Geek Goddess speaks out

Stereo Types. Cyber Bullying. Trolling. These are the three major issues causing stress on the world wide web today. No one is safe. Everyone has become a victim of some sort of harassment via the Internet and everyone has been judged. I want to take this time to focus on a specific category of women who have experienced the unfair judgement of the Internet. The models at Geek Goddess "aim to show that a woman can be sexually liberated, be sexy and be empowered." Persecuted as "whores" and "fake geeks" simply because they are nude models, Oracle and Jessica Nova took the time to share their side of the story.








Authors: Jessica Nova and Oracle

There has been a lot of talk lately in the cosplay community and the overall nerd/geek community in general regarding appropriate behavior when it comes to other members of the community, especially women. Whether you want to talk about bullying or consent the problem is more complicated than simply identifying and categorizing. It’s deeper than a few creeps that don’t know better and can’t be solved with a clever tag line or an Internet campaign, no matter how well meaning. The ugly truth is that the problem is not limited to nerd culture and conventions. What is seen as a problem is really a symptom of the real problem, the ingrained and often subconscious views regarding gender and sex that plague our society.

Over time women have gained more freedom over their life but with that freedom has comes expectations and restrictions. The push and the pull of stereotypes. The Virgin and the Whore. Those are the categories and options that society gives; you are either the virgin or the whore. Stereotypes never work because people are more complicated. So what are these stereotypes and how do they relate to nerd girls?

 The virgin: If you want respect, if you want to be seen as someone with intelligence and something genuine to offer the world, you are not supposed to show you want sex, talk about sex, or dress in a provocative manner. At least not publicly.

The whore: If you want to have sex, if you talk about sex, if you look sexy or show off your body then immediately you must be a woman of loose morals with no real value to give other than that body. These stereotypes are perpetuated by society even as advertising campaigns make it clear that all a woman has to offer the world is her body and her sex. But only if that body is unrealistically perfect. How confusing a girl must feel growing up these days. Commercials tell her to dress in an outfit that is barely there while the rest of society tells her that to be respected she must be viewed based on her mind and not her body. Men are told to want the scantily clad beauty while being subconsciously shown that she is an object, that she wants the attention and that she doesn’t deserve respect. This sets him up for failure and maybe even a kick to the groin later in life, maybe many kicks. It has also led to many of the problems regarding the appropriate way to react to a cosplayer that are plaguing conventions today. Thankfully humans are, at least in theory, capable of independent thought and should be able to rise above the choices society has made for them. Woman can never be truly equal, truly liberated, until we are accepted as complex beings with many facets.

Geek Goddess aims to show that a woman can be sexually liberated, be sexy and be empowered. She can be naked and still kick your ass at halo. She can be wearing skin tight latex and still roll a natural 20 to save the day. She can have amazing cleavage and still hold a lively and intelligent debate. But change is hard and often painful. While we are confident societies views can mature and change and women can be seen as whole beings we know it won’t happen overnight. Becoming a Goddess will bring you attention... but some of that attention will be negative. It’s not acceptable or appropriate; it is realistic. Even as I write this there is someone somewhere calling one of our Goddesses fat or ugly, or saying she is a slut. Trolls are everywhere. And there will always be someone out there looking to bring themselves up by putting someone down. We can’t stop them; we don’t have to support them. We can speak out against their hatred and fear and jealousy. We can stand up for our Goddesses and all other nerdy woman. We can educate the men and women that don’t realize they are harming the community. But we’ll still need to knock the occasional Troll off the bridge. And that won’t end until all of nerdom comes together to reject the Nerd Bully in all his or her incarnations and return to our roots of acceptance over cruelty.

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Why I Decided to Get Involved in Shows

"Egotism is the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of ones personal features and importance."

I think its safe to say that we have all known someone who was an egotist. Sadly, in the world of costuming more and more egotists are popping up. Some people believe that they are better than others, certain costumers are competing with each other and many are caught up in racking up the most "likes" on Facebook as if their very lives depended on it. Ive personally known people who got involved with conventions for one reason and one reason only; to see their names on the Guest List and brag about it to high hell. It has nothing to do with helping the show as a member of the staff or meeting with people interested in our craft. Its to be a "Cosplay Celebrity" or a "Professional Cosplayer." Because of the behavior Ive personally seen live and in person, I had sworn off getting involved with shows in an effort not to be like the Cosplay Egotists but all of that changed at the 2013 Pittsburgh Comic Con.

Im going to be blunt; there is no such thing as a "cosplay celebrity" or a "professional cosplayer". Every time I see or hear that term, I laugh myself silly. I truly believe that that is the most idiotic term I have ever heard. Cosplay is a hobby, not a profession. If you make and sell your own costumes and props, then you are a costume maker/seamstress/designer or a prop maker. Would you put "Professional Cosplayer" on a job application? If you did, Im sure you would be laughed out of the office or they would look at you like you had three heads. And what makes a person a "professional or expert cosplayer"? If you have experience then you can just as easily say "veteran cosplayer". Throwing in "professional" or "expert" is just a BS way of making someone appear glamorous and important. Now comes the title of "cosplay celebrity". True, there are certain costumers who are more well known than others but that doesnt necessarily mean that they are the best or celebrities.



A cosplayer is a cosplayer. Plain and simple. The fancy titles are smoke and mirrors.

I never wanted to become a costumer who sought the spotlight. I got into costuming to express my fandom, not to seek fame. Ive seen people change in their search for cosplay stardom and I was afraid I would be following down the path of egotism if I got involved with shows. But then I was asked last minute to be one of the judges at the Costume Contest at the 2013 Pittsburgh Comic-Con along side Freddie Nova. Although I was bewildered, I accepted. It was truly a learning lesson for me and completely changed my perspective. A lot of that has to do with the gracious Freddie Nova. Freddie is beautiful and very talented. Her liquid latex Venom photos went viral and she has an enormous fan base. Everyone from comic creators to comic fans and cosplayers knows who she is and yet she is very humble. She treats everyone with respect and was incredibly encouraging to every person who took the stage. I saw for the first time someone use their position to spread positivity and it was beautiful. I learned from her shining example and was sure to smile at all of the contestants, encourage them and even spoke to a few of them afterwards and online. Many were first timers in costuming who had many questions. It felt wonderful to help others and I want to continue that.



Im currently scheduled for 2 more local shows. Im not doing it to see my name in lights and I actually make it clear that I do not want to be credited as a professional cosplay celebrity". Im simply a cosplayer who wants to reach out and support the community. So think of me as a Goodwill Ambassador of Cosplay, if you will. But never a professional cosplayer. *laughs*

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Cosplay Spotlight Jessica Carroll

The lovely Jessica Carroll is a well known talent within the cosplay community. She has been practicing the art of costuming all of her life and it shows in her exquisite work. Jessica took some time to chat with the Confessions of a Cosplay Girl Blog about the many changes made to Harley Quinn throughout the years, her love for crafting, attending conventions and dressing up with her fellow cosplayer husband, Jonathan Carroll.






Victoria: How long have you been in the hobby of costuming?

Jessica: Gosh all my life? I have always made costumes for something. When I was younger I played dress up as part of my daily routine. As I got older I did theatre and worked extensively on costumes there. The first costume for a play I can remember was in 5th grade. My first convention in cosplay I was in high school, 10th grade I believe. My first costume was Queen Beryl with my best friend as Mistress Nine.

Victoria: What was the very first convention you attended? What costume did you wear?

Jessica: The first convention I attended was Megacon. I was 15. I didnt costume, I had no idea what cosplay was or really what to expect from a convention. I wore my sailor moon tshirt, jeans, and my hair in odangos. You know, just like a good weeaboo.

After that, the next year my best friend and I decided to costume. We never wanted to go to a con without the full experience ever again. We did Queen Beryl and Mistress 9, Eriya and Naria from Escaflowne the movie and then goth punk school girls on Sunday I think.

Victoria: How can people contact you for commissions and view a portfolio of your work?


Jessica: For commissions the best thing to do is hit me up on my facebook https://www.facebook.com/supernovago or you can head straight to my etsy to see what I have up for sale. www.etsy.com/shop/SupernovaCostuming    I have some other projects I work on as well including geeky bridal accessories that I make with my mother in law www.etsy.com/shop/UniquelyYoursBridal

As for a portfolio, Im so bad about keeping my own personal projects up on my facebook, but I try to post plenty of commission progress photos.

Victoria: You have a large variety of impressive costumes and creations under your belt. Youre best known for your amazing Harley Quinn. What is it about the character that attracts you to her?

Jessica: Harley has always been a favorite character of mine. When I was younger I watched the tar out of the first and 2nd Batman movies and the Animated Series. The Joker was my spirit animal as a kid, I loved him. I think it was because he represented the fact that I knew clowns were evil...he embodied what I always knew to be true about them. I remember the first episode I saw with his girlfriend, Harley Quinn. I lost my mind. I needed anything I could get my little hands on, which at the time wasnt much for Harley. However, as I got older and started to delve into psychology, I grew to hate the two of them together. Their relationship disgusts me. I think for me, Harley is the friend I always wanted to see get away from her crappy boyfriend. I root for her because I know she can be strong and independent, but she never seems to truly get on her own two feet.
Haha I guess that still doesnt explain why Im drawn to her...really I dont know, maybe its that I can relate in a lot of ways, at least to my early 20s and bad choices in guys growing up. I found my happy ending, I want her too. Plus, she has hyenas and style...and we both study psychology.

 

Victoria:  Harley has gone through an enormous amount of hair and wardrobe changes over the years. Whats your favorite look for her? Whats her worst?

Jessica: I dont know if she has a look I absolutely hate....I really wasnt happy with the Suicide Squad look but it grew on me. I think the least practical is her injustice outfit or the Nurse from Arkham Asylum...that one is probably my absolute least favorite. Her best is hands down her original. Its sexy without her boobs popping out everywhere.

Victoria: How do you feel about the changes made to the character in the New 52?

Jessica: I stopped reading Suicide Squad because I was getting bored with it. I dont hate every choice they have made for her...but a lot of them I dislike. The main one is her bleached skin, to me thats ridiculous. Oh and the clown car joke about her vagina was pretty awful too.

 

 Victoria:  How did you and your husband meet?

Jessica: Jonathan and I met on myspace lol at least thats where we first talked a little. The first convention we met face to face was Dragoncon 2008. We both went through some life changes and kept in vague touch via myspace and the following year at Megacon we actually hung out and fell head over heels. We didnt start dating for a few months.

Victoria: Whats your favorite husband/wife couple costume youve done?

Jessica: Our genderbent Harley and TDK Joker. I love it.

Victoria: What plans do you have in the future in regards to cosplay and professional modeling?

Jessica: For professional modeling Im trying to get the site I co own to grow. I want to keep creating a quality product but would like to be able to move more behind the scenes, make costumes and manage the site more than have to model. For costuming? I want to start breaking away from accurate pieces and more creative. Some of the most inspiring costuming artists to me are Catherine Jones of GSTQ Fashions and the lovely artists over at Firefly Path. They break the mold in terms of creating and I want to do that. I dont want to be trapped in the panels of a comic book with my costumes, I want to break the mold.

Victoria: Which costume took the most work to create?

Jessica: Hmmmmmmm I guess Harley takes the most time out of my pieces because Ive redone the suit several times. Though I do think that working on Sailor Uranus and the amount of nitpicking that will go into it, its going to be a bit time consuming. Coming up I have Enchantress as well which will incorporate a fully boned corset and leather so that will be quite the project.
Thank you Victoria.

https://www.facebook.com/supernovago

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