Radio Show: The Fandom Closet

[keiramarcos]

Are you in the closet when it comes to Fandom? We're going to talk about embracing fandom, reasons to hide, the judgement of others and general f*ckery this evening.

Callers and chat questions are welcome.

Discussion: fan-shaming, cosplay, gender roles in fandom, and hiding something super important to you.

You can also ask questions here!

Comments

[kazbaby]

Not really a question but a comment on the subject. I figured I'd leave this here since I'll be at work and unable to participate.

I've never been ashamed of my fannish loves but I stopped trying to get my family to enjoy the things I do or create. I'd try and share the (gen or het) things I created in artwork or videos but it was always met with: 'why are you wasting your time? you're not getting paid for this.' Especially from my mom. Now my dad, he got the artistic side of me and encouraged me (he even tried to give me fanfic or video ideas) since his side of the family have been amature artists, musicians and writers going back generations. But he didn't quite get the point of participating in fandom, what he did understand was that I found other people to connect with and he was happy for me since I've never made friends easily. He also understood that I was learning to do new things that made me happy that I might never have explored and that gave it me a sense of peace I wasn't getting out of RL because it was an outlet. Plus, he was a Trekkie, and loved sci-fi and he was glad one of his kids was able to enjoy that with him.

[vasaris.livejournal.com]

Your dad is awesome.

[vasaris.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I've never been into a lot of fandom stuff. I read fanfic, I've written it, and I enjoy discussions about works I see or read or whatever. Sadly, I've often been turned off by the behavior of people in herds. People in herds act like the least mature individual. Childish, selfish, mean spirited, and spiteful -- and I say that as someone who has been a member of Fandom Wank (which wasn't the most PC place in the universe when I was there, but if fandom insists on providing performance art on the internet, fandom needs to accept that the internet is a public space where everyone can see it... and boggle).

I know not all fandoms, or corners thereof, are terrible. Sometimes really amazing things and acts of generosity come out of fandom. I'd still rather just not know I'm breaking some jerk's heart by using Real Latin in lieu of of BioWare's bastardized version in Dragon Age, or argue my interpretation of character or world building with rabid fanpoodles. It's not worth my time.

jealous bitches

[obsesdromantic.livejournal.com]

Hey. I was listening to your radio show about the fandom closet as a podcast today. I agree w/everything. Because youre brilliant like that. One thing I think you overlooked, though. Maybe those critical, petty, entitled people throw such an epic fit over characters not being portrayed how they like and pairings being an equal partnership is because they can't write it. They can't write a mature, equal relationship. So they cast the women how they are in their fave soaps (I'm guessing). They can't write a real slash pairing, so they degrade and demean one so that it's basically one man w/his fuck toy. They can't write any kind of believable, real character that isn't a reflection of themselves, so they critisize anyone who can.

Or maybe they're just assholes.

Re: jealous bitches

[keiramarcos]

That's pretty deep but they're pretty shallow. You're probably giving them more credit than they deserve BUT we shouldn't dismiss this valid theory out right.

Also, yes, of course they're assholes.