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It's okay to like things too (don't be a dick about the things you do like)
((Wrote about half of this in response to a random Tumblr thing, then decided I didn't want to bother on my phone ((probably somewhere around the first footnote)) and now I am too lazy to dig up the relevant post.))
Here's a thing: I am absolutely a newbie to being a Star Wars *fan*. But I own eight action figures now, and I really like my collection and want to keep adding to it.
Two years ago, I wouldn't have cared in the slightest about owning any action figures. But then jere7my brought me to the midnight toy release for The Force Awakens. Not because I'm super into Star Wars (I, like most geeks (and non-geeks), enjoy the movies but that's about it) but because he needed a getaway driver and we're best friends so I'll totally do the man a solid.
Now, jere7my has been a Star Wars fan since he watched them in theatres as a little kid, holding his dad's hand. He has a heap of action figures, which he displays proudly on the bookshelf of his otherwise quite adult looking house0. And when I was poking around and asking dumb questions about who all the droids were, he was enthusiastic and friendly and excited. He commiserated with me about the lack of good Leias. And when I found a little Rey figure, and decided that I liked her, he told me she was a good choice, the new heroine, and he was happy for me.
He didn't roll his eyes at me1 or act indignant or otherwise sneer down his nose that I didn't already know the minute everything of the entire extended universe. When I decided I wanted a Sabine figure this most recent toy-release-night2, just because she looked cool, he didn't scold me for not knowing what she was from, he just agreed that she was cool and told me that she was from Star Wars Rebels so I could watch her source material if I wanted3.
It drives me crazy when I see ridiculous hobby gatekeeping, because...it doesn't have to be that way. Star Wars has a fan who buys merchandise4 because they had another fan who was open and cool and invited me to share with him something he loved. I'm pretty thick-skinned about the "fake geek girl"5 bullshit, but that doesn't mean I want to feel like I have to pass a series of vocabulary tests just to purchase the cool action figure girl with the blue hair.
Share the things you love. Share, not horde and overprotect and dole out in measured doses only to those you deem "worthy". It's just better for everyone.
~Sor
MOOP!
0: Srsly, jere7my and ad_familiares's house is _unbelievably gorgeous_ and well put together and lovely. All their art is framed, and it's interesting and vivid and some of it is bugs! Plus, whenever jere7my hosts an Exec meeting or whatever, he arranges for there to be very good things to eat (these were unfortunately not a solace the night ofJanuary 16thNovember 8th.)
((Long Reach jokes what up!))
1: Okay, fine, well he does roll his eyes at me, but usually it's prompted by me being an ass and asking which episode of Doctor Who C3PO is from or something like that.
2: For which I was not a getaway driver, since we biked.
3: So far I haven't gotten around to it. I am easily distractible and have very few cycles for watching things.
4: Figures I have bought new at ToysRUs at one of the two release nights: Rey, Jyn, and Sabine. Figures I have bought used at Order 66 Toys in McKinney: Endor speeder-bike rider Leia, big fancy red dress Amidala (or Padme? I feel like there's some weird proper name thing just out of reach, which I'd be happy to have explained if it wasn't eighty years long), ANH Leia in the white dress, C3PO, and Hoth Leia. I also have an Ewok village party-Leia that wabbit bought me, because FRIENDS!! I desperately want a General Leia (from TFA), and less desperately want a K-2SO, more other Leias, and a BODHI!!!!4.5
4.5: This is how I can tell my fling with buying action figures has gotten serious --I was quite emphatic about buying the *heroines* of the Star Wars universe, rather than the dudes. Except of course sassy anxiety droid, who is my favourite droid. And then Bodhi turned out to have those big eyes and that sad lost face and that incredible inner strength and ugh, I know it's a huge filthy trash-crush but I just want to take him home and feed him cake damnit! And it doesn't help that Riz Ahmed is totally gorgeous.
I should maybe cosplay Bohdi.
Anyways, yeah. The day I realized I wanted an action figure of a dirty, stinky (brave, heroic, peaceful, rebellious...) BOY was the day I realized I was lost for good.
5: Largely because I'm already a fake girl, so adding other adjectives doesn't really change anything. But also because I kinda like reveling in being a "filthy casual" --it means I get to have all the fun of enjoying something without any of the stress of having to constantly declare that enjoyment loudly and explicitly to everyone around me.
PostScript 1: Seriously, my interest in Star Wars is pretty new. I saw the original trilogy as a kid and liked them, but I also seem to recall liking Phantom Menace, so you can't actually trust me on that. As a geek, I'm all for the existence of Star Wars, but I didn't really get super into it all until Rey and TFA (which has given me a new appreciation for Leia too!)
PostScript 2: Yeah, on the one hand it's awesome that I got into Star Wars and especially Leia just in time for Carrie Fisher to die and my heart to shatter. "awesome".
PostScript 3: I also feel I should give a shoutout to wabbit, because I'm always more inclined to try out cool things when there are cool people being excitable about it, and she's the other Most Excitable About Star Wars person I know. And wabbit is also super awesome about being respectful and chill and offering explanations when I need 'em and not berating me for remembering whether BB8's head screws are threaded clockwise or widdershins.
Here's a thing: I am absolutely a newbie to being a Star Wars *fan*. But I own eight action figures now, and I really like my collection and want to keep adding to it.
Two years ago, I wouldn't have cared in the slightest about owning any action figures. But then jere7my brought me to the midnight toy release for The Force Awakens. Not because I'm super into Star Wars (I, like most geeks (and non-geeks), enjoy the movies but that's about it) but because he needed a getaway driver and we're best friends so I'll totally do the man a solid.
Now, jere7my has been a Star Wars fan since he watched them in theatres as a little kid, holding his dad's hand. He has a heap of action figures, which he displays proudly on the bookshelf of his otherwise quite adult looking house0. And when I was poking around and asking dumb questions about who all the droids were, he was enthusiastic and friendly and excited. He commiserated with me about the lack of good Leias. And when I found a little Rey figure, and decided that I liked her, he told me she was a good choice, the new heroine, and he was happy for me.
He didn't roll his eyes at me1 or act indignant or otherwise sneer down his nose that I didn't already know the minute everything of the entire extended universe. When I decided I wanted a Sabine figure this most recent toy-release-night2, just because she looked cool, he didn't scold me for not knowing what she was from, he just agreed that she was cool and told me that she was from Star Wars Rebels so I could watch her source material if I wanted3.
It drives me crazy when I see ridiculous hobby gatekeeping, because...it doesn't have to be that way. Star Wars has a fan who buys merchandise4 because they had another fan who was open and cool and invited me to share with him something he loved. I'm pretty thick-skinned about the "fake geek girl"5 bullshit, but that doesn't mean I want to feel like I have to pass a series of vocabulary tests just to purchase the cool action figure girl with the blue hair.
Share the things you love. Share, not horde and overprotect and dole out in measured doses only to those you deem "worthy". It's just better for everyone.
~Sor
MOOP!
0: Srsly, jere7my and ad_familiares's house is _unbelievably gorgeous_ and well put together and lovely. All their art is framed, and it's interesting and vivid and some of it is bugs! Plus, whenever jere7my hosts an Exec meeting or whatever, he arranges for there to be very good things to eat (these were unfortunately not a solace the night of
((Long Reach jokes what up!))
1: Okay, fine, well he does roll his eyes at me, but usually it's prompted by me being an ass and asking which episode of Doctor Who C3PO is from or something like that.
2: For which I was not a getaway driver, since we biked.
3: So far I haven't gotten around to it. I am easily distractible and have very few cycles for watching things.
4: Figures I have bought new at ToysRUs at one of the two release nights: Rey, Jyn, and Sabine. Figures I have bought used at Order 66 Toys in McKinney: Endor speeder-bike rider Leia, big fancy red dress Amidala (or Padme? I feel like there's some weird proper name thing just out of reach, which I'd be happy to have explained if it wasn't eighty years long), ANH Leia in the white dress, C3PO, and Hoth Leia. I also have an Ewok village party-Leia that wabbit bought me, because FRIENDS!! I desperately want a General Leia (from TFA), and less desperately want a K-2SO, more other Leias, and a BODHI!!!!4.5
4.5: This is how I can tell my fling with buying action figures has gotten serious --I was quite emphatic about buying the *heroines* of the Star Wars universe, rather than the dudes. Except of course sassy anxiety droid, who is my favourite droid. And then Bodhi turned out to have those big eyes and that sad lost face and that incredible inner strength and ugh, I know it's a huge filthy trash-crush but I just want to take him home and feed him cake damnit! And it doesn't help that Riz Ahmed is totally gorgeous.
I should maybe cosplay Bohdi.
Anyways, yeah. The day I realized I wanted an action figure of a dirty, stinky (brave, heroic, peaceful, rebellious...) BOY was the day I realized I was lost for good.
5: Largely because I'm already a fake girl, so adding other adjectives doesn't really change anything. But also because I kinda like reveling in being a "filthy casual" --it means I get to have all the fun of enjoying something without any of the stress of having to constantly declare that enjoyment loudly and explicitly to everyone around me.
PostScript 1: Seriously, my interest in Star Wars is pretty new. I saw the original trilogy as a kid and liked them, but I also seem to recall liking Phantom Menace, so you can't actually trust me on that. As a geek, I'm all for the existence of Star Wars, but I didn't really get super into it all until Rey and TFA (which has given me a new appreciation for Leia too!)
PostScript 2: Yeah, on the one hand it's awesome that I got into Star Wars and especially Leia just in time for Carrie Fisher to die and my heart to shatter. "awesome".
PostScript 3: I also feel I should give a shoutout to wabbit, because I'm always more inclined to try out cool things when there are cool people being excitable about it, and she's the other Most Excitable About Star Wars person I know. And wabbit is also super awesome about being respectful and chill and offering explanations when I need 'em and not berating me for remembering whether BB8's head screws are threaded clockwise or widdershins.