Founded by two sisters in Portland, Oregon, Fascinary creates fascinating games and goods inspired by the natural world, kindling collective joy to ignite curiosity and imagine possibility.
Who we are
I don’t know who I am
— boygenius, “Emily I’m Sorry”
But I know what I want
We want…
- To join the generations who have cared for their communities, continually imagining and co-creating a better world.
- Laughter, playfulness, and fun—to share moments of joy that build community and sustain resistance.
- For everyone—especially those who are othered due to their natural brains, bodies, age, and more—to know their brilliance and see the infinite possibilities of being in this world.
How we got here
While studying humanities—history for Christa and adult education for Gina—we found ourselves in science and engineering fields (biotech quality and continuing engineering education). Our curiosity about the natural world, paired with a concern for the world we inherited, led us to create Fascinary—a curious concoction of humor, history, and science.
As neurodivergent women, we’ve experienced some of the boxes society tries to shove people into. By exploring the natural world, we see how many of these categories are pure fiction, freeing us to celebrate nature’s full, feral range. Fascinary is our joyful resistance, and we are all invited to the party.
Dominator culture has tried to keep us all afraid, to make us choose safety instead of risk, sameness instead of diversity. Moving through that fear, finding out what connects us, reveling in our differences; this is the process that brings us closer, that gives us a world of shared values, of meaningful community.
— bell hooks, Teaching Community
Why Fascinary?
The fascinus was ancient Rome’s good luck charm, featuring none other than an erect winged phallus. These chode charms were popular during the Roman Empire, cluing us to the origins of the belief in the phallus as the ultimate source of power, protection, and wonder. Even the word “fascinate” owes its roots to this notion. Our fascination with phalluses goes way back.
Now, onto our company. We hope to flip the script on this dusty obsession. Our fascinus logo stars a vibrant queenfisher, flying upward with determination. This plucky birdie is here to challenge the myth that females are dull and weak. She reminds us that empires fall, phalluses aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, and a new era is rising—one where everyone gets to spread their wings.
Join the party
Hear about new stuff and help us with game development!