dizzojay | Snowflake challenge

Challenge 15

In your own space, opine on the Future of Fandom. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

After Supernatural ended, I was prepared for the fact that the fandom would dwindle, and that many of us would go our separate ways. Many fandoms have the strength and cohesion to continue long after their media has ended and I was hoping that Supernatural would be one of them.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the sheer toxicity that would tear the fandom apart after the show ended. It seems that there is a particularly vocal sector of the Spn fandom that aren’t happy unless they’re spreading hate and negativity because others’ interpretation of – for instance - the ending of Supernatural, or J2’s relationship, or Dean and Castiel’s relationship doesn’t conform with theirs. I don’t know whether they’re the biggest section of fandom, or just the noisiest, but not a day goes by that I don’t hear of some new target for their rage.

Not believing that Dean and Castiel are in a sexual relationship does not make one homophobic, but that’s a charge they love to throw around, particularly at Jensen because he doesn’t humour them or their crap.

And on that subject, the hate toward actors is particularly worrisome. There have even been death threats. Anyone who follows my journal will know that I’m a Jensen girl. But I have nothing but respect and affection for Jared and Misha too. Why shouldn’t I? They’ve never done anything to hurt me. But these people are seemingly incapable sharing the love.

Destiel fans are hating on Jared, Misha fans are hating on J2, Jared fans are hating on Jensen and Misha. It’s pathetic to be splintering into factions and screaming over something so pointless as a fictional TV programme and professional actors who earn a living pretending to be someone else.

I have very little experience of other fandoms, so I don’t know if this kind of infantile and dangerous behaviour is common, but if it is, I don’t see a bright future for fandom. I sincerely hope I’m wrong, because twelve of the happiest years of my life have been because I discovered Supernatural and its fandom. I have kept out of the way of all this toxicity and blanketed myself with fantastic people, who radiate light and humour, many of whom have become lifelong friends. That’s why I’m not active on Twitter and I refuse to have a Tumblr account

I hate the howler monkeys that create all this mayhem because they and their petty personal shit-throwing vendettas have vandalised something that was so precious to me.

I will continue to enjoy fandom in my own way, and with my own people, so despite everything I’ve just said I’m not going anywhere. I won’t let them win.