Fangirls Role In Keeping Pop Culture

It’s nearly impossible to not be a fan of something. Everyone has that one thing - whether it’s a movie, book, TV show, band, or even a celebrity - that makes their heart race a little faster and fill them with a sense of happiness that other things just can’t. Being a fan of something is more than just a love for whatever it is - it’s a bit of an obsession. This preoccupation can be perfectly healthy, although it can go overboard occasionally. Certain subcultures have been created due to this, including that of the “fangirl.” The role of the fangirl is key in keeping pop culture as relevant and interesting as possible; however, due to media stereotypes, sexism, and unintended consequences from the power of the internet, this role is often

Because these feelings become almost universal among the fans, they can easily bond - their like Haenfler tell us, “strong emotional attachments to their team/show/band [allows them to seek] ever new ways to enjoy their fascination with others.” This bond also brings fans together to try and help each other get closer with their idols. For example, this statement is held true when one watches the Crazy about One Direction documentary. In it, the One Direction fans do just about anything and everything possible to get noticed and have the chance to meet the members of the band. But before the creation of “Directioners,” some of the early stages of the fandoms came when huge movies and other productions came out, like in the late 1990s and early 2000s with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Harry Potter series. Even early on though, the fangirl subculture has been extremely female dominated (given the name “fangirl”). This has been one of the reasons media has the tendency to imply that girls are easily obsessed over boy bands or movies and television shows that are male dominated. But the idea of vapid, boy-crazy teen girls being “fangirls” is more of a modern idea. These teen fans offered potential though. In her article the fangirl phenomena, Faith Korpi suggest that people should “consider the very first modern pop superstar: Frank Sinatra.

Crazy about One Direction, the documentary that follows fans through the band’s recent successes, shows viewers the media portrayal of fans: crazy, ridiculous, and overly dedicated (for example, waiting for hours to catch a glimpse of the band, or traveling hours and hours to meet the boys). Karen Ross and Carolyn Byerly, editors from Women and Media International Perspectives, tell us that the dedication of these fans is skewed by the media to seem dumb and wild. However, the media portrayal of big sports fans - who are a type of fangirl in their own - is seen as much more positive and loyal. Their actions are nearly the same - the teen girls waiting outside of a radio station for hours to see a band member, and the surly sports fanatics tailgating for hours outside of the stadium before a big game - but are seen in vastly different lights. Fangirls scream when the favorite band member steps on stage and are seen as dumb and vapid - but sports fans whoop and holler and yell excessively when their teams scores and are seen as supportive and loyal. Even when sports fans cause fights with a rival team’s fans or start riots when their team loses are seen merely as extremely dedicated and passionate about their team. There is an undeniable double standard surrounding fangirls and fans in general, and this divide is only made deeper by the stereotypes the media feeds to