Everybody knows about xkcd. It’s one of those best-kept secrets that everybody knows. For a long time, this was my favorite xkcd ever, because regexes were the first really nerdy programmerish thing I ever learned to work with, and I was ever so proud of myself at the time.
Alas, that most excellent cartoon has been relegated to second place. Just too much win in today’s. I laughed, I identified (I’ve been in that IRC room!), I pumped my fist, I Twittered it, I rejoiced.
I’ve seen some concern here and there that “Joanna” isn’t the person in the ’toon who has voice; Hat Guy explains it all. This does not in fact bother me, because I think a subtle point is being made (and unfortunately missed): women should not be the only people put off by this buffoonery, and men can damned well speak up about it too, and should.
Plus, Joanna gets the EMP cannon. Mua-hahahahahahahahaha. I want one!
Rock on, xkcd. You just rock right the hell on. The title text (hold your mouse over the image) is just the crowning glory.
And for those who think the Wyoming mudflap girl is no big deal, consider this non-work-safe variant. Still no big deal? Think about your reactions. Think hard, damn it.
(The notion that the Wyoming campaign is somehow “reclaiming” the mudflap-girl image is just weak. Reclamation of offensive terminology is done by the offended group, y’all. If that’s going to happen to mudflap-girl, it has to be done by women, the group that the image systematically turns into raw meat. Librarians != women, and women != librarians. Try harder, people, really.)
