Blerds of a Feather, Nerd Out Together: Exploring Sociological Intersections of Black Identity and Nerd Culture
Location
PANEL: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Senior Fellows Part 2
Mudd 113
Moderator: Sergio Gutiérrez Negrón
Document Type
Presentation - Open Access
Start Date
4-25-2025 4:00 PM
End Date
4-25-2025 5:00 PM
Abstract
Black nerds, or “Blerds,” exist at the intersection of nerd identity and Black racial identity. In recent years, however, Blerds have built communities and events that celebrate both aspects of their identity. However, mainstream (predominantly white) nerd culture and societal stereotypes of Blackness often position these identities as conflicting, leaving Blerds to navigate a unique middle ground. This study explores how Blerds embrace both identities despite these tensions. Based on semi-structured interviews with 18 self-identified Blerds, the research examines how they negotiate their racial and nerd identities, how other identities intersect, and how they challenge norms around race and nerd culture. My findings highlight that Blerds actively resist stereotypes, creating spaces where Blackness and nerdiness coexist in ways that defy societal expectations. This study contributes to intersectionality research by demonstrating how identity is constructed at the crossroads of race and subculture, positioning the Blerd community as a site of joy, resistance, and belonging.
Keywords:
Black nerds, Nerd community, Black identity, Sociology
Recommended Citation
Keating, Nikki, "Blerds of a Feather, Nerd Out Together: Exploring Sociological Intersections of Black Identity and Nerd Culture" (2025). Research Symposium. 17.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2025/presentations/17
Major
Africana Studies
Psychology
Award
Mellon Mays Fellowship
Project Mentor(s)
Alicia Smith-Tran, Sociology and Comparative American Studies
2025
Blerds of a Feather, Nerd Out Together: Exploring Sociological Intersections of Black Identity and Nerd Culture
PANEL: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Senior Fellows Part 2
Mudd 113
Moderator: Sergio Gutiérrez Negrón
Black nerds, or “Blerds,” exist at the intersection of nerd identity and Black racial identity. In recent years, however, Blerds have built communities and events that celebrate both aspects of their identity. However, mainstream (predominantly white) nerd culture and societal stereotypes of Blackness often position these identities as conflicting, leaving Blerds to navigate a unique middle ground. This study explores how Blerds embrace both identities despite these tensions. Based on semi-structured interviews with 18 self-identified Blerds, the research examines how they negotiate their racial and nerd identities, how other identities intersect, and how they challenge norms around race and nerd culture. My findings highlight that Blerds actively resist stereotypes, creating spaces where Blackness and nerdiness coexist in ways that defy societal expectations. This study contributes to intersectionality research by demonstrating how identity is constructed at the crossroads of race and subculture, positioning the Blerd community as a site of joy, resistance, and belonging.
