Nothing to Prove - Geek Girls & The Doubleclicks

This song can be downloaded on iTunes & Bandcamp:

(Note: Laser is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. This video was filmed before they came out.)

We took submissions for this project on our last nationwide tour & online. We received somewhere between 150-250 geek girl videos, as well as some from some awesome prominent geeks: Kelly Sue Deconnick, Amy Berg, John Scalzi, Josh A. Cagan, Adam Savage, Paul & Storm, Wil Wheaton, Marian Call & more. Thank you to EVERYONE who made this possible!

The video was directed and edited by Angela Webber (of the Doubleclicks.) The video concept is by Josh A. Cagan and the Doubleclicks, and was inspired by the book trailer for "Dear Teen Me."

Lyrics:
I entered this scene through rejection and honesty
Nerds weren't mean, they were weird and that worked for me
After 10 years of teasing when social skills failed me
Dungeons & Dragons cured all that ailed me

We read books, we played games, we made art, we watched Lost
We said things like "D20", "shipping" and "Mana cost"
It felt good to be myself, not being mocked
Still self-conscious, though, we whispered things about jocks

But one day, you grow up, come into your own
Now geek's not rejection - it's a label I own
Then ignorant haters come to prove me wrong
Tell me I'm not nerdy enough to belong

I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove

Fake Geek Girl test - that's a funny one, go ahead
How many comic books are there I haven't read?
I know it feels good to have a contest you win
It would feel even better if I wanted in

So women aren't geeks, so is that your conclusion?
That this is some secret club based on exclusion?
12-year-old dorks would say you're being selfish
And then they'd go write in their journals in Elvish

I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove

I've got cred but honestly, I shouldn't need it
This world needs all kinds of folks to complete it
You've got gamers, and artists and comic subscribers
Cosplayers, crafters and fan-fiction writers

You can stop - never say "fake geek" again
Our club needs no bouncers - all who want in get in
But go ahead, if you want, to own that role fully
I ain't got nothing to prove to a bully!

I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove
I've got nothing to prove

Haters are gonna hate

[AliGrotkowski]

Watching this video over again, it just makes me smile that there are people out there that support me and my interests and my desire to continue to be a geek. I love this song!

[igormendonca]

I need to watch this once a week. I have two kids, a 5 year old girl and a 1 year old boy.

My little Alice is loved by basically everyone, because how she plays anything, from dressing like princesses to wearing super capes, from Lego to serving dinners.

But, each day, she gets older, and the plays gets more and more exclusive. Now girls play one thing and boys play another. It looks like she will have to choose one and let the other more and more.

Being her father, I love to share with her my geek stuff. I show her my books, my games, my heroes, my music, etc, etc. The problem is, as she is getting older, and I see this.... divergence... I start to become worried: what if I start pushing her to do something she does not want to anymore?

I DON'T want to tell her what to do. But I also DON'T want my ignorant conservative neighborhood to do that as well.

[PhoenixRising]

Something I don't really get about the whole "fake geek girl" thing is that I hear and see guys in the geek community frequently complain about the lack of girls and women interested in geeky stuff, and yet....this meme actually exists. You guys can't really have it both ways; if you want more women interested in the geek community, don't act like territorial dicks.

[ishingo]

I work at Target and am often in the toy department, and I can't tell you how many times I've heard moms tell their daughters "No, you can't get that. That's a boy's toy." I just know I'm gonna get in trouble one day for turning and saying "Don't teach her that. Let her be who she wants to be."

[Saphris]

"I'm a Geek"
"I'm a Geek"
"I'm a Nerd"
"I'm a Geek"
"I will do anything for $5"
Wait what lol XD

[OctoberGeek]

Great message. It boggles my mind that it needs to be said.

[divasudirman]

Once, me and my boyfriend went to a local game shop to fix my broken 3ds. The mechanics ignore me and start to explain the problems to my boyfriend instead. Little that he knows, that console is mine and my boyfriend don't play video games!

[Sanguinis]

Thank you Wil Wheaton for yet again introducing me to amazing YouTubers via TableTop. Now excuse me while I go watch their entire channel.

[jasonward]

My seven-year old daughter can tell you the name of most Marvel and DC characters. Her favorite show right now is Justice League. She loves playing Minecraft and Skylander. She is also both smart and very pretty. Someday, all of that is going to threaten guys who have no hope of dating her because she is out of their league. 

[Devotchka]

"If someone has to pass a test to hang out with you, YOU'RE the problem"
best one!

[jqxok]

I can tell you one thing that is pretty obvious: Male condescending behavior towards girl gamers is rooted in insecurity.

[Seskaplays]

Never forget that the entirety of science fiction was founded on a book (Frankenstein) written by a teenage girl (Mary Shelley) 

[MarylandBear]

I've got a niece who's eleven years old, and I'm convinced she's gonna be a big ol' geek, just like her uncle. If I'm wrong, I'll love her just as much. But if I'm right, I'll love her, and show her this video!

[guillermoroa]

Is it ok if I felt like hugging most of the people that appeared in this video?

[Zumbs]

I can't decide which is best: The video or the song? Or both? Thank you so much to the doubleclicks and friends for putting this together! Haters can hate all they want, we don't panic :-)

[zombieprincess]

Your video always makes me cry (in a good way). Because I can relate. I have been ignored by people (mostly guys) when I start talking about geeky or nerdy things (especially Star Wars) or they tell me I don't know anything about gaming or DND because I'm a girl. I have also been bullied for being a geek or told that the things that I like won't get me anywhere in life or that it is a waste of time. Thank you so much for making this video. It speaks the truth. :]

[---utfk]

"who died and made you batman?" great video!

[travlaney]

This video is the geek hug that I needed.

[trevork]

Does anyone else find it sickly ironic that there is such a thing as geek snobs?  We WERE the weird kids excluded from most things, now there are geeks who want to exclude people?  WHAT. THE. HELL!?  We are not "punks", we are not "goths" the word "poser" need not apply.

P.S.  "Who died and made you batman?"  Bloody brilliant!  

[MissPoplarLeaf]

"Who died and made you Batman? Was it your parents?" haha oh god this video is beautiful