So it Begins....

I’m a feminist. I’m also a geek. Both identities have always been central who I am, and they always interact. A conversation with my friends about our latest geeky obsession quickly turns to an analysis of female characters. An insightful friend once mentioned that one of the most upsetting things about popular sexism is that empowered women need to compromise their ideals in order to be entertained. This is, unfortunately, often the case, but other times our ideals and our favorite entertainment can go hand in hand. My feminism and my fandoms interact, with feminist reflections often dominating my fandom experience.  This blog was created for three reasons.

1. To formally gather my feminist reflections on all my favorite narratives in one spot
2. To raise awareness that girl geeks exist
3. To serve as a  resource for anyone interested in exploring popular geeky media from a feminist perspective

So, here’s the structure; I am going to tackle all my favorite narratives one at a time, in depth. Each narrative will be explored from the following angles; First, a chronological overview of the narrative in which I scrutinize all female characters as they appear and develop, both within the narrative, and how the author, director, or creator constructs them thematically for the audience. Next, I will move to a broader examination of the narrative, addressing the Bechdel Test and the overall state of gender equality within the respective fictional world. Also, general reflections on female fandom.

This week, we kick things off in a galaxy far, far away......