I’m Only Doing It for the Attention

Eli Heina, , ,
Mostly posted so that I wouldn't be dead to Skepchick Mindy. Also because it is awesome.
Mostly posted so that I wouldn’t be dead to Skepchick Mindy. Also because it is awesome.

Hello, readers old and new. My name is pronounced “hee-nuh dad-uh-boy” (yes, like “attaboy”). My first and last name roughly translate to “plant-based dye” and “great-uncle” (or, more literally, “father’s father’s brother“), respectively. You might know me from Skepchick, Kickstarter (working on it, I promise), the New York Times, Conservapedia, or any of the cons, podcasts, and many other venues at which you can read or hear me. What can I say? I don’t say no to many opportunities.

It was in the spirit of opportunity that I wrote my commenting policy. I hope I don’t live to regret it. My banner design is via a fellow FtBer available for hire, the talented Alex Gabriel.

In the weeks leading up to my being added to the FreeThought Blogs network, along with someone whose descriptors are quite similar to mine and a feminist writer I’ve long admired from afar, I contemplated the whys of blogging and speaking quite a bit. After all, despite what some naive types might think, it doesn’t really pay.

The answer hit me when I happened upon a blatantly misogynistic post criticizing cosplayers whose outfits were dubbed by the OP to be “too revealing” (I’m unable to find the OP on Facebook, as I believe it has been deleted). He declared that revealing costumes were not true reflections of fandom and were, instead, “just for the attention”. It sparked a thought in me.

Credit: Jamie Bernstein
Credit: Jamie Bernstein

Isn’t wearing a costume to a con, whether it’s revealing or not, for the attention? Whether I’m in my side-boob-revealing Roxy Richter or my full-coverage Carmen Sandiego, I want people to see me, recognize my character, and enjoy the spectacle — attention.

If people didn’t want attention, they would either (1) cosplay but never leave their house or (b) go to con but not cosplay.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting attention.

Cosplay aside, I write and speak and maintain as high visibility as can be managed for the attention. The attention helps me to feel fulfilled (something I rarely achieve at my day job), enables me to do things that I enjoy (more writing! more speaking! more meeting awesome people!), and furthers the causes about which I care.

After all, when it comes to promoting a community currently as small and as besieged as the ex-Muslim community, or viewpoints as oddly controversial as being in favor of social justice, every little bit of attention counts. I’m proud to join a blog network doing more than most others in ensuring representation.

 

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I’m Only Doing It for the Attention

About the author

Eli Heina Dadabhoy spent their childhood as a practicing Muslim who never in their right mind would have believed that they would grow up to be an atheist feminist secular humanist. Eli has been an active participant in atheist organizations and events in and around Orange County, CA since 2007, and on the national stage since 2011. Eli is a speaker and panelist on a range of diverse topics including feminism, race, LGBT issues, the challenges of deconversion, Islam, non-monogamy, strategies for inclusivity, and the various intersections of the above. You may have heard them at Skepticon, the American Atheists National Convention, the Huffington Post Live, and Have Your Say on the BBC World Service or read about them in the New York Times.
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42 thoughts on “I’m Only Doing It for the Attention”

  5. Brony
    Reply
    5

    Hello and welcome Heina.

    I find pointing out the the self-negating, deceptive, manipulative social BS like the one you display above fine reasons for getting attention. You can have all the attention I can spare for such. I look forward to reading your contributions.

  7. Brony
    Reply
    7

    Just to be clear I was talking about the quote that you were criticizing, but may have failed to make that clear. I apologize for that if that was the case.

  8. Brony
    Reply
    8

    Well crap I did it again. I get really erratic when I am flustered and type way too quickly. I find the excuse that the person used to criticize your cosplay discusting and have totally mucked this up.

    I apologize for making your first day less than it should be. I’m just going to back out now.

  9. yazikus
    Reply
    9

    Welcome! Congrats on the move, I look forward to reading more of your work! I don’t really comment over at skepchick (lost my password, nested comments), and am excited to see you here.

    1. Heina Dadabhoy
      Reply
      10.1

      Almost all of my posts from Skepchick are here. I deleted a few of the “check out these event”-type posts and even fewer ones that I feel don’t reflect on what I hope to achieve here.

  11. Brony
    Reply
    11

    I appreciate you removing the entry. I wronged you by not being more careful with the context of my comment and would have understood if you left the entry for other reasons.

    All the self-negating, deceptive, manipulative social BS was on the part of the Facebook user that you were referring to and I do truly want to welcome you. I’m not the most mentally organized person in the world but I do try to make up for it.

  18. yazikus
    Reply
    18

    Welcome to Eff Tee Bee

    Ophelia, did you ever read Biting the Sun, by Tanith Lee? People live in dome cities designated the name “Some Number Bee” (so ex: you might be from Four Bee). Anywho, I read that book when I was twelve or so, and it was mind blowing, the way gender was conceptualized, etc, was all new for me. I consider it my feminist gateway drug. Also, maybe I like the idea of FTB being a world of futuristic dome cities.

    1. rq
      Reply
      25.1

      This weird double comment stems from the fact that the first one was posted from work, where the internet doesn’t allow me to post on certain FtB blogs, which I thought was the case, so I went home and wrote another one without checking. 😛 Sorry about that!

  33. The Reading List, 8/10/2014
    Reply
    33

    […] I’m Only Doing It for the Attention–”After all, when it comes to promoting a community currently as small and as besieged as the ex-Muslim community, or viewpoints as oddly controversial as being in favor of social justice, every little bit of attention counts.” […]

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