Toxic Geek Masculinity in Media (eBook)

Anastasia Salter is Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Central Florida, USA. She is author of Jane Jensen: Gabriel Knight, Adventure Games, Hidden Objects and What is Your Quest?: From Adventure Games to Interactive Books, and co-author of Flash: Building the Interactive Web. Bridget Blodgett is Associate Professor of Information Arts and Technologies at the University of Baltimore, USA. Her research involves the use of technology within Internet culture and virtual worlds and the social impacts of virtual and internet culture on offline life.

Preface 5
Acknowledgements 8
Contents 10
List of Figures 11
1 Introduction: Actually, It’s about Toxic Geek Masculinity… 12
Defining the Geek 16
Playing at Hero 20
Identity Warfare 22
Overview 24
References 26
2 “Dick in a Box”: Hypermasculine Heroism in Geek TV and Film 28
Defining Hypermasculinity 32
Modern Manhood: Celebrating the Hypermasculine 38
Hypermasculinity and the Cultured Noble 42
The Geek Hero and His Band of Admirers 48
References 51
3 Beauty and the Geek: On-Screen Representations of Geeks 55
A Big Bang 58
The Big Bang Theory and Televised Masculinity 62
Amy and Penny or How to Woman 65
Chuck: From Geek to Hero 71
Imagining Silicon Valley 74
Conclusion 77
References 78
4 Come Get Some: Damsels in Distress and the Male Default Avatar in Video Games 82
Game Characters and Masculinity 85
Duke Nukem, Leisure Suit Larry and the Problem of “Parody” 88
Gender in Gamer Identity 94
Anita Sarkeesian and Gamergate 98
Conclusion: Playing the Savior 103
References 104
5 Through the Boob Window: Examining Sexualized Portrayals in Transmedia Comic Franchises 109
Invisible Geek Girls 113
Gendered Superbodies 119
Women in Refrigerators 122
Being Batgirl 124
Kilgrave and Jessica Jones 128
Superheroes in the Mainstream Gaze 131
References 132
6 Bronies on the Iron Throne: Perceptions of Prosocial Behaviors and Success 138
Women as Rewards 140
Playing the White Knight 148
Women as People 151
Conclusion 159
References 160
7 One of Us, One of Us!: Representations and Dialogues with “Fanboys” and “Fangirls” 164
Fan Girls on the Margins 166
Johnlock in Sherlock 169
Crazy Fan Girls, Fan Boy Auteurs 177
Supernatural and the Fan Girl’s Gaze 179
Fan Girls as “Auteur” 186
References 190
8 Conclusion: That’s Not How Geek Masculinity Works! 195
Defining Geek Fragility 200
The Fandom Awakens 202
Revenge of the Geek 206
Heroes in a Dying Earth 209
References 210
Index 214