LLLLAAAAAADDDDDIIIIIEEEESSSSS NIIIIIIIGHT

collababortion:

Had a good discussion last night with Secret Headquarters: Comics and Games for Everyone about organizing a bimonthly(ish) Ladies' Night.

I AM SO EXCITED I WANT TO THROW A BEAR

Some of you may remember our Unicorn Party we held a few months back.  It ruled.  Ladies' Night will be different, but it will also rule.

The Unicorn Party was an effort to demonstrate that women really DO love comics, we make comics, we read them, all that good stuff.  And the Party was super successful (thanks to all who came!)!  We intend to have one every year, and to grow it into a major event, with guests, workshops, and gaming.  We want to keep it open to everyone, and make sure it's a positive statement proving that women and comics do mix.

Ladies' Night is intended to provide a safe and comfortable experience for ladies (of every kind) who want to shop for comics and games.  Many women, myself among them, have had negative experiences involving shopping for and appreciating comics and games.  I've heard and read about all kinds of uncomfortable situations: ogling, assuming that a woman is shopping for a boyfriend or brother, intense questioning in order that a woman "prove" that she's "really" a fan, outright animosity, overt "nerds girls are even worse than nerd boys" bulls**t…the list goes on.  Treatment like that is one of the reasons I stopped buying comics in the 90's (the other reason is Rob Liefeld).  I'm now spending far too much of my fun money on comics, dice, rpg minis, trade paperbacks, collectibles….and it's because I have had such a drastically positive experience at SHQ.  

So we want..no. I want other women to have the same great experience. I want it for women who, for one reason or another, allowed their passion for comics and gaming to lapse; for those who always had an interest, but just couldn't take the negative vibes in their local shops.  I want it for all the gals who have been toughing it out, because they assumed there wasn't anything better.  Ladies' Night is for them.  It'll be all women. It'll be safe.  It'll be non-judgmental.  Most importantly, it'll be fun.*

I've been inspired by Kate or Die and her work at Strange Adventures, and have already culled from the advice they've each published on the topic; we've got some cool things planned, and they're going to stay secret for now, but we want more!  More input (I'm like Johnny 5 over here)!  What would YOU like to see and do at Ladies' Night?  What are you expecting, if anything?  If your local comic shop has a Ladies' Night, what do they do?  If they don't, what would you like them to do?  Let me know!

*It should be noted that Secret Headquarters is NEVER a hostile environment. Brian always makes certain of that.  This is just a chance for things to be even more awesome, as well as a chance to invite women who maybe didn't know the shop existed to come give it a try. One of my coworkers is a loyal shopper at another local store, and has just been accepting the crap she deals with on a regular basis as normal. This is just weird to me.

I love that there are people doing this!