I’m really pretty tired of trying to fit somebody else’s labels. I’m tired of putting effort into trying to get other people to bless my fun, my beliefs, and my worldview as “valid”.

Now I must admit, there is plenty of recorded and written evidence out there that proves I’ve pulled this very crap on people myself. I’m guilty. And I apologize. If I’ve done it to you or in reference to something you love – if I’ve shat on your thing merely because it’s not my thing, please forgive me. But I’m still tired of it. I wanna be done with it. I wanna put energy into MAKING, and stop wasting energy on UNMAKING, whether it is my own or someone else’s.

I realize that there is value in cleverly pointing out and calling out that some folks do stuff just to ride a wave so they can make a buck or get some attention. I realize there is crappy art that is done for gain and not for love. I realize there are lots of people who are “just gluing gears onto stuff and calling it Steampunk”, and those things deserve to be called out.

I also realize that labels need to exist.

But geez, can we stop shitting on things with such broad strokes?

Anyway, here’s my Facebook rant. Somewhere in there, it almost feels like a mini-manifesto. Maybe I should nurture it into one, I dunno:

Mick Bradley:

While this vid is well made, hilarious, and admittedly a worthwhile nose-tweak to folks who are just riding a wave of popularity with the use of the word “Steampunk”, I’m really getting tired of self-appointed gatekeepers playing identity politics trying to keep other folks out of their own personal in-crowd. It happens in gaming, podcasting, religion, geek fandom, and just about everything else and i’m tired of it. Fine. Whatevs. I now choose to generally avoid labeling anything I create or write as Steampunk. I will do my art, even when it involves gluing gears onto stuff. I will write my stories, even when they don’t overtly involve a steam engine. I will make and wear my costumes and portray my personas, even if the fictional world they inhabit is not Victorian Britain. And I will enjoy it. And other people will enjoy it and value it and those who don’t, fine. I’m not here to worry about your labels and your gatekeeping. I’m here to be a maker.But still, the vid is really funny.

I’m really pretty tired of trying to fit somebody else’s labels. I’m tired of putting effort into trying to get other people to bless my fun, my beliefs, and my worldview as “valid”.

Now I must admit, there is plenty of recorded and written evidence out there that proves I’ve pulled this very crap on people myself. I’m guilty. And I apologize. If I’ve done it to you or in reference to something you love – if I’ve shat on your thing merely because it’s not my thing, please forgive me. But I’m still tired of it. I wanna be done with it. I wanna put energy into MAKING, and stop wasting energy on UNMAKING, whether it is my own or someone else’s.

I realize that there is value in cleverly pointing out and calling out that some folks do stuff just to ride a wave so they can make a buck or get some attention. I realize there is crappy art that is done for gain and not for love. I realize there are lots of people who are “just gluing gears onto stuff and calling it Steampunk”, and those things deserve to be called out.

I also realize that labels need to exist.

But geez, can we stop shitting on things with such broad strokes?

Anyway, here’s my Facebook rant. Somewhere in there, it almost feels like a mini-manifesto. Maybe I should nurture it into one, I dunno:

Mick Bradley:

While this vid is well made, hilarious, and admittedly a worthwhile nose-tweak to folks who are just riding a wave of popularity with the use of the word “Steampunk”, I’m really getting tired of self-appointed gatekeepers playing identity politics trying to keep other folks out of their own personal in-crowd. It happens in gaming, podcasting, religion, geek fandom, and just about everything else and i’m tired of it. Fine. Whatevs. I now choose to generally avoid labeling anything I create or write as Steampunk. I will do my art, even when it involves gluing gears onto stuff. I will write my stories, even when they don’t overtly involve a steam engine. I will make and wear my costumes and portray my personas, even if the fictional world they inhabit is not Victorian Britain. And I will enjoy it. And other people will enjoy it and value it and those who don’t, fine. I’m not here to worry about your labels and your gatekeeping. I’m here to be a maker.But still, the vid is really funny.

Just Glue Some Gears On It (And Call It Steampunk)

www.youtube.com

I’m about 18 seconds in, talking to Mo Rocca about my corset. I got married in that corset and I’ve gotten a lot of use out of the whole outfit since. Mo Rocca called me over by calling me “that hoochie girl” but my back was turned and I didn’t know anyone was talking to me until I got a tap on the shoulder. I just don’t think of myself as a hoochie girl. As you can see from how I stand in the video, I generally think of myself as more of a Wonder Woman type. We also chatted about what steampunk is, but I think my answer was too…wordy. I was like “Steampunk is the intersection of a literary genre and a fashion movement. Starting in the BLAH BLAH BLAH I’VE ATTENDED A LOT OF PANELS ABOUT THIS.” Anyway, I was terrified this was going to come out and I was going to look like an idiot. When it didn’t come out for months, I was relieved, thinking that maybe it had been ditched. But actually, this isn’t so bad!  I just look like a VERY pale person with a sweet corset, which is totally accurate. Also, I didn’t recognize Mo Rocca AT ALL. I just kept thinking…who is this nerd? He looks really familiar. Have we met at Balticon? Is he a podcaster? How do I know this guy?