The Her Universe booth at Celebration V. Photo by popculturegeek @ Flickr.
Attention male Star Wars fans around the world! I say this from the bottom of my heart because us nerd girls, we love you (I should know, I have my own nerd boy). We know that you mean well and sometimes what comes out of your mouths or through the keyboard is not necessarily what you mean to say, but rather can become a bit of a mess in translation and that’s okay. Lately, it’s not. Let me tell you why. Continue reading “Back off, guys: It’s our turn”
Her Universe is now host to a message board, furthering Ashley Eckstein’s mission to give female fans spotlight and community. Head on over to forum.heruniverse.com to register and take part now!
I’m beyond sick of the ‘California Girls’* filks, but y’all are sure to get a kick out of this. (And how can you not love Seth Green in the Snoop Dogg role?) Already seen? Bonnie interviews Team Unicorn.
* Yes, I know that’s not how Katy Perry spells it. I guess they don’t have spell check in Candyland.
James and I were able to grab a quick interview on with Ashley Eckstein at the con! It would be hard not to be impressed by the strides that the company has made in so short a time. They had a great product that was literally all over the con, from all the t-shirts that were near-ubiquitous on female attendees to the limited edition Empire Strikes Back necklace, even down to the (reusable!) shopping bags. As I said in the video, it’s something we’ve been wanting for years, and I won’t lie: I got a little choked up. I can’t wait to see what’s coming: Thank you so much, Ashley!
Ashley Eckstein is getting some ink for Her Universe in the most unlikely of places: ESPN! I don’t doubt being married to an MLB player helps widen the field of interest, but let’s not forget we’re the only fandom with a noteworthy gender disparity. (Sports-loving ladies can see the Alyssa Milano line that Ashley mentions as an inspiration at Fandalia.)
I don’t hate the word – certainly there are worse things to be called – but I don’t like the term ‘fangirl.’
Mainly because of the associations it brings up for me: Screeching, squeeing, inappropriate, out of control and usually prepubescent. The prototypical example:
I know, that’s well before even I was born, and it might as well be the dark ages for most of you. Nowadays, we call them Twilight fans.
And I’d rather not be called a Sister of the Force, either. This is not a silly homebrew internet roleplay. We are not all 12, and we certainly don’t need any more reason to be treated like mythological beasts. And hell, Star Wars fandom on the whole has done pretty well without a label. I say we keep that tradition.
Head over to the Her Universe Shop to purchase items from Ashley Eckstein’s new line geared towards female fans! So far there are only six tees and two hoodies available, but more is on the way.
The Bechdel Test or Mo Movie Measure (misnamed as it may be) is a simple formula that tests three simple things in a movie: a) if there are (named) female characters and b) that they talk to each other about c) something other than a man.
Most movies fail this by a mile, including the lions share of the Star Wars saga.
I believe The Phantom Menace (Shmi and Padme) and Attack of the Clones (Padme and Queen Jamillia, Padme and Beru) may be the only Star Wars movies that pass the Bechdel test… Though perhaps barely, Anakin being a topic (but not a romantic one) in all three conversations I’m thinking of. Thoughts?
The line will launch with not only t-shirts, but also a sweatshirt, some long-sleeved tees, hats, and two necklaces, Eckstein said on last week’s Forcecast. “The female fans have always been there, but it’s really changed over the past decade,” she said, adding: “A lot of the top blogs and sites are now written by women.” (NO WAI.)
Former fan club president Dan Madsen is also involved – He’s been answering questions on Rebelscum’s forums. He revealed the list of conventions the Her Universe folks will be hitting up – all the majors: San Diego Comic Con, Celebration V, Chicago Comic Con, Dragon*Con and New York Comic Con.
Sizing has been a hot issue, and in a FAQ posted yesterday, Eckstein says that the first line will be avaliable in sizes XS-XXL – and they are pursuing plus size. The cost may be a bit more than folks expect, though, with t-shirts in the $30-$35 range.
Artists Katie Cook and Cat Staggs are already on board, but get your vote in on the Her Universe Facebook page.
The Her Universe booth at Celebration V. Photo by popculturegeek @ Flickr.
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