Falsifying Fan Culture
Screaming girls, frenzied Twitter threads, and emotional reactions to idol-related content.
To many, this is what comes to mind when the word “fangirl” is brought up. Fangirls are often portrayed as obsessive, crazy, or overly sensitive. This image is entirely driven by the sexism present in our own society.
From the get-go, the way society views fans bears a significant gender disparity. For example, when the word fangirl is googled, the results display the notion that all fangirls are psychopathic and obsessive. However, when the word fanboy is googled, the results lean much more towards simply being annoying rather than insane. Specific examples outlined by popular search engines further this sexism. Google associates fangirls with male musicians, such as One Direction and Justin Bieber. However, it associates fanboys with sports teams such as the Warriors, the Colts, and the Red Sox.
This difference sets the tone for the entire narrative surrounding fan culture. It also establishes a contrast between what people consider to be “masculine” versus “feminine” interests; for example, many view sports and gaming culture as a male pastime, while music and dance are considered “girly”. As a result, those who do not subscribe to the interests that society expects them to are considered to be “pick-me”s- or attention seekers- and are ridiculed.
Moreover, fangirls are questioned for anything they claim to be interested in. If a non-man says they like basketball, for example, people will often respond with something along the lines of, “Oh, really? Name five players.” By forcing fangirls to prove their worth, society is placing them at an inherently lower level than their male counterparts, thereby labeling them as lesser than. However, if they claim to be interested in boy bands or music, they are written off as stereotypical. This largely affects gender minorities; men are never questioned for wearing sports jerseys or talking about their favorite athletes, but when non-men discuss their favorite singers or band members, they are seen as fanatical.
What many do not realize about shaming fan culture is that it affects individual fans and society as a whole. Idols have such an incredible impact on fans and have saved so many lives. As Ariana Grande said, “Never hate on someone’s idol. It could be the only reason they’re alive.”
This problem also affects society as a whole. It furthers the sexism that is already rampant in the world and creates a divide between people. In our already polarized world, we should be uniting against hatred instead of sowing division.
