My closet has always been filled with my favorite artists and bands scattered around. Taylor Swift shirts, Harry Styles posters, sweatshirts of different tours creating a time capsule of my musical fascinations throughout my life. It made me think about the word “Fangirl” and what that word has meant.
Fangirls are something that have existed forever, take a look at the 1960s and Beatlemania, Elvismania in the 1950s which saw a criticism of Elvis’s performance and music. But today fangirls are something new. The screaming, frenzied hysteria, adoration, and even fainting still remains. The rise of social media allows for the presence of fans to feel ever more present and the breadth of projects to expand even wider.
I myself definitely would consider myself a fangirl, maybe not at all times but I have definitely had moments when I felt like I knew an artist like the back of my hand. That being said, I have always strayed away from using that label because of the ways that being called a fangirl can be an insult.
Often times there is the double standard with fangirls. Critics often times being men considering them “obsessive” and “crazy” when those same actions done by male fans is described as “dedicated”. This hypocrisy is something that has grown in conversation, Taylor Swift’s “Eras tour” which was a celebration of girlhood adorned with cowboy boots, glitter and exchanging friendship bracelets was something that was met both with celebration but also criticism. People spoke of these crowds like the behavior was something crazy. Then months later when sports like football were at a high in their seasons and cities saw actual chaos it was showing how dedicated those fans were.
Singer Role Model- Tucker Pillsbury, in an interview praised his fanbase, calling having a primarily female fanbase “the best case scenario”. He has seen his content spread across social media creating light-hearted content and having humor in his content, which helps avoid taking himself too seriously.
I think I am going to try and go through the rest of my inevitable stages of fandom (currently Role Model, marked by my red zip up with the word DIVA written across it, a find that I got this April at his concert) finding ways to own the term “fangirl” rather than being embarrassed by what it comes off as.