Fangirls Have It Figured Out Better than the Rest of Us
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Recently, I saw a TikTok highlighting the blatant sexism conveyed in shaming fangirls. The official Merriam-Webster definition describes a fangirl as “a girl or woman who is an extremely and overly enthusiastic fan of someone or something". Meanwhile, it's chalked up to "boys will be boys" when grown men paint their faces and bodies and have temper tantrums over a sports match. Loving any or all those things isn’t wrong; however, it is difficult to argue that one should be considered ‘immature’ or ‘hysterical’ over the other – which it often is when women are involved. As a former fangirl who is daily reclaiming what she was passionate about in childhood, I’m making my case for why the word shouldn’t carry such negative connotations.
Fangirls, or teenage girls in general, have a huge impact on what is relevant in pop culture. While it's true that not everything is created nor intended for that crowd, I can't help but notice when random companies (like DuoLingo) go viral because they've figured out how to target that demographic. Whether it be a company's urgency to expand to relevant social media, the unspoken rule to always wear a feather boa or a cowboy hat to a Harry Styles concert, or the resurgence of Team Edward shirts, the fangirl controls the conversation.
Image Courtesy: CBS News
In addition to the fangirl’s unmatched ability to dictate trends and make their passion everyone else’s problem, they also have a reach like none other. Fangirls are often activists, whether of their own accord or because that someone or something they are passionate about taught them to be. When a fangirl's focus shifts to a meaningful cause, they're damn good at enacting change. Whether it be in their local or online spheres, no one has mastered the art of talking about what is important to them quite like fangirls. While it goes without saying that they do not always get it right, there is something to be said about how they are underestimated because of their age, interests, and gender.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
It is my firm belief that fangirls who don’t allow their passion to get beaten out of them have a future free of 9-5’s and cubicles. They end up in their dream jobs doing work they’re proud of with skills they’ve sharpened for years. As my friends and I near post-grad, I look to them to see where their love for One Direction, Twilight, and Law and Order comes into play in their studies and aspirations. One of them, at 19 years old, plans to visit London this summer and scope out where she’ll be working her PR internship, the other runs a successful book Instagram which some of her favorite authors have followed and given thanks for her reviews, and my roommate was so moved by the character Casey Novak from SVU in her youth that at 21, she’s studying daily for her bar exam.
As I mentioned, much of my college career consists of reclaiming the things that inspire me and make me happy. I'm allowing my love for pop culture and extensive knowledge of celebrities to lead me into a career path. Specifically, a career path where my inner fangirl is appreciated and helps me find work that I am passionate about.
Strike Out,
Writer: Addy Crosby
Editors: Karina McCarthy & Lexi Fernandez
Tallahassee