21st Century Empowered Nerds Part Three: 21st Century Empowered Nerd Girls, your time has come

 21st Century Empowered Nerds Part Three: Empowered Nerd Girls of Today, your time has come

Where does the road begin for the 21st Century Empowered Nerd Girl?

Wonder Woman 1945

For the 21st Century Empowered Nerd Girl, we really don't have to look much further than one of the most universally accepted. Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (December 1941). Except for a brief hiatus in 1986, the Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously since it's inception. Due to her depiction as a heroine fighting for justice and to reduce male domination over the world, Wonder Woman is widely considered a feminist icon. Wonder Woman is a warrior princess of the Amazons (based on the Greek Mythology) and is known in her homeland as Diana of Themyscira.

She is gifted with a wide range of superhuman powers and superior combat and battle skills and is also well-known is her arsenal of weapons, such as the Lasso of Truth, indestructible bracelets, a tiara which serves as a projectile, and, in some stories, an invisible jet.

Created during World War II, the character was initially depicted fighting the Axis Military Forces, as well as an assortment of super villains. Creator Marston's experience with polygraphs convinced him that women were more honest and reliable than men and could work more efficiently. He was quoted as saying "Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world," writing in an earlier time, 

he designed Wonder Woman to represent a particular form of female empowerment. And empower women it did.

21st Century Inspirations for the 21st Century Nerd Girl

Unlike the previous years (decades, centuries) there are many examples of the 21st Century female action heroine, with most cropping up in the last 20 years due to broadening female interest in all things nerdy (Sci Fi movies, comic books, video games) Today, the 21st Century Empowered Nerd Girl has a lot more examples of how a strong female character can make a good story great, and a great story better. In the 21st century, women are as much the heroes as their male counter parts, which is a stark change from the previous years.

All you have to do is watch and listen for the female characters primary part in the majority of stories prior to the end of the 20th century as the always screaming, scared stiff, damsel in distress (Mary-Jane in all three Spider man films) who's presence seems only to serve as a catalyst to spurn the male hero into action (or to further complicate the situation) But today, it's the 21st Century Empowered woman that's often saving the day.

If we were to recount where it all truly began (with true life heroines) we'd have to go back a few thousand years, but as we're talking about the 21st century we'll stick to contemporary inspiration with contemporary media... starting with Sigourney Weaver's character Ripley standing alone against the Alien in Alien.

Ellen Ripley was a warrant officer aboard the spaceship Nostromo,  from planet returning to Earth from Thedus. After receiving a transmission of unknown origin from a nearby planetoid. Following their landing and investigation of the signal's source, an unknown alien creature latched on to a crew member, the embryo bursts out of the crew members stomach then escapes before the stunned crew members could react.

Within hours the alien is fully grown and killing members of the crew.

 Ripley, the only member to escape from the Nostromo prior to it's self destruction, the end scene is in my opinion the catalyst for the 21st century heroine's sex appeal, while preparing for hibernation sleep, Ripley is literally caught with her pants down (actually... pants off) when she discovers that the Alien is also aboard the ship's shuttle.

She struggles to maintain her composure (no doubt the heavy panting and inaudible self assuring whispers did much to not only heighten the tension but win the hearts of the pre-21st Century Nerd) as she slips into a space suit and straps herself in before expelling the Alien into space.

Her 1986 academy award nomination for Aliens is considered a landmark in the recognition of science fiction, action and horror genres, as well as a major step in the challenge of gender role in cinema. Weaver progressively received fame for her numerous contributions to the science fiction film history and gained the nickname of "The Sci-Fi Queen", after reprising her role and facing an even deadlier threat against the Alien Queen in the sequel Aliens, this time using a mobile cargo loader (modern technology) to even the odds.

Ripley vs the Queen

What made her character such an icon was the fact she went alone into the alien nest in an effort to save a little girl she had just met (after the male heroes were either maimed or just killed off) with little more than a triple action rifle and her maternal instincts.

Maternal Ripley - Aliens

Journey of the 21st century Empowered Nerd Girl

The  21st century women the world over are not only embracing a power which had been caged for so long (a few thousand years) women are finally being the one's to exploit and reap it's benefits. Having access to movies like Sucker Punch and Sin City, celebrating feminine power while touching on social issues of the day (incest, unbalanced justice system, mental health and arcane treatments) although the bulk of the fantasy action occurred in their imagination, the film does indeed provide what the 21st century Empowered Nerd Girl likes... women that are smart, capable, sexy, tough and unrelenting in the pursuit of the main goal (saving lives, saving the world ect.)

In Sin City the Oldtown girls were a group of prostitutes in charge of their own little corner of the city, they were so fierce even the police dared not venture into their territory uninvited (and we saw just how bad ass they were by the end of their chapter)

Perhaps decades of watching gory horror films, more detailed violence in film, television and video games has desensitized the 21st Century woman to live action violence. Women are enjoying violent action every bit as much as guys are today. The female action hero has definitely changed for the 21st Century woman, perhaps the best example is in Uma Thurman's retributive character killing her way through Kill Bill volumes one & two, fighting it out with Daryl Hanna (remember splash?)

21st Century Female Super Heroes

Storm for the 21st Century Nerd Girl

Although girls/women complain the model of the super heroine hasn't changed much in comics (characters being drawn with above average measurements beyond what's possible for a real woman to look like)

but to be honest, until recent years the demographic of the general comic book market was fairly one sided, hot super women were being drawn for a specific audience (the teen boys/men with raging hormones) I would like to point out that the door in this regard swings both ways...  if super hero men were drawn more closely to reality... 

"Why can't they have a normal man like me on a box?"

instead of the above normal (let's be real, the only way we would see every muscle through the costume like this is if it were painted on) And that's the point I once tried to explain to my grade 10 art history teacher, comic book super heroes are fictional characters. Fantasies of both the artist and reader. Nuff said.

If comic book characters weren't drawn this way comic book sales would plummet. The comic book superhero's build today is actually appealing to more than the average guy. I am of the opinion it's less the build/measurement and more the ridiculously over sexualized action poses that ticks women readers off.

with more honesty, as a young man, I didn't take into consideration how silly those poses actually are. It wasn't until I found images "pinned" by female comic book fans that it came into perspective, with examples of just how ridiculous the poses looked when the super heroine was replaced with a male super hero.

 

if the above doesn't put it into perspective... here are a few more examples for ya... 

that does it for me lol. But where the average male reader would say it doesn't matter if our superhero's muscles weren't busting out of their costumes, men haven't had the ideal masculine form forced on them at every turn the way women have their entire lives.

With 21st century women embracing the power of their sexuality, they are finding a return to the previous (and more natural) model of what an attractive woman looks like...

1950's Betty

lead by the top female celebrities, today's woman is finally turning away from the unrealistic and very much unattainable "waif " look established in the 70's (and with it, 40 years of negative impact on the psyche)

For decades the waif form has graced the pages of most (all) fashion magazines impressing images of what beauty is supposed to look like on the psyche of women and men from the earliest age. But with today's empowered women being more conscious of their power as informed consumers, more educated about diet and exercise

the 21st Century Woman is more aware of the freedom to simply be comfortable with not having to fit into the box. A message that clearly resonated with girls and young women of the 90's bringing world wide success to empowering "girl" groups like the Spice Girls,

Spice Girls Empowering the 21st Century Nerd Girl

appealing to the 20th Century Nerd as well as millions of girls and young women, adding to the factors Empowering the 21st Century (Nerd) Girl.

Not having to fit a certain perception includes being a nerd. But today's nerd is different. Today's nerd lives in the age of information. With anything one could ever want to know on the Internet, which combined with the PC is already the most influential media since the printing press and more impressionable than the television, and with it comes a world information at one's fingertips. Unlike 20th Century women, the 21st Century Nerd Girl of today is more free to explore things which were at one time off limits. Out of bounds. Improper for a decent young woman. And that sexual freedom has empowered her as never before.

PC, Internet and the 2st Century Nerd Girl

When it comes to sexuality, women are coy about their secret fantasies, using the internet and PC, fantasies can be  experienced vicariously...

in whatever form it may take.

Today, the light that only seemed to shine on the female body in every possible forum

shines on men as well

After centuries of dogmatic social limitations, the 21st Century Nerd Girl is curious about that which is most sacred. Unlike most men, the products of the sexual images industry are often found to be more entertaining (humorous) than titillating when posed in the same   fashion,

not taking what they see too seriously, seeing it as silly fun to be had at one's leisure.

The 21st Century Nerd and Nerd Girl and Cosplay

Cosplay is another way the 21st Century Empowered Nerd and Empowered Nerd Girl gets to live out their fantasies in an environment where dressing up as your favorite comic book, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Anime,

or Action hero or video game character is not only welcome, it's celebrated. While the 21st Century Nerd puts time and effort into making a cool or funny costume, the 21st Century Nerd Girl puts time and effort into making a costume that is both cool, fun and sexy. Feeling comfortable showing a little skin...

or a lot.

They come dressed to impress and have no qualms about bringing out the big guns.

What kind of man is the 21st Century Nerd girl on the hunt for?

Political Nerds

Someone they have something in common with (Sci Fi, gaming, comic books) and thinks more closely like. Although the percentage of women interested in sports has grown, there is still a divide for women who don't share their significant other's passion for the game

(less so for the 21st Century couple that can sit and watch a Sci Fi/fantasy/Comic Book movie or TV marathon or spend hours playing video games together)

and as such, many women/girls have been said to describe the 21st Century Nerd as their ideal man.

Today he is also inspired by the comic book hero model, helping to redefine the idea of 21st Century Nerd (granted, these days there's no way to tell if all the pretty people are actual nerds but it does speak to the idea of nerd culture being more popular)

The 21st Century Nerd is confident as well as smart, learn-ed, technically savvy, appreciative of the opposite sex, and adventurous (you'd have to be an adventurer to walk around in a super hero/villain costume regardless of how accepted it is (at an event) The 21st Century Nerd Girls wants a guy who's not afraid to look uncool to the outside world to experience a few hours hours of being cool in the world inside... to exchange compliments and awe with fellow Cosplayers.

Regardless of the model of the super heroine, the 21st Century Empowered Nerd Girl can create anything from the simplest outfit  

to the most complex and detailed costume, 

be advised men of the 21st Century, the 21st Century Nerd Girl is a predator (a fun one)

Sex appeal of the 21st Century Nerd Girl

Imitating their favorite powerful and sexy characters or creating their own, whether it's admitted or not, the 21st Century Nerd Girl knows how to use her sexuality to garner attention. To attract admiration. And despite the few unwanted overtures and few unfortunate incidents, the attention (when genuine interest the costume is the focus) is appreciated and reciprocated.  Advice to the 21st Century Empowered Nerds, be sure to see the Nerd Girls of Today as the Empowered Women they truly are... they know what they like and don't like. They like looking at the hunky, muscle bound jock type, but fall for the quirky 21st Century nerd (or Nerd girl)

that's right, having been the outcast through most of the 20th Century, the 21st Century Nerd cares less about sexual orientation and more about being accepting. So be yourself, and most importantly... have fun with being a Nerd.

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