Lately I’ve been hearing rumblings across the web landscape challenging the term “blerds” and what a real nerd is and (as usual) misogynistic rants against many of my fellow blerdgurls. The sad part is I’m used to hearing the taunts and dismissals from the Morgan’s and Trump’s of the world but most of the vitriol has been coming from my own people. It doesn’t bother me so much what people say about me, but I’m heartbroken when I hear some sisters out there talk about how alone and misunderstood they feel simply because they are intelligent, comic-book reading, live-tweeting, movie-fangurling, history-reading, feminist-leaning black women. Women who happen to understand the correct usage of a demonstrative pronoun in a sentence, but have the ability to code-switch on demand for survival reasons. So I dug up my manifesto which I wrote over a year ago….for you.

The Blerdgurl Manifesto

We can tell the difference between a Vulcan and a Romulan

We know the difference between Batman and Batwing

We think Joss Whedon has the right idea, but Dwayne McDuffie was ahead of his time.

We will lose sleep over the death of our favorite character.

We will compare the movie to the original comic book verse.

Yes, we know what “verse” means.

We like the Captain Marvel with braids.

We think sentient armor is sexy.

So is MENSA.

So is Dr. Manhattan

The Wrath of Khan was a huge deal.

Reaching the Wrath of the Lich King was an insanely huge deal.

There is no such thing as a “Jedi Mind Meld”, or (X Men Origins).

Belle is a joke, Natasha is clearly not, Michonne is not to be f$%^d with, and we all want to be Zoe when we grow up.

The only Sherlock that matters is Cumberbatch’s version.

Canon isn’t just a weapon, it is a code.

C++ makes for excellent code but horrible grades.

TARDIS isn’t just a vehicle, it’s a legitimate interior design choice.

Blerd is a word and a movement.

Global warming is real and so is S.H.I.E.L.D.

We will argue over the following:

Bleach vs. Naruto

10th Doctor vs 11th Doctor

Miles vs. Peter

Kyle vs. John

Cylons vs. Skynet

PCs vs. Macs

Ruby vs. Python

Yes, we’re grownups.

Yes we have degrees, multiple ones in fact.

Yes we have real jobs.

Yes we read comics…and manga…and fanfiction.

Hell, we WRITE fanfiction.

…and if you attempt to judge us based on our bra size,

we.will.taze.you.

So this is an open invitation for all of you girls out there who have ever been called, geek, nerd, derpy, goofy, pimple-face, four-eyes, Snodgrass, Poindexter, Matilda, Myrtle, loser or freak.

You are not alone.

Smart is the new Black.

And if you’ve got a problem with that…

…then we swear by our pretty floral bonnets…we will end you.

(this was originally posted on my tumblr)