OK so you have the stereotypical nerd guy who is all star trek and lives in his parents basement. Is there an equivalent in the female crowd (but not necessarily the same sci-fi interests?). Is the "nerd spectrum" for women much less defined? I'm doing some research on female nerds and need some examples or a web site or something.....
2007-08-05 04:25:32 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
A poster is right, I fit a lot of the characteristics of a nerd (I love computers, was a computer programmer) and I like sci-fi/trekkie stuff (don't do the conference thing, too weird), but I'm an extrovert, love outdoor sports, live with my boyfriend (and not in the basement!), so don't fit all the stereotypes. I'd check out some women's computer groups or girl computer groups (like Women in Computing http://www.awc-hq.org/ and see below for more), or Women's Engineering groups (see below), they're often filled with a few nerdy types (more of them are business/nerdy types). I think you could find some female nerdy types in college/graduate school doing research on computers or engineering. So a computer graduate program would be a good place to talk with a female professor and discuss the issue with them, but I"d start the conversation out with something other than just your interest in "nerds"!
2007-08-05 14:25:21 · answer #1 · answered by edith clarke 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As a *cough*nerd*cough* I just want to make an observation.
As a young female nerd/geek, it was much harder to be accepted. In high school, it was not a good thing to be a female nerd.
But as I've gotten older--I'm almost 30!--it has gotten a lot easier. I think some of that may have to do with the fact that I like myself more. But I also think some of it comes from the fact that older people--especially guy nerds--think it's cool if you're female and into video games, comics, or toy collecting.
I mean ACTION FIGURE collecting. ;)
2007-08-05 17:43:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They do exist, however they are harder to spot because they are, from appearances, less defined. As a result, popular culture has failed to build a memorable stereotype so most of us don't really know what a "female nerd" is.
If you want to do some research on female nerds I suggest you go pay a visit to a star trek club (or similar) and talk to some of the members there.
2007-08-05 04:38:10 · answer #3 · answered by Lint 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local library, head to the resource room, and request anything on microfiche! You will meet a female nerd.
Seriously, there ARE nerd women. In school they are usually the "good girls" wearing preppie clothes and glasses. They run for class president and like their male counterparts, they make the world go round while the rest of the class is puking up last night's beer. They can be supercute, but as they get older, they're characterized as spinsters, because no man wants a wife who is smarter than he is. (I'm not saying that's reality, but this is my understanding of the "nerd spectrum" for women.)
2007-08-05 05:09:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anise 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am 61 now, but my interests and inclinations probably qualify me as a nerd. I like books, science fiction, computers; but, I don't live in my parents basement.
#1. My parents are both dead.
#2. I have to have a job to pay for the books and all this computer junk.
#3. In Florida the water table is too near the surface, so we don't have basements.
2007-08-05 04:40:16 · answer #5 · answered by geniepiper 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes! There are female counterparts for every male stereotype. It really depends on what your definition of "nerd" is. Computer nerd? Fantasy nerd? Sci-Fi nerd? Check out websites for all those subjects and you'll find females on there, too.
2007-08-05 04:35:38 · answer #6 · answered by Rachel S 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What about the churchy girl who plays with dolls far too late into her adolesence? In the stereotype they are kept young by overbearing parents....think of the novel Carrie. I think of the nerdy girls when I was in highschool, and they were the ones who didn't seem interested in boys (or girls, if that was the case) romantically- they just seemed childish.
There are a lot of girls who are video-game enthusiasts, Trekkies, Sci-Fi lovers, etc...they're just like the male counterparts.
2007-08-05 04:40:43 · answer #7 · answered by elsaschneider 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Three words that answers all:
Comic Book Convention
And I'm a cute nerd.
2007-08-05 15:12:06 · answer #8 · answered by Done 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Me a few years back!! Lol.
Not the star trek kinda nerd though, but more of the introverted type.
2007-08-05 06:43:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, on college campuses everywhere. There's a group of all female video gamers called the frag dolls, they've gotten a lot of press at conventions and on TV.
2007-08-05 04:56:16 · answer #10 · answered by C-Man 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋