The image of the crazed fangirl is well-known by anyone who has so much as dipped their toes into any sort of fandom. She’s obsessed, crazy, and freakish. She spends all her money on merchandise and dedicates her entire life to her favorite piece of media.
“There is no greater cultural crime a young girl can commit than loving pop music without apology,” critic Brodie Lancaster wrote in her article, “Pop Music, Teenage Girls and the Legitimacy of Fandom.”
In reality this characterization is a means of isolating women. It’s a way of further separating women from men by introducing the idea that they somehow enjoy things differently.”By brushing these girls aside and laughing at how stupid whatever they like is, we tell these young women that their interests are less important than what men like,” writer Sandra Song said.
This concept is, obviously, entirely inaccurate. It’s common practice for men to own an array of jerseys, paint themselves a team’s signature color, and shout from the stands. Men can drop hundreds on fishing lures, concert tickets, golf clubs, or anything that pertains to their select interest while still escaping criticism.
Even further than isolating women, it is a condescending concept that stands to reinforce misogynistic ideas. The title of “fangirl” paints of picture of both a young and naive girl. A census study on popular Korean pop group BTS showed that 49% were ages 18 or older. Regardless, the larger audience of the group is commonly thought to be that of predominantly young women. This misrepresentation is a part of what brings shame to the name of “fangirl.” Many women describe feelings of embarrassment regarding their admission of enjoying BTS, or a similar boyband, because they feel as though participating in fandom is a hobby enjoyed exclusively by crazed teen girls.
The idea that girls somehow like things in a way that is subpar to men perpetuates misogyny is and is discouraging to women everywhere. Feelings of separation between the sexes exists even in fandom, emphasizing the underlying misogyny hiding behind seemingly normal behaviors.
