Nate Anderson, writing for Ars Technica:
Nerds, especially those who have suffered from social rejection, can be a group accepting of radical difference. This is the attitude Gencon promotes. As the official program guide notes, the event bans all kinds of harassment based on “gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or affiliation.” And the policy appears to work; where else can a couple dress in handcrafted his-and-hers night elf costumes and encounter nothing but public acceptance? But the nerd kingdom has its gatekeepers, too, who are as ready as their own tormentors were to exclude those who don’t measure up. Oh, your cosplay outfit is a Storm Trooper? Could you be any more obvious? And you’re carrying a rebel blaster. Moron. The “nerd police” can be especially vicious against women, accusing them of being “fake geek girls” who aren’t truly hardcore enough to belong.
Just a reminder that there is social psychology at work everywhere.