aplpaca:

Ive seen several posts saying that “no one gets bullied for being a nerd/geek anymore” but to be honest i dont think anyone ever was in the first place.  

Things like star wars and star trek, which are often thought of as “nerdy” or “geeky”, were huge with the general population even when they first came out.  Being intelligent and academically successful is a commonly admired and desired trait.  Media makes it seem like so many people were being bullied for liking geeky stuff or being smart, despite the these qualities being common and/or desirable.

But the thing is, people arent bullied for just for liking things or being smart.  Theyre bullied for liking things too much.  For knowing too much.  They fixate on things.  They “dont know when to shut up”. Theyre awkward. They don’t socialize normally. They dont fit in. They become a target and their interests or intelligence or whatever else become weapons that their harassers use against them.

This is the same exact shit that autistic kids, kids with ADHD, and other neurodivergent people are bullied for today.

The targets of bullying have not changed.  If anything, the portrayal of bullying in media (and in anti-bullying campaigns) is a misrepresentation that gives false ideas about the targets and perpetrators of such harassment and  does nothing but disguise the ableism that is at play behind the stereotypes.