Why Authentic Representation Matters: Black Women in Science Fiction

One of the most common criticisms we at Lady Geek Girl and Friends have of geeky media concerns a lack of representation in our books, films, and TV shows. So why, exactly, is it so important to have diversity in our geek media? Why does authentic representation matter so much? Is it enough to simply have diverse characters on our screens, or is there something more? In order to dive into these questions a little more deeply, let’s take a look at how one group, Black women, are represented in geek media.

Top 20 Romantic Couples in Geekdom (10 Canon/10 Fanon): 2014 Edition

This Valentine’s Day, as all Valentine’s Days, will not succeed in bringing our city down. This Valentine’s Day, as all Valentine’s Days, will soon recede into painful memory, fading with time, until another foul Valentine’s Day is upon us again.

—Welcome to Night Vale, “Valentine”

It’s that time of year again, nerd friends. That awful time of year known as Valentine’s Day. Once a year, before Valentine’s Day, our authors nominate and then vote on ships for our Top 20 Romantic Couples in Geekdom (10 Canon/10 Fanon) list. It is during this time that the LGG&F writers go from peaceful coexistence straight into full-blown anarchy as each writer battles for their favorite ships to make the list.

So now, blood-stained and bruised, it is my job as Supreme Overlord of LGG&F to bring you this year’s Top 20 Romantic Couples in Geekdom.

Oh, My Pop Culture Jesus: Religion in Battlestar Galactica

At the beginning of December, I discussed my problems with religion in Star Trek. I said that Gene Roddenberry’s view that religion would be unimportant in the 24th century was a tad near-sighted on his part.

Star Trek alumni and creator of Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D. Moore, took his reimagining of Battlestar Galactica in a completely different way. Instead of having religion deemed unimportant, he made religion a key point of the series, adding an additional element to an already-complex story.

Theatre Thursdays: I Have Heard the People Sing

And, you guys, it was beautiful.

I’m really not sure what to say in this review, because I am so full of joy at this movie that I am not really sure I can put it into words.

Oh, My Pop Culture Jesus: Religion in Star Trek

My major beef with Gene Roddenberry’s vision of Star Trek is the lack of religion in the 24th Century. The complete collapse of religious undertones in the franchise drives some of the stranger uses of science and stories.

Originally, The Original Series recognized monotheistic religions as the choice of humanity. In “Who Mourns for Adonais,” Kirk says that “mankind has no need for Gods. We find the one quite adequate.”

Mondays suck. Have a fun fanvid.

I’ve had an atrocious Monday and I’m going to be a pessimist and assume you all did too.  Here’s an awesome video that is both a mashup of pop songs and a mashup of sci-fi awesome things. Hope it makes your day a little bit better (as it did mine).

(Via FandomBase)