Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

This paper investigates how the conceptions of gender in memes are central to socializing at hackathons, and provides insight into how references to memes and informal technology culture shape interaction in local manifestations of this culture. This paper investigates how the conceptions of gender in memes are central to socializing at hackathons. Drawing on a multi-sited ethnography of seven hackathons, I provide insight into how references to memes and informal technology culture shape interaction in local manifestations of this culture. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, I show how vocabularies and artifacts of technology culture move between on and offline spaces. These findings have implications for HCI research that investigates questions of materiality in computer-mediated communication. Second, I show how even the mundane memes of technology culture can reveal the toxic masculinity and ideology of Incels. By tying these internet memes to a physical context, I unpack how humor can reveal and perpetuate the enduring masculine dominance of technology. I end with recommendations for increasing inclusivity at hackathons, based on how HCI is uniquely positioned to understand how Internet symbols and interactions manifest offline.

The sheer entitlement of the “nice guy” #andthisisbacon #menandtheirau, devysyn nice guys

Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

23 'Nice Guys' Who Have Never Seen a Woman Probably - Wtf Gallery

Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

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Dr. Siân Brooke on X: What do #incels and #programmers have in common? How do #memes reinforce sexism in computing? 🤔 I was excited to discuss my @oiioxford doctoral research on memes

Memebase - incels - All Your Memes In Our Base - Funny Memes - Cheezburger

PDF) Interacting with Masculinities: A Scoping Review

You Can (Not) Say What You Want: Using Algospeak to Contest and Evade Algorithmic Content Moderation on TikTok - Ella Steen, Kathryn Yurechko, Daniel Klug, 2023

Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

You Can (Not) Say What You Want: Using Algospeak to Contest and Evade Algorithmic Content Moderation on TikTok - Ella Steen, Kathryn Yurechko, Daniel Klug, 2023

Creating an Incel: the perpetuation of gendered inequality online

You Can (Not) Say What You Want: Using Algospeak to Contest and Evade Algorithmic Content Moderation on TikTok - Ella Steen, Kathryn Yurechko, Daniel Klug, 2023