Are you teased or bullied for being a Fan?

[Greg Cox]

Not since I was in middle school, and even then not really. I was teased a ton for other things, being into Star Trek wasn't near the top of the list.

Ditto. Although it dawns on me that there wasn't a lot of TREK to be teased about way back then. TOS was in reruns, the movies were still years away, and TNG wouldn't come along until I was well out of college, far beyond the age of bullying.

Not sure how any bullies would have known I was a Trekkie back in junior high. It's not like we ever socialized.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Ditto. Although it dawns on me that there wasn't a lot of TREK to be teased about way back then. TOS was in reruns, the movies were still years away, and TNG wouldn't come along until I was well out of college, far beyond the age of bullying.

Not sure how any bullies would have known I was a Trekkie back in junior high. It's not like we ever socialized.

Same here. No one in my schools cared about what shows I watched. I don't think the SF Geek trope had really penetrated pop culture yet.

 

[Greg Cox]

Same here. No one in my schools cared about what shows I watched. I don't think the SF Geek trope had really penetrated pop culture yet.

Exactly. The bullies didn't care what shows I watched or what books I read. It was just that I was a sickly, nerdy kid who didn't fit in, had his nose buried in a book most of time, and who, annoyingly, knew all the answers in class.

It had nothing to do with STAR TREK.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Exactly. The bullies didn't care what shows I watched or what books I read. It was just that I was a sickly, nerdy kid who didn't fit in, had his nose buried in a book most of time, and who, annoyingly, knew all the answers in class.

It had nothing to do with STAR TREK.

Wait, are you me?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I was mainly a band geek in high school, but I did like Trek as well (the night TNG premiered, my British Lit study group found it very hard to complete our presentation). Never teased for it though.

 

[Kevman7987]

I was teased, but never bullied. The teasing wasn't even mean-spirited or anything. In my years of school/misspent youth, people didn't really care what each other was into as long as it wasn't too weird.

 

[Greg Cox]

Wait, are you me?

Sadly, I suspect we're both stereotypes--at least back in our school days.

 

[Six of Twelve]

Never having been an "everybody else" sort of a person who flocked with the herd, I don't really care what other people think of my hobbies and interests. I don't aspire to be average.

 

[Lynx]

No!

Where I live in Europe, Star Trek has some sort of cult status. There are some really dedicated fans, the rest simply don't care.

When it comes to those people , it's like "Star Trek? Huh? Star Wars is better" and since I actually like Star Wars too, there's no problem.

 

[Tracy Trek]

I didn't really advertise my love of Trek in school, I was teased and bullied enough for other reasons.

I get a little good natured teasing from my family. My mom says my brother and I are more like her sister in liking sci-fi. My brother likes sports and Star Wars. I like Star Wars (not sports) too, but not as much as Trek. And I like Stargate as well, except for the third series, Universe. My stepdad likes sports but he also likes Ancient Aliens and UFO Files.

I remember when I was in grade school, it was a Sat. and my aunt and uncle came to visit. I wasn't watching Trek. It was a Sat. morning program called Space Academy (anyone remember that). My uncle said, "Why are you watching that" or "Why do you like that"? Like it was stupid or something.

A friend and co-worker told me that she liked Star Wars better than Trek because Trek seemed cartoonish to her. If you look at some of those creatures from Jabba's palace or the Mos Eisley cantina, how can say Trek is more cartoonish?

 

[Clym]

no, I was the bully. I used to mercilessly bully some of the kids in school who were Trekkies. Good memories.

then when I became an adult I got into Trek myself and didn't think it was all that bad. I have no regrets about picking on those nerds at school though. They deserved it

 

[BillJ]

no, I was the bully. I used to mercilessly bully some of the kids in school who were Trekkies. Good memories.

then when I became an adult I got into Trek myself and didn't think it was all that bad. I have no regrets about picking on those nerds at school though. They deserved it

Classy!

 

[sbk1234]

Exactly. The bullies didn't care what shows I watched or what books I read. It was just that I was a sickly, nerdy kid who didn't fit in, had his nose buried in a book most of time, and who, annoyingly, knew all the answers in class.

It had nothing to do with STAR TREK.

Did you ever do anything with your love of books and the written word?

 

[stardream]

The only thing I was ever teased about was when I moved to a new school some kids ganged up on me and tried to make me feel bad about being part Indian. Their bullying kind of fell flat because it was something I didn't know I was supposed to be ashamed of. It was like...being bullied for having brown eyes or something. I guess they wanted tears and all they got was me going "Are you kidding me?" It lasted for less than two days. Later I realized they were jealous because being able to prove you are part Native American is supposed to be cool...or something.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Ditto. Although it dawns on me that there wasn't a lot of TREK to be teased about way back then. TOS was in reruns, the movies were still years away, and TNG wouldn't come along until I was well out of college, far beyond the age of bullying.

Not sure how any bullies would have known I was a Trekkie back in junior high. It's not like we ever socialized.

I was in school right in the middle of Berman era Trek so it was a big thing at the time. Just the people I hung out with were also geeks and we were targeted more for general geekiness and social maladjustment.

When you get teased for something in school you're not really being teased about that thing. You're being teased because you are not alpha maley enough and the more alpha maley people need to show off their alphicity. Primate social order and all that. If they picked Star Trek it's because it was the lowest hanging fruit.

 

[Kor]

I was in school right in the middle of Berman era Trek so it was a big thing at the time. Just the people I hung out with were also geeks and we were targeted more for general geekiness and social maladjustment.

When you get teased for something in school you're not really being teased about that thing. You're being teased because you are not alpha maley enough and the more alpha maley people need to show off their alphicity. Primate social order and all that. If they picked Star Trek it's because it was the lowest hanging fruit.

I would agree with that. And unfortunately, the kids who hover around the alpha maley people join in on this teasing and ostracism and compound it.

no, I was the bully. I used to mercilessly bully some of the kids in school who were Trekkies. Good memories.

then when I became an adult I got into Trek myself and didn't think it was all that bad. I have no regrets about picking on those nerds at school though. They deserved it

Kor

 

[Clym]

^

 

[Shat Happens]

There's this guy. Back in the mid 90s he heavily mocked me for attending conventions. "What do you do there?" "We watch episodes and talk about Star Trek. It's fun. I'll explain: what do you like?" "I like surfing" "so you talk about surfing with your surfer friends. It's the same thing" "but we actually surf! You dont go spaceship yadda yadda"

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Some years later I learned he follows a certain religion and believe he talks to dead people eg. his grandfather during one certain ceremony. I never brought that up .

 

[The Old Mixer]

no, I was the bully. I used to mercilessly bully some of the kids in school who were Trekkies. Good memories.

then when I became an adult I got into Trek myself and didn't think it was all that bad. I have no regrets about picking on those nerds at school though. They deserved it

Hi @Clym ,

While I can appreciate that there may have been some humorous intent in this post, within the context of this topic, it's not liable to lead anywhere good. I'd recommend (to everyone) not pursuing this particular line of discussion.

Thanks.

 

[Greg Cox]

Did you ever do anything with your love of books and the written word?

It's funny. While clearing out my parents' old house last summer, I stumbled onto a cache of fan fiction I wrote back in junior high, long before I even knew what "fan fiction" was. (And, no, it wasn't that kind of fanfic.)

So clearly I was doomed at an early age . . .