My name is Elsa and I'm a geek.
There is definitely a stigma associated with the word geek, especially if you are a woman. Female geeks in the media are often either over sexualised school girls with braids and glasses or sexless braniacs that are social misfits. That or someone is trying to sell you a pink gadget.
When faced with trying to promote an event called "Girl Geek Dinners" it becomes transparent very quickly that there is an understandable resistance to being considered a geek, even among women of a technical persuasion; there remain just too many negative connotations.
I realised many moons ago that I was a geek and learned to love it. I'm a gamer, love sci-fi & comics and can build and mod my PC, to consider myself anything but a geek would only mean fooling myself. But these interests are not to the exclusion of all others and I have interests that are not traditionally geeky but I am just as absorbed by them and I would consider myself a geek in those areas too, purely because I am passionate and knowledgeable about these topics.
I don't suffer from shyness or social awkwardness, quite the opposite, I love meeting new people and making new friends. People fascinate me as much as technology, it is partly why I am so enthusiastic about usability.
So for me being a geek isn't just about writing code, its about being passionate and having an in-depth knowledge about the things that interest you, whether that be World of Warcraft, knitting, mountain climbing or running your own business.
So if you are wondering if you are 'geeky' enough to come to Girl Geek Dinners, the answer is almost certainly yes. The question is what are you 'geeky' for?
