Gatekeeping in Fandoms: How It Contributes to Political Polarization
Fandoms have become an integral part of pop culture, with fans coming together to celebrate their love for a particular TV show, movie franchise, book series, or video game. However, some fans believe that they are the gatekeepers of these fandoms and that they have the right to decide who is a true fan and who isn’t. This phenomenon is called gatekeeping.
Gatekeeping can take many forms – from questioning someone’s knowledge about a particular fandom to excluding them from online communities or events. While it may seem harmless at first glance, gatekeeping has negative consequences that contribute to political polarization.
One way that gatekeeping leads to political polarization is by creating echo chambers within fandoms. When fans only interact with people who share their views and opinions, they become less open-minded and more entrenched in their beliefs. This can lead to hostility towards those who hold different viewpoints.
For example, Star Wars fans have been divided over recent movies in the franchise. Some fans believe that these movies are ruining the legacy of the original trilogy while others see them as necessary additions to the story. In this case, gatekeepers often label those who enjoy the new movies as “fake” fans or not “true” Star Wars enthusiasts.
This kind of behavior discourages healthy debate and discussion among fans and instead creates an environment where dissenting voices are silenced or ignored altogether.
Another consequence of gatekeeping is exclusionary practices within fandoms based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status which further contributes political polarization between various groups within society as well.
For instance: Fans may exclude people from certain social class backgrounds due to lack of knowledge about trends ,styles etc . On another hand excluded individuals may perceive such acts negatively thereby reducing trust level in general public too .
By limiting access to certain groups based on arbitrary criteria like these – including what constitutes a “true” fan or not – gatekeeping perpetuates the stereotypes and biases that divide people.
Moreover, by creating a culture of exclusivity, gatekeeping can undermine the efforts of creators to make their work more inclusive. For example, when fans criticize the diversity in a story as being forced or unnecessary, they are essentially saying that certain groups shouldn’t be represented in media. This attitude is harmful and further divides people along political lines.
So how can we combat gatekeeping within fandoms?
Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge that everyone has different levels of knowledge and passion for any given fandom. Instead of focusing on who is a “real” fan or not, we should celebrate our shared love for these stories and characters.
Secondly, we need to be more open-minded about different interpretations and opinions. Just because someone sees things differently than us doesn’t mean they’re wrong or less worthy of being part of a fandom community.
Thirdly: Fandoms should become more inclusive towards all segments of society irrespective social class , gender , race etc . This would allow safe space for all individuals to express themselves without feeling ostracized from mainstream circles thereby fostering healthy dialogue between individuals which will help combat polarization .
In conclusion: Gatekeeping may seem like harmless fun within fandoms but it actually contributes negatively towards political polarization by making fans less open-minded and dividing them based on arbitrary criteria like gender identity or socioeconomic status . It is essential that fans recognize this issue before it gets worse so future generations can enjoy these stories without fear of exclusionary practices happening amongst fellow fans!