Geek Feminism is a movement which seeks to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression in geek culture. The Geek Feminism Track aims to create a space that is interesting and exciting to existing feminists as well as welcoming and safe to those who are new to feminism but understand the need to redress the imbalance in much of mainstream geek culture. We'll be discussing everything from cyborgs to manga to zombies to the creative industry; hosting our keynote speakers, Laurie Penny and Jane Fae; running a photography project on why geek culture needs feminism, and lots more: see you there!

All in Connaught A, except crossovers.

Friday

Open Session With Tea: Geek Culture Needs Feminism Because...
11:00 – 13:00
Connaught A
Come, gather and be merry… with tea!
This open-house session is an informal opportunity to come chat to the organisers, and meet other like-minded geeky feminists. Share ideas, book and blog recommendations, and promote campaigns. There will also be an opportunity to join our photography project and take up a whiteboard to finish the sentence “Geek Culture needs Feminism because…”with what you find most important.

What the FRAK is Geek Feminism?
15:15 – 16:30
Connaught A
Welcome to the Geek Feminism track! Come in, come in. That's right, pull up a chair. Wait, what do you mean, you're not sure what Geek Feminism is? Not a problem, ducky. Grab yourself a cuppa, and I'll tell you all about it. A talk from Geek Feminism track head, Clara Jackson.

From Magical Girls to Drunken Road Trips: The Women of Manga
17:00 – 18:15
Connaught A
A brief look at the history of women in manga and their creations and characters; from schoolyard sword duels of Revolutionary Girl Utena to the alchemy fueled adventure of Fullmetal Alchemist. A talk by Zalia Chimera and Ash.

Sex in Video Games: hosted by the Video Games Culture track
20:30 – 21:45
Royal B
Video Games Culture meets Geek Feminism to talk sex. Whatever your stance on the matter, there's no denying sex is a pretty big part of our culture, and any game that tackles the subject of sex is "clearly more mature and an example of the progression of the industry" ... or, is it? Our panel will be discussing the portrayals of sex and sexuality in games, from the good to the bad to the downright bizarre.
Panel: Cara Ellison, Esther MacCallum-Stewart

Saturday

Cyborgs, Robots and Gender: reality vs. fiction, and the body vs. technology. (16+)
10:00 – 11:15
Connaught A
Science fiction narratives often imagine the body’s relationship to technology and how this might change what it means to be “human”; however, these changes are already occurring now, in the real world. The line between reality and fiction, body and technology is becoming increasingly blurry. The overarching question will be whether such technology will reinforce, or even exacerbate, existing gender inequalities or whether it gives us a tool that can allow us to transcend them. Talk by Fran Haswell.

Policing the Net: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities (18+)
11:45 – 13:00
Connaught A
Following reports that half of low-level crime is internet-related, the issue of online policing – and censorship – has never been hotter. Do minority groups need protection from the online bullies – or should they just grow a thicker skin? Is Internet freedom worth aspiring to – or is it just shorthand for survival of the fittest: the “already privileged”? Are jokes “just a joke”? What of porn? Is it, too, a barrier to women online? Or is our obsession with sanitizing the Internet imposing moral norms that ultimately harm the very minorities we want to protect.
Jane Fae, feminist and writer on IT, sexuality and the law takes a brisk canter through all of the above, delivering a few of her very personal opinions along the way. (note: explicit discussion content)

"It’s A Man’s World…": Where Are The Women In The Creative Industry?
13:30 - 14:45
Connaught A
What are the implications of a male dominated creative system on creative output? If the majority of writers, designers, producers and directors are men, then what effect does this have on our choices of female role models and protagonists, and what can be done to redress the balance?
Panel: Clara Jackson, Kim Curran, Juliet Mushens, Laurie Penny, Shalegh Rowan-Leg, Dr Will Brooker

Slash and Feminism: how can slash be a feminist activity? (with the Fanfic track)
15:15 – 16:30
County B
Slash & Feminism
Male characters in canon are often more rounded, three-dimensional and credible than female characters. When we write M/M slash, are we reinforcing popular culture's bias towards male characters, or are we reclaiming them? The panel examine arguments for and against slash as a feminist activity, and talk about gender-bending, femslash and the marginalisation of female characters.
Panel: Viktoriya H, Emily (Writcraft), Tanya Brown, Kari Sperring, Pen

Political Needlepoints: how the craft resurgence has influenced social politics (with the Knitting track)
15:15 – 16:30
Connaught A
Stitch London's Lauren O'Farrell, and Royal Holloway's Laura Price, discuss how the rise in craft's popularity relates to feminism and how needlecrafts can be used as a political tool. Audience will have a chance to contribute to the discussion, so bring yourselves and your questions! The discussion presupposes no specific crafting knowledge and non-crafters are welcome.

The Bechdel Film Test: Pros, Cons and Beyond (with the Film Festival)
17:00 – 18:15
ROOM 41
The Bechdel Test asks if a film has two women characters in it that talk to each other about something other than a man. It represents an absolute minimum standard for portrayals of women in film, and it is a test that is failed by a majority of films. Formulated back in 1985, it remains a controversial and often misunderstood test to this day and, as such, it remains vital and relevant. Tara B, of the Wotever Festival, facilitates a panel discussion about the good and bad of the Bechdel test - the academic and activist, the tests that followed, and the cascade of amazing progressive film making that's still forthcoming. The panel discussion will be followed by a screening of ‘Hanna’ – a film that passes both the Bechdel and Mako Mori tests.

Film Screening: Hanna (2011) Dir. Joe Wright (with the Film Festival)
18:45 – 20:00
ROOM 41
As part two of the Film Festival’s Bechdel Film test session, we'll show a film that passes both the Bechdel and Mako Mori tests. A sixteen-year-old girl who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives. Some kids dream of falling in love with vampires. Others dream of being kickass special agent killers. This is the film for the latter.

Zombies, Run! - when fitness and fandom collide
18:45 – 20:00
Connaught A
An immensely successful Kickstarter lead to this running app that fuses fitness with a powerful narrative. Now in it's third season, we'll look at how a diverse cast of characters and a healthy dose of 'feels' have inspired people to master the art of running while crying, in a story that allows you to (hopefully) save the world in the zombie apocalypse.
Panel: Zalia Chimera, David Bryher, Naomi Alderman, Phil Nightingale, Rebecca Levene

Sunday

Assaulting the Narrative: Rape as Character Motivation (16+)
10:00 – 11:15
Connaught A
From the prevalence of sexual violence in Game of Thrones to Lara Croft's retconned sexual assault backstory, sexual assault seems to positively saturate the contemporary narrative.
We look at violent and drugged/coerced assault in narrative (covering film, TV, literature, and other media) and ask whether rape can ever be used effectively as character motivation - and if so, what does 'good' look like?
Panel: Viktoriya H, Cara Ellison, Den Patrick, Jane Fae, Sophia McDougall, Tom Pollock

Can’t Stop The Signal: A Geeky, Feminist Advocacy Workshop
11:45 – 13:00
Connaught A
Have an idea for a campaign but don't know where to start? Want to be part of the solution but not sure how? Have an amazing strategy for change and want to share it with other like-minded individuals? Come join us for an informal session of brainstorming and developing our problems into our solutions. All welcome. Moderated by Rowan Williams-Fletcher.

Unspeakable Things: geekery, gender, and the future of feminism
13:30 - 14:45
Connaught A
Author Laurie Penny talks about sex, capitalism and the internet; men, women and everyone else; and her latest book 'Unspeakable Things'.

Sex Work and Whedon: Echo from Dollhouse and Inara from Firefly… (with the Whedon track) (16+)
15:15 – 16:30
Connaught A
Using a sex-positive framework which centers on choice and consent, we will take an in depth look at “Whedon’s sex workers”. Using their characters and stories to explore the fundamental difference between sex work and human trafficking, we will also discuss female agency, sexuality and bodily autonomy. These are all important concepts that have real world implications; having a safe, welcoming and accessible discussion about the ways these issues are represented and why this representation matters, to women and to all genders, is vital. By doing this we aim to fully explore what, if anything, Whedon is trying to tell us through the lens of our two much loved shows. Talk by Fran Haswell.

“Strong Female Protagonists" : a new kind of heroine in Young Adult fiction? (with All Of The Books)
17:00 – 18:15
Connaught A
The term "Strong Female Protagonist" in Young Adult fiction seems to be gaining popularity following the success of The Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen, who shoots arrows with pinpoint accuracy while defying the corrupt system.  But what does the term mean? Why do we use it? And do we need it at all?  Is it a promising trend in exciting new female role models for young people? Or just a way of praising masculine traits in fictional heroines? 
Panel: Rowan Williams-Fletcher, Anna Caltabiano, Laura Lam, Tom Pollock