Zoinks!

 My motivation for all of my work regarding the paranormal is pretty simple, I am interested in it, I want to learn more about it, and I want to help and educate others. A considerable number of people become involved with the paranormal because they see it as an opportunity to begin a career in either reality TV, or to promote their other professional endeavors, be it books, radio shows, or merchandise. It's not necessarily a bad business move, the paranormal has been an increasingly more prevalent topic among popular TV shows, books, and movies. From Twilight, Paranormal Activity, to Ghost Hunters our society is fascinated by all things paranormal.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take long to realize that almost all of the women on these paranormal reality shows were cast because they are ridiculously good looking, and probably not because they were the most capable, knowledgeable investigators the production company could find. This is truly a disservice to women who work in the field of paranormal research, and investigations. It reduces us to a commodity, and an accessory to accompany the "real" investigators. If you've ever tuned into these shows, you will notice that the men are very rarely as attractive as the women. Jason Hawes, Dustin Pari, and Britt Griffith are definitely not eye candy, certainly not when compared to Kris Williams. A quick google search reveals that most of these women are actors, models, or even made appearances in porn. For example, Jael De Pardo from "Fact or Faked" has been modeling since the age of 4, and it doesn't take long to find pictures of her scantily clad in lingerie and bikinis, nothing about her career screams "qualified paranormal investigator". 

These are the images that paranormal radio "Cryptomundo" used to advertise their interview with her. A clear indicator of how they wanted to portray her, and what they found most interesting about her. It is a shame, because I am sure she is much more interesting that her breasts.

As a woman, I have always found this to be incredibly frustrating, however in my earlier years I made the mistake of placing the blame on the actresses themselves. While I still don't agree with their choices, they are not the ones solely responsible for perpetuating this inequality in the paranormal entertainment business, the issue is much larger and the blame falls onto the entertainment industry at large. I don't see a resolution to this issue coming in the near future, sex sells a little too well, and even the backlash of disappointed fans isn't enough of a motivator for production companies to put a little more reality in their programs.

Oh God, I even have Velma's haircut...

 It would seem that I am a "Velma" in a world of "Daphnes", I sympathize quite a bit with the character of Velma Dinkley of the Scooby Doo franchise. She is slightly awkward, dons baggy sweaters, her romantic encounters are zero, and she is intelligent with a knack for science and historical research. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Daphne Blake, the wealthy socialite, token damsel in distress, with gorgeous hair and a tight fitting dress. I, unfortunately, couldn't be a Daphne, even if I tried. Unless, maybe, I hit the gym, bought myself some boobs, a tummy tuck, a new nose, and employed the help of a personal stylist. Even if I could do all of those things, I really wouldn't want to. I would much rather lead with my education and ability than I would be judged foremost by my outer appearance. My resume should speak louder than a portfolio of sexy head shots, but I am not naive. I know that in the entertainment business, appearance and ability in front of the camera are of significant importance. But, I do not think that finding women who are genuine investigators, who are good on camera, and are still attractive enough to be popular on TV is impossible.


While I may not be seeking a career in television, or film, as a woman this issue is still incredibly important to me. This affects the world of investigations off screen as well, as I have seen first hand groups of women trying to be "sexy" investigators, clinging to any gimmick they can grab a hold of, because it is the only way they believe they will be successful. When I first began investigating, I was told to "tone down" my appearance, to not wear make up on investigations, to not wear dresses to events, etc. I found this to be completely ridiculous because none of those things we inhibiting my ability to conduct myself on investigations, walk throughs, meetings, etc. As I became more involved in the paranormal community, I heard conversations about different female investigator's appearances on more than one occasion, oddly enough, not once was I around to hear the discussion of a male investigators appearance, or whether or not it was appropriate. If we want change, we will have to start with ourselves, and hope that Hollywood catches on.