I enjoy video games, cartoons, and reading books like every other person in the world. Sometimes so much that I like to see what a fandom has to offer. I see fandoms as little communities where people discuss the original ideas along with their own perceptions along with works of art or fanfiction. A fandom can be really awesome; I’ve seen many people (including myself) make friends online from all around the world because of a common interest. But a fandom can also be a very dark place filled with negativity and unnecessary criticism. I’ve seen the better sides of a fandom mostly but because good things do sometimes come to an end, here are a few things that I wish fandoms would stop doing.
1. Getting Upset Over Someone’s Opinion
Okay, so while I love Kingdom Hearts, I feel like the story is too long. It doesn’t need twenty games to tell its point. However, some people love that about the series and you know what? I respect that. I respect that because even though we have different opinions about a game, we can both agree that we enjoy it for what it is. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people jump down someone’s throat because they didn’t like a certain scene or character. We’re allowed the freedom of not agreeing or liking the same thing, and that's absolutely okay. Seriously. It's okay to not agree.
2. Policing What Can Happen to Characters in Fanfiction, Fan-Art, Etc.
So in fandoms, there is canon and headcanon. Canon is what is factual in the fictional universe while headcanon is something that a fan has made up due to creativity or wanting to fill in a loophole of some sort. I’ve seen beautiful headcanons, read beautiful fanfiction, and eyed beautiful fanart, but boy do I hate it when someone comes out and starts with, “You can’t do that!” or “You’re white-washing a character!” or even “That character isn’t depicted as fat/skinny/etc. so don’t draw them that way!”. I understand wanting to respect the main storyline or artwork, but when a person spends years learning to write and draw what they love, they are given the creative freedom to do as they pleased. Because they worked for it and because, well, they just can.
3. Kink-Shaming and Bullying Other Fans
Now, let me be the first to say that I have read and seen some things that have peeked my interest (but I’ll never tell!) and that’s fine. I am human and I am allowed to like what I like as long as I am not hurting anyone. After being on Tumblr for a couple of years now, I have learned that some people invest in certain kinks because it helps them cope with past trauma. Is it true? I don’t know, but you know what else? It’s not my business. It literally pisses me off when people try to dictate what a person should like or write or be into. Not everyone enjoys a kink because of a traumatic past (and even if they did, they don’t need to justify that to ANYONE EVER) and what exactly is the point of kink-shaming? You mean to tell me that people actually have a good time trampling on someone else’s fun even when no one is being hurt just because? There are people in this world accusing others of being apologists, pedophiles, and all other vile things because of fictional kinks. Now THAT’S a shame.
4. Forgetting About Reality
I think this is the most important part. I realize that some people spend all day on the computer. I understand that for some, a fandom is literally a sanctuary from everyday life. I can relate, I really can. But I think it is truly imperative for people to understand that at the end of the day, all that we love is merely fictional work. What people create through drawings, writings, or any other creative way does not truly hurt a person – maybe in the soul but not physically. Maybe some ideas are a bit more twisted than others and some works can be more adult-rated than someone realized, but it is YOUR responsibility as a fan to look through a fandom at your own comfort. There is no one reason someone has to suffer liking what they like because you don’t. No one needs to censor their work of art just for your sake. Life is hard for everyone, and sometimes creating things for a fandom is all they really have. Everyone is different and no one likes the exact same thing, but just let the creativity happen if it isn’t truly hurting anyone and if it is hurting you, then protect yourself.
A fandom is supposed to be like a second home.
Please be more human and more sensible about it.
