For decades, women have made incredible strides in the world of sports and are becoming more and more visible within the athletic community. Here are some of the ways women have inspired us and challenged the status quo time and time again.
Historic Moments in Sports for Women
According to research from Ohio University, “40 percent of all sports participants are female. Yet women’s sports receive only 4 percent of all sports media coverage.” Despite this low amount of coverage, women continue to break barriers and achieve greatness within the sports industry. Here are a few notable milestones for women in sports throughout history:
Billie Jean King Defeats Bobby Riggs: Already turned into a big studio movie, the Battle of the Sexes tennis match in 1973 was a triumph for women around the world as they watched King take the win against the notoriously misogynistic Riggs. King was already a legend at that point, but defeating Riggs sent a statement to women everywhere that they can do anything.
Althea Gibson Breaks New Ground: Often referred to as a female Jackie Robinson, Gibson made strides for both race and gender equality by becoming the first black competitor at the U.S. Nationals in 1950. She also became the first black tennis player to win Wimbledon in 1957 and the U.S. Open in 1958.
Ann Meyers Drysdale Inspires Generations of Women: Drysdale became the first woman to sign an NBA contract, as she signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1979. She also became the first woman to broadcast an NBA game when she served as a color commentator for the Pacers.
Danica Patrick Proves It’s Not Just a Men’s Game: In 2008, Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy race with her victory in the Japan 300. As a professional racing driver since the age of 10, Patrick continues to make an impact on the sports industry and inspires women everywhere.
The Olympics Makes History: In 2012, the U.S. sent more female Olympians than male to compete in the summer games. Women’s boxing made its debut that year, while male competitors were outmedaled by women in the U.S., Russian and Chinese teams in all sporting categories.
These are just a small number of the ways women are making a tremendous difference in the sports industry. But it’s not only in sports where women are breaking new ground. According to Arizona State University, “women make up nearly 50 percent of the U.S. workforce and 51 percent of corporate professionals.” It’s inspiring figures like King and Drysdale who have brought strength and confidence to women everywhere and motivated women to move up in their career.
Since King and Drysdale made such important milestones, other women have achieved greatness in other industries. For example, Eileen Collins became the first female space commander in 1999 when she was assigned to pilot space shuttle Columbia. Collins became the first female astronaut to pilot a space shuttle mission in 1995 and became the Air Force’s first female flight instructor. From healthcare to technology, athletics to journalism, women have made a difference in how they’re represented and proven there are no boundaries to what women can do.
These women and their inspiring stories of success will continue to stand the test of time and empower everyone to accomplish their goals. The impact women have made in the sports industry demonstrates the strength and power our femininity holds within all of us. The amount of barriers broken by women throughout history is astounding. But we still have a long way to go before that glass ceiling is completely shattered.
Frankie Wallace is a freelance journalist interested in all things pop culture. Wallace resides in Boise, Idaho and contributes to a variety of blogs across the web.
Earlier this fall we announced the Name Our Avatar Contest. We received so many amazing entries, and we’re beyond excited to finally share the winners with you today!
Every name that we received was thoughtful and picking just one was a true challenge. We were so heartened by your bounds of creativity and passion. So without any further ado, here are the two runners-up as well as the winning name:
Why?: This is a beautiful middle eastern name that means “rivers” which I love as a representation of fluidity as well as strength in the GeekGirlCon community. “What I love most about rivers is: You can’t step in the same river twice. The water’s always changing, always flowing.”
Why?: First, it means sky or heaven in Arabic: this reflects the constellation-like patterns on her clothing, her freckles, as well as the fact that she is very bright! It’s a name that gets used in many places and cultures, and is very beautiful to boot! (It’s also the name of a character from Miraculous Ladybug! Alya runs the world’s best Ladybug fanblog, and is Marinette’s best friend.)
…and finally, our first place winner and the new name of our avatar. Introducing…
Why?: It’s a unisex Hindu name meaning “knowledge” specifically as it pertains to science. I see Vedi as being a hero for women and non-binary people in STEM!
We are pleased to let you know that your fundraiser tees are on their way!
Thank you for your continued support of GeekGirlCon, we couldn’t do any of this without you. Stay tuned and we’ll see you next year on November 16 and 17 for #GGC19!
Have a wonderful holiday season. Be merry and be geeky!
Well, friends, GeekGirlCon’18 has officially drawn to a close. On behalf of the GGC staff, I want to say thank you so, so much to all of you who joined us this past weekend. Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, sponsored, supported, and otherwise contributed to making 2018 our best year yet. Thank you for believing in our mission, for finding value in the celebration of geeky girls and women, and for being passionate about the things you love and sharing that passion with us.
We’re just a couple hours away from saying goodbye to GeekGirlCon ‘18, and while this part of the con is always a bit bittersweet, the countdown to GeekGirlCon ‘19 is on!
Source: Giphy. Description: Linda from Bob’s Burgers doing jazz hands in excitement.
Join us November 16 and 17, 2019, at the Washington State Conference Center for even more panels, DIY science, featured contributors, artists, and everything else you love about GGC!
Get your passes now at our early bird prices, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, or this blog for updates on everything we’ll have in store for you next year. We’ve already got great stuff in the works, and we can’t wait to share it with you!
I hope Saturday was as fun for you as it was for us!
While GeekGirlCon 2018 is officially halfway over, never fear! Sunday is filled with amazing content, so get ready for another day of exciting panels and events. From our annual Costume Contest, to a plethora of amazing panels, workshops, and more, there’s plenty more to geek out about.
Panels
Disability in Cosplay & Pop Culture
10:30am to 11:30am in Storm
Disabled cosplayers and creators discuss the representation of people with disabilities in the media and how that influences the perception of disabled people in real life. Disability is a spectrum, and this panel will have perspectives from people with invisible disabilities as well as those that can be seen, but are frequently misunderstood.
Featuring Jay Justice, Diana Pho, and Emily Finke.
Enter LAIKA: Behind the Scenes
11:30am to 12:30pm in Garnet
Come to this discussion with Christina Mackin; learn about her work at LAIKA, the studio behind Oscar-nominated films Coraline, The Box Trolls, Paranorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings. You’ll hear about behind the scenes, what it’s like to be a woman in the animation industry, and the challenges of creating stop-motion films!
From Fan to Pro: In Conversation with Britta Lundin
1pm to 2pm in Shuri
Join us for a moderated chat with Britta Lundin, staff writer of Riverdale and author of Ship It, about writing, fandom, Riverdale, and what it’s like to be both fan and pro.
The first day of con has come and gone, and there are plenty of feels to go around.
Each year, my team covers various panels and events to write about for the GeekGirlCon blog—a truly daunting task, of course. This year we each wanted to write a short blurb about our experiences during the weekend of con to share with all of you: what panels we attended, our favorite exhibitors, and a little bit about what’s happening behind-the-scenes (you know, those important anecdotes about naps in the staff room and dad jokes that only we find funny).
#GGC18 may go down as one of our favorites yet, and we hope you’re having just as much fun as we are thus far!
From GeekGirlCon Manager of Editorial, Indigo Boock (me!)
Saturday morning started off with a pot of coffee delivered right to my hotel room door at 6:15 sharp. Oh, I could write ballads to that coffee, but no amount of caffeine would stand a chance to the hectic excitement that awaited me on the convention floor.
Appropriately, I started off my day at a panel that meant a lot to me and my relationship with gaming: 25 Years of Myst Fandom.
Back when I learned that Cyan would be joining us for GeekGirlCon 2018, I was floored. I immediately called my dad and geeked out over the news, and without a doubt I was primed and ready for the panel at 11:30 this morning. A conversation between Myst co-creator Rand Miller and super fans Melinda Rose and Eleri Hamilton, the panelists discussed the game and the truly unique community that has tirelessly slaved over its lore throughout the years. Though I have far less street cred than both Melinda and Eleri, Myst has a sneaky way of integrating itself into pivotal parts of my life, and that now includes my time working with GeekGirlCon.
During a little bit of down time, I finally had a chance to walk around the exhibitor hall—and I am genuinely shocked that my wallet is still in once piece (though it’s definitely not happy with me). I passed some familiar faces, added a few more t-shirts to my ever growing collection, and connected with an artist I hadn’t heard of before but whose work I instantly adored. Susana’s (@S2HEARTBunny) style meshed perfectly with my aesthetic: very pink and a little eerie. She even told me about a smaller, local event that she’s organizing in the coming months, illustrafest!
The exhibitors truly outdid themselves this year. I’m proud that I displayed at least a little self control and didn’t just buy everything for myself.
This year I was also joined by my mom, who periodically reported which panels she was excited about and the new friends that she was making. She really reminded me why I love this community, and also made me question my own genetics and introverted tendencies when she walked by with her newfound con-posse. My mom, who I’ve written about on the blog before, is still a little newer to the geeky side of life and definitely fresh to the convention scene. Initially a display of support for my work with the organization, her own interests have taken off and she’s really learned to open up and savor the experience. A geek in training yet, she’s proud so say that she has learned a lot and excited to keep going.
When your parental unit knows you so well that they buy you the same shirt you bought yourself. #GGC18pic.twitter.com/W9NH4yNIDX
The rest of my day was spent tucked away in various panels and stowed up writing in the staff room—definitely not gorging on donuts whilst whining about how sore my feet were thanks to my ill fated decision to wear high heeled boots. I fawned over the women of Dungeons & Dragons, who have been working on the franchise since I was in grade school, and the lovely team behind Magic: The Gathering Arena. I also stopped by the Women in Horror panel for a few good laughs (and some much needed profanity). All in all, it was an great day.
….and here’s to a second that’s just as amazing as the first!
As I write this—sitting in my hotel room just hours away from the official start of the convention—I am thrilled, excited, and relieved. Another year of hard work and we’re finally ready to share it with all of you. My outfit is spread out, my bag is packed, and I’m ready to commence a weekend of geeky fun as we celebrate the importance of diversity and inclusivity in this community.
Brought together by our love of fandom, popular culture, STEM, fashion, gaming, comics, and just about anything that we can possibly geek out about, GeekGirlCon gives us the ability to express what we love and share those passions with our friends and peers. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or this is your first year, we welcome you and we are honored that you’ll be apart of this journey alongside us.
This year’s content lineup includes a plethora of panels, events, workshops, and meetups for you to learn something new or explore an old favorite (with some added spooky happenings for Halloween!)
So without further ado, here are but a few things you can looking forward to during the first day of GeekGirlCon 2018.
Panels
Cosplay Quickfire
10am to 11am in Garnet
A roster of experienced cosplayers will instruct you on how to make any costume for under $100 in less than 7 days. No costume is unattainable. With a mix of suggested costumes from internet polls and ideas from the audience, the goal is for everyone to gain crafty, affordable methods of costuming.
Featuring Jay Justice and Emily Finke.
25 Years of MYST & MYST Fandom
11:30am to 12:30pm Samus
Since its release in 1993, MYST has had a dedicated following, built a complex world and lore, and Cyan has continued to push expectations of what is possible in video games. Join us as we reminisce on the joys, sorrows, and mayhem of the D’niverse, and ponder the future of Cyan and their fans.
Featuring Eleri Hamilton, Rand Miller, and Melinda Rose.
Feminist Frequency Radio Live!
1:30pm to 2:30pm in Storm
FemFreq Radio is a podcast tackling feminism & pop culture from the folks that ruined your favorite video games! Anita, Ebony, and Caro deliver funny, irreverent, take-no-prisoners opinions on the good, bad, and ugliest media that pop culture has to offer.
Featuring Ebony Aster, Anita Sarkeesian, and Carolyn Petit.
We at MoPOP look forward to GeekGirlCon every year. And this year is no exception. We’ve got our panel guide planned, our cosplay laid out, and MoPOP booth prepared for you to come visit.
When we were asked to write a piece for the GeekGirlCon blog, we got excited! But what to write about? There are countless topics we could have tackled, but when we got down to it, we thought it might be nice to pull back the curtain and introduce you to just a few of the many people who populate the world of MoPOP.
If you see them around the Con (or the museum or Seattle), feel free to say hi.
GeekGirlCon’18 is just over a week away, which means it’s right before Halloween!
Source: Giphy. Description: A dog in a ghost costume holding a glowing jack-o’-lantern on a cord while surrounded by more jack-o’-lanterns.
Scared you’ll have to choose between enjoying the con and getting your ghoul on? Don’t worry, we have plenty of unboolievably fun workshops, games, panels, and more lined up to help you celebrate in style. Plus, get ready to trick-or-treat all con long! Look for “Trick-or-Treat Here” signs scattered throughout the con. Got food sensitivities or allergies? We’ll have teal pumpkins to mark locations with candy alternatives.
Source: Giphy. Description: a corgi barking at and jumping around a small pumpkin.
Dying for a sneak peek of our fangtastically spooky programming? Here are some highlights:
