When I was a young girl reading through old copies of Batman and The Flash I had no idea I was embarking on a life long hobby into a “boys only” club. Growing up I was isolated most of the time. I went to an all girls school, was bullied horribly, and my only escape were my comics. To my bullies my comic hobby wasn’t a “boy” thing. It was strictly a nerdy thing. To my father who supported and supplied my lust for comics, it wasn’t a “boy” thing. It was a thing he and his daughter enjoyed together. We both would read each others comics. He would take me to see most of the super hero movies that came out when I was young. I wasn’t abnormal to him.
But recently it seems like being a girl in this hobby has been everything but normal.
Websites such as Jezebel, Bleeding Cool, and io9 have all had articles on women enjoying this hobby. Cosplayers have come out of the woodwork to share with the internet stories of being sexually harassed. Certain comic book executives have gone on to say they do not want a largely female following, or that women simply don’t read comics. We’re not smart enough, not cultured enough, or we simply can’t understand the plight of an angry orphan who stalks bad guys in a bat costume.
That’s wrong.
Women make up 51% of the population. To say you do not want us in your hobby is frankly stupid, because last I checked my money was as good as anyone else’s. I also don’t want you to treat me with special gloves either! I don’t need to be put on some kind of shelf, to be gawked at and talked about as “that’s a girl who likes comics!” Maybe you haven’t noticed the influx of women in this hobby. That comic cons are filled with as many women as men. Some of the very best comic writers are women as well. Have you read anything Gail Simone has written? Most of you out there get and understand that this is a hobby for everyone. I don’t want it to be a “boy” or “girl” thing. We need to realize we are living in the era of the nerd. We have shows called “Heroes of Cosplay”, “Comic Book Men”, “King of the Nerds”, “Big Bang Theory”, “Nergasm” and who knows what else is due to come. Movie theaters are constantly showing super hero movies, which in turn have been some of the highest grossing films ever. Target, Wal Mart, even Nordstrom carry Batman clothing for all ages. Everywhere you look there are kids adorning themselves with Bat symbols, Captain America shirts, and proudly proclaiming “I am a nerd!” for the whole world to see.
This is a hobby for everyone to enjoy regardless of who you are. I don’t need special “girls only” comics or other things. I just want to talk about the characters I love with other like-minded people. Come on people, let’s make this a better nerd world for generations to come.
-Lauren
Tags: Lauren
Girls With Comics 
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