“There were all these different bodies and shapes and colors that came in to audition, women who had gone to Juilliard or been on Broadway, but no one wants to put them on TV because they don’t necessarily fit into a TV executive’s idea of what’s beautiful.”

“I wore a hooded shirt with a suit jacket which is a look I really enjoy but there aren’t any pictures of me in it because I’m not important, so I avoided trying to make people care about me by skipping most of the red carpet.”

“Start-up culture is odd. There’s a lot that I struggle with — it’s not something particularly designed for anyone who isn’t already privileged. It’s hard to go into it without a safety net. There’s a certain element of romanticizing struggle that is hard to internalize as a woman, a queer woman, and/or a woman of color. “

Shelby lives in Chicago and is on track to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. She talks about A-Camp, her wedding, and the costumes she makes for sci-fi conventions.

If you have read Autostraddle even once, it’s likely that you’ve seen some of Marika’s brilliance in the comment section. She is one of our most frequent commenters, and she was kind enough to chat with me about science, hammocks, food, and family.