Geek Herring

For years, being plus size and nerdy has been linked to being unpopular and super uncool. Not anymore, friends! We are joined by the Plus Size Nerd herself, the wonderful Nancy Basile, to talk about reclaiming these words and honouring her nerdity.Nancy started Plus Size Nerd to help other women get ideas for great-looking nerd clothes that make them feel good about themselves. She also wanted to create a community where women could come together and feel like they fit in. (Which can be hard when you’re plus size and a nerd.)On this episode of Geek Herring, we get down with our geeky selves and dive into what it's like being a plus size nerd.From being unable to find the perfect nerd clothes in plus sizes to the body positivity at any size community, this episode is an awesome one we think you'll enjoy!Some of Nancy's favourite Instagram accounts to follow are: Jameela Jamil Kristen Bell I Weigh Bleed Geeks Bellesa *Find Plus Size Nerd Online! *Find Plus Size Nerd on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Voted number 48 in a list of video game's hottest female characters, Princess Peach definitely evokes a LOT of feelings. Some good, some negative, and all definitely valid. We talk about what we actually think about Mario's leading lady and uncover the sordid truth of her identity.Did you know that Forbes lists Princess Peach in the top 10 richest video game characters with a fortune worth over $1 billion? That's a lot of money! But how does someone who gets kidnapped on average once a week maintain that fortune?And surely, with Peach making yet another list of video games most influential politicians, being away from the job so often HAS to have a detrimental effect on the Mushroom Kingdom.Presenting our last piece of evidence, Wikipedia states that Princess Peach not only has a public relationship with Mario, she's also friendly with Luigi. And Bowser Jr claims that she's actually his mother.We're onto you, Peach.Follow our investigation as we uncover the truth about Princess Peach. She's not a damsel in di

Geek Girl in the News looks at the awesome or not so awesome news that will make you go either: "YAY" or "OMG I can't believe that." The latest and greatest geek girl news from May 2020 is not happening this month. Instead, we're taking a minute to be silent and promote some amazing geeky podcasts hosted by black creators.Go check out SuperTangent Podcast by our friend Justin Williams.Definitely pop over to The Radical Geeks co-hosted by amazing The Blerd Gurl who is an incredible and uplifting voice

You've heard us fangirl about the website and what it stands for. Now, we're absolutely freaking JAZZED to welcome Virginia Mendez, co-founder of The Feminist Shop, onto Geek Herring to talk all things feminism and being a professional feminist!Believe it or not, Virginia hasn't always identified as a feminist. Shocking, we know! But after a stimulating discussion with her father-in-law, believe it or not, who told her that all her ideals were that of a feminist, Virginia started to take the movement seriously.And devote her life to raising feminist kids in an equal household, writing feminist childrens books, and starting her own hub for all things feminism.Honestly, Virginia lives and breaths equality and we couldn't be happier to have this conversation with her!We talked about modern feminism, how the next generation of feminists are going to make incredible waves, what role gender plays in the movement, what it's like nning your own feminist business with your husband, and so, so, SO much more!This episod

Whew. This week on Geek Girl Reviews, we checked out Hannah Gadsby's stand-up comedy Nanette on Netflix. Whaaaat an INCREDIBLE and freaking powerful stand-up. It's an emotional rollercoaster and honestly, towards the end the tears of laughter definitely turned to tears of compassion.It feels wrong to call this a stand-up comedy.. because, okay, it starts out being pretty funny, but by the end of these 69 minutes, no one was laughing. Hannah gets deep and bares her soul and trauma and true experiences.And it's heartbreaking. It's beautiful. It's a plea for us all to be better fucking human beings.Hannah Gadsby is a stand-up comedian from Tasmania who rose to fame seemingly overnight when Nanette released on Netflix. But in reality, Hannah's been hard at work on the comedy scene for over a decade, playing to sold out shows across the globe. Outside the laughs about gender, sexuality, being a lesbian, the patriarchy, and misogyny, Hannah hits on some real serious issues. Homophobia, abuse, violence, shame, despa

In this episode of Geek Herring & Chill, Monika and Amanda are getting all down with their vulnerable selves using a card game one of Amanda's clients gifted her! This is the first episode recorded LIVE on TWITCH! And it's DEEEEEP, friends.Let's play a game!Ask Deep Questions is a card game that consists of 48 thoughtful questions that go below the surface to create meaningful connections with ANYONE.Honestly, this was the most fun we've had recording together in a long time! Not that we don't enjoy the topics we normally talk about, but getting to ask each other these deep AF questions and learn more about each other was super interesting.We had a LOT of laughs, some himming and humming (LOOKING AT YOU, AMANDA!), and a few moments getting totes emosh, all while sharing our answers LIVE with our Twitch audience!So if you want to know our answers to some of these questions: How do you fix a broken heart? What is something you're struggling with in your relationships? What do you value most in friendship? W

Art is totally subjective, but we're sure you agree - when there's a diverse range of bodies depicted in illustration, it's better for everyone! Creating and sharing body positive and diverse art is what our guest, Siti, does and we have to say... it's amazing.Siti is a Dutch illustrator who creates wonderful and diverse art that represents a wide variety of body shapes, races, and ages and it gives us all the good feels.We talk about why representation in art and illustration is so important, not just for the creator, but for everyone who sees that art. By normalising different bodies, we're celebrating everyone and recognising that differences exist... and that being different is a-okay.Honestly, we love that art is getting more diverse. As a society, we've definitely normalised a certain type of body and race. But that time has well and truly passed and we're welcoming a shift in perspective. The rise of the body positivity community is honestly THE BEST. Siti's art is basically an extension of this moveme

Geek Girl in the News looks at the awesome or not so awesome news that will make you go either: "YAY" or "OMG I can't believe that." The latest and greatest geek girl news from April 2020 covers the latest film release to get delayed, Ezra Miller literally choking out a fan, our newest celeb to stan, Olivia Munn, Land O' Lakes changing their problematic logo (yay!), beloved author Jacqueline Wilson coming out, Cyberpunk 2077 is the game we love to love for yet ANOTHER reason, and, of course, it wouldn't be a Geek Girl in the News without some adorable Animal Crossing news.As sad as it is, Sony have released some expected news that Spider-Man is going to be delayed. We mean, it makes SENSE, because filming schedules are all up the left, eh!? So this is not completely unexpected news and honestly we're waiting to hear what else is getting that push back.And as if we needed another reason not to go see the next Fantastic Beasts, video footage has been released (and since release taken away) of Ezra Miller chokin

If you're living, breathing, and dreaming all things Animal Crossing - you are NOT alone. We're all in this together. Playing with breakfast, sneaking in some island clean-up at lunchtime, and, obviously, crossing our fingers for tarantula island before bed. We've brought our resident Animal Crossing expert, Birte Kahrs, on to give us the low-down on how this game works and why we're all addicted to it.Don't know Birte? You should! She's a branding expert and graphic designer by day, newly unleashed video game geek by night. We've known Birte for 3 years and think she's the bees knees. Oh - and during our Rapid Fire Round... she told us that we changed her life. So... NBD, right!? (Excuse us while we go sob in the corner.)Birte shares with us what we need to know about how to build your dream island paradise. She directs us to Austin John Plays' YouTube channel, too, because it's full of all the information you would ever need to know about Animal Crossing. There is legit so much to this game, it's kind of ov

Sex Education is the best show on Netflix right now. It has everything: sex, education, all the laughs, and talking about so many important issues that face our society. From bullying to fetish to coming out and MORE. So let's get sexy with Sex Education!Honestly, if you haven't seen Sex Education yet, you really need to cancel all your other plans and just binge the heck out of it. It's the best show we've watched lately!Not only did we learn a lot about sex (and coming from us, that's saying something! Hello the Sunday Night Sex Show (and find The Best of Talk Sex with Sue Johanson) and Bravo! We had some education growing up!) So if we're learning a lot of this sex stuff as thirty-something adults with a fair amount of knowledge, imagine how this show is impacting Generation Z? Especially with how the education system is demonising sex education and promoting abstinence-only sex (like hi, when does that EVER work!?). Sex Education is doing what society and so many parents aren't: Answering all those sex qu

What do you get when you take the essence of pure positivity and combine it with wit, realness, and talent? You get the awesome being that is Ziggy! Ziggy is the co-co-co-host of 1600 Dust, a Hearthstone podcast, who brings us a totally unique viewpoint as a girl gamer literally surrounded by dudes.After first regaling us with the best story that starts with Ziggy's life goal of wanting nothing more, and nothing less, than becoming Mickey Mouse, you can already sense the positivity that exudes out of this woman.Hosting a successful podcast with three guys has been one of the best things to happen to Ziggy. She gives us all the deets about how she started streaming Hearthstone on Twitch, got invited on 1600 Dust, started her Twitter account, and met the love of her life, Spyvey from 1600 Dust, kinda all at once.The internet, and Twitter in particular, has brougt so much joy and positivity to Ziggy and YES that's EXACTLY what she wants to give back. If you've ever been on her Twitter feed, you know it's all abo

Geek Girl in the News looks at the awesome or not so awesome news that will make you go either: "YAY" or "OMG I can't believe that." The latest and greatest geek girl news from March 2020 covers the world's obsession with Animal Crossing, films getting their released dates pushed back, Brie Larson being a true gem, Thor: Love and Thunder's new villain (you might be surprised!), and all these famous people being pretty awesome during this pandemic, especially Elton John and John Krasinski!Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you know that Nintendo released the latest Animal Crossing for the Switch. Are you O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D!? Because we are. Yes - WE - Amanda predicted she'd have Animal Crossing by the time this episode releases, and what do you know - she does! This is the perfect CUTE game to obsess over with your friends. So good for all this social distancing we need to do right now, right!?Some pop culture news that's a bit of a bummer, but so many movie release dates are getting pushed back. Like Wonder

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year (hey, no judgement - the world's a hard place right now!), you've definitely witnessed J.K. Rowling tumble from her throne. We're pretty sure she's living in a place of hatred and judgement right now. We're joined by Lark and Jessie from The Gayly Prophet to talk about The Hogwarts Problem and how we can still appreciate our magical home without giving its creator another penny of our hard-earned money.As the hosts of the queer and intersectional Harry Potter podcast you've always wanted - trust us, you've always wanted this, it's badass - Lark and Jessie set the record straight on what it means to be queer and trans and still in love with Harry Potter.Because when its creator comes out with Tweets that make you and your peers feel unwelcome at Hogwarts, you have a few choices: Ignore it. She's JK Fucking Rowling and can do whatever she wants. She is your queen. Sulk because you've been kicked out of your fancy magic school. Or, and our personal fave:Re

COVID-19. It's what's on everyone's minds right now. Because this pandemic that's sweeping the world is impacting everyone. Whether you're staying indoors, business as usual, freaking out, or that asshole who thinks none of these regulations applies to them - you're bound to be experiencing some kind of change.On this episode of Geek Herring, we're talking about the current (as of Monday March 16th, 2020) government response to Coronavirus is and how it's impacting lives around the world.While there's some people out there who are not taking it seriously, there's a bigger majority of people who are. We like to call them the saviours of the planet and her people! Just decided that right now.How are you helping or stepping up in this time of crisis? Or maybe you're taking a step back because it all feels overwhelming and too much? That's okay, too! Honestly, however you're handling quarantine of whatever kind you're in is the right way for you to handle it.One thing we're doing is playing more games with the Dr

Being a woman in podcasting can feel like a really isolating experience sometimes. But being part of the minority in a super open and welcoming community makes it so much easier. Ali from Dungeon Fables joins us to talk about being a woman in Warcraft, her time podcasting, being an awesome part of the Warcraft community!Ali shares why she first started podcasting about Warcraft and what led her to take a very lore focussed approach. Dungeon Fables is a completely unique show because Ali looks at one dungeon per show, does days of research, and talks about the lore and background about it. In fact, Ali says that between Dungeon Fables and the other two shows she co-hosts, All Things Azeroth and BlizzMates, she is working on Warcraft podcasting every single day. WHEW!Ali's podcast may be relatively new to the scene, but she's been welcomed to the Warcraft community with open arms. Because if there's one thing that community does, it's be a friendly, happy, and open to new people bunch. FOR THE MOST PART.Ali sha

Geek Girl in the News looks at the awesome or not so awesome news that will make you go either: "YAY" or "OMG I can't believe that." The latest and greatest geek girl news from February 2020 covers the incredible new Twitter extension that blocks dick pics

VULNERABLE EPISODE ALERT, PEOPLE!This week, we're talking about our personal mental health journeys and how video games have helped us.From using them as a very welcome distraction in our lives to actually processing our thoughts and problems while playing, video games are so much more than colourful videos.We also go WAY off topic and talk about internal monologues and those weird people (cough*AMANDA*cough) who don't really have them!? So what does she have? SONGS. Songs in her head all. the. time. And the only way she can actually process her thoughts is by writing/journalling about them, distracting her brain with something else, or talking about them out loud. COOL? WEIRD? Monika also shares some of the tips and help her therapist has given her for coping and taking care of her mental health. We think video games get a lot of shit for being addictive and harmful - and while we're not denying that that CAN happen, it's the minority. The benefits of playing far outweigh any harm: community and friendship,

Binging The Witcher is some of the best TV watching we got done over our Christmas break. The Witcher is a Netflix series starring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, and Freya Allan, adapted by Lauren Schmitt from books written in the 1990s by Polish author Andrez Spakowski. Aside from the super confusing timeline jumping (Monika 100% had the advantage over Amanda as she knew about this beforehand!) this series is addictive, attractive, and fierce as fuck. If you haven't seen The Witcher yet, here is your VERY FAIR AND VALID WARNING that the timeline jumping is mega confusing. Once you get it, everything will make so much more sense.In this episode of Geek Herring, we're geeking out HARD about our love of this pseudo medieval portrayal of monster hunters, witches, the duality of humankind, and all sorts of moral lessons you wouldn't normally see on the surface of The Witcher.About halfway through this episode we give a short spoiler warning before heading into some of the more specific scenes from the series. We ta

If you've ever felt like the odd one out, seen mathematical sequences that help you understand life, know you're destined for more, or are ready, or already, to embrace your absolute nerdy self - this episode is for YOU. Kate Wiswell, author of Full Frontal Nerdity, joins us to talk about embracing your inner nerd, letting your smart girl out to play, and being unapologetically yourself!Kate is a mathematician and logician turned comedy writer living in LA who has figured out that you don't have to hide any part of yourself in order to be happy and successful. In fact, for Kate, it was only once she embraced and loved both sides of herself, as an analytical nerd and comedic writing genius.Kate's recent memoir, Full Frontal Nerdity, is a collection of essays she's written over the years. From using math formulas to help figure out who your soul mate is to sharing her absolute LOVE of gingers (we TOTALLY get it) to the rampant misogyny present in Hollywood and more, we guarantee you'll laugh, you'll cry, and yo

Geek Girl in the News looks at the awesome or not so awesome news that will make you go either: "YAY" or "OMG I can't believe that." The latest and greatest geek girl news from January 2020 covers Australia's eSports dominance, why James Bond won't EVER be a woman, Professor Umbridge's new role, the media's racist hot takes, Batwoman's renewal, and the first look at what Disney+'s Marvel shows!We are SO GLAD to be back and bringing the latest and greatest geek girl news to your ears. Did ya miss us!? Because we missed you! Both of us are excited for 2020 and have some pretty incredible interviews already lined up we know you're going to love!Today's episode is all about these awesome news stories.First up - we're totally jealous of Australia's stance on eSports. They're 100% paving the way for the rest of the world to drool over. I mean, starting competitive eSports at a middle grade level!? YES PLEASE!And sadly, despite some leaked images and pretty big rumours, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli says it's