I recently received a request through Geek Girls asking if I wanted to take part in a Geek Girl event on TV. Little known to be it was for the Beauty and the Geek show in Australia (http://au.tv.yahoo.com/beauty-and-the-geek-australia/, a show which I feels increases the negative stereotype of both male and female geeks. I have included below my comment and feelings that I posted on http://www.girlgeeksydney.com
I will add to the below that I do fully support the Geek Girl Dinners in Sydney and will be attending future events. I was shocked and upset about the email and also my partner did not appreciate me being offered as a Reward which I am sure most people can understand. And I feel that Channel 7 have alot to answer for with the wording and I will be getting in contact with Katie Smee from Southern Star Entertainment to raise my concnerns with the sexist connotations in the wording.
*** Comment posted from http://www.girlgeeksydney.com/2011/08/letting-the-girl-geeks-decide-for-themselves/comment-page-1/#comment-223
What was offensive and wrong was that the initial email said ‚ÄúChannel 7 are looking for intelligent girls to appear on a TV show. Filming would take place on 19th August (from the afternoon) in outer Sydney. ‚However the next email stated what I have posted below personally I took offense to the word ‚Reward‚ that and my Red did not think it was a good thing or did not feel comfortable with me being asked as my partner, which is understandable.
I agree with the fact that people make up there own minds however, it was a misleading email if I knew it was for Beauty and the Geek a show which puts not only the Geek stereotype in a bad like but also shows male geeks as unattractive people who can not get a date 🙁 so not good for Women or Men from my perspective.
However as I was saying if I knew it was for that I would not of responded. I think what you girls are doing is great and I do support what your trying to do, I just felt that more information upfront might have been a better choice. Once again I really do think you girls are great it is in no way an attack etc at anyone just a shock on my part. I have experienced heavy harassment in the workplace from Guys thinking they can date me etc so I guess the email through me back to certain experiences and yes stereotypes.
Thanks for the above post as it shows a lot of concern and care for the group and I appreciate it deeply 🙂 seriously acknowledgement goes along way 😀
The email text is below and shows the use of the term Reward, not the best choice and I will be contacting Channel 7 regarding the wording, which I can understand was Katie’s wording not Geek Girls.
******
In a nutshell, channel 7 are looking for girls to help with the Beauty and the Geek TV program. This particular request, is for geeky girls to go on a ‘date night dinner’ with the guy geek as a reward. The channel 7 representative (Katie) said:
Other details you could tell them directly is that it would be one evening shoot (might need them in the afternoon though).
It is a chance to show not all girls are into only their looks, and some can be highly intelligent. This date is a reward for the male geeks on the show to chat to like minded girls who don’t just want to talk about make up and clothes!