear ex nihilo into geekdom ready to conquer it? Maybe there are all sorts of other issues male geeks never had to face that often forced girls to be silent or downplay their geeky interests?

No! Far more likely women spring into geekdom to… “invade” cos… reasons. (I mean, why wouldn’t they, look how fucking welcoming it is!/s).

This part is interesting

conform to their wants and rules they leave the men with nowhere to go.

Note how this leaves out that men themselves want to hear from women; that we want to listen to feminist critics or – *gasp* consider ourselves feminists! There is a polarising of men versus women (assuming gender binary, too), and apparently all think alike – there’s no consideration that “Men agree with feminists’ arguments” or “Men are listening to women because maybe the women have something to say” or “Women actually made this or are in charge” etc. (Reminder: women already started gaming companies, made games, wrote books, etc. before so many of these angry dudes were born!)

Again: the idea is that if women “invade” and have their evil way, it would directly oppose (all) men – the reality is they would be opposing sexists, misogynists, transphobes and many other kinds of people a lot of us men do not want to associate with either!

If you feel anti-sexism is attacking you as a man, the problem isn’t anti-sexism.

Where can they flee? They’re backed into a corner. Attacking invading women is not harrassment – it is defense.

Fuck you.

Women hate socially inept males.

Tell that to my partners. Maybe women are getting better at spotting gross sexist jerks, who use “socially inept” as an excuse to blame women instead of figuring out how they can be better men.

Why should they not hate them back when they try to destoy [sic] their only sanctuary.

I for one welcome an end to toxicity where women find it easier to abandon writing careers in gaming, for goddamn law and politics; toxicity so vile, it hurts my friends who just tried to support me and others.

This is not your sanctuary. It’s everyone’s – yes, including yours. And either you accept that boring, sexist horseshit is no longer acceptable or get some money together and become a GOP Presidential candidate.

I’ll be fucked if people expect us who think marginalised folk deserve to be treated with respect should sit down, shut up or get out because gross jerks justify harassment as “defence”.

Fuck that.

Women made this culture before you were born. Sorry. Time to catch up and grow up.

UPDATE:

Is this is what “invading” geek space is? Good.

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* I literally mean girls, as in high school, since that’s what I’m referring to. I’m not – and won’t – use “girls” as shorthand for “women”.

I am a cishet dude, who enjoys the products of geekdom: video games, sci-fi TV shows and lit, horror, and so on. I have written about them for publications you might know about. I have a great love for these. So, in thinking about this “question”, I am addressing other cishet dudes.