Name of the Fangirl: Laura
Fangirl’s Occupation: Grad student in Teaching of History
What is her fangirl interest?
A giant fan of Doctor Who, Firefly, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, a follower of all things Tamora Pierce, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett, and a practitioner of history.
Why did you decide to shine the spotlight on this fangirl?
Nominating yourself seems a bit egotistical at first, but I’ve learned I have a lot of valuable things to say about fandom–and what’s more, I can say it pretty well. I’m passionate about the things I love, and proud of being a geek. Can’t get any better than that!
How does this fangirl express her fandom?
I write a blog, Challenge by Geek, in which I dole out my perspectives on my favorite fandoms — from the excited to the critical. I think it’s particularly important to hold the fandoms I love to the standards of modern feminism, and I do it relentlessly.
More informally, I squee to anyone who happens to be in the room, no matter how excited they may be. I’ve only been to one con, but I’m definitely going to more, and will be cosplaying there as well. In fact, I will be a panelist at C2E2 this April, on the subject of “Exorcising the Fake Geek Girl: gate-keeping, geek culture, and sexism.” I’m super-excited for it!
What is her favorite quote or personal motto?
“So be wise, because the world needs more wisdom. And if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise and then just do as they would.”
— Neil Gaiman, graduation speech, 2012
What is her favorite fangirl item that she cannot live without?
My computer. It’s my connection to the world, but more importantly, it’s my medium for writing, and for getting my writing out into the world, which is becoming more and more a huge part of me.
Where can we follow her online?