In a world of entertainment dominated by franchises, whether it's Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones or the myriads of others we consume on a daily basis via OTT platforms, being a part of a fandom can mean everything. Now you might think fandoms are something new, but the fact is, as long as there have been stories created and told by storytellers, there have been people who loved engaging with them. A fandom is basically a group of people who share a common interest: in-depth discussion and engagement with a story, its nuances and its impact. In that sense, most literary clubs and even literature departments in colleges and universities are, in a way, fandoms—perhaps of Shakespeare or Austen or Tolkien instead of Stan Lee or Jerry Siegel, but fandoms nevertheless.
In the last two decades, however, millions of people around the world have begun to engage in what is now known as media fandom. According to Delaney P Murray, a researcher from Ohio University who wrote their thesis on media fandoms in the current age, media fandom "has existed as long as art has been readily available to the masses." With the mainstreaming of media, media fandom now not only includes books, comics and graphic novels but also films, television, digital content, podcasts and video games. The people who are a part of this fandom, thanks to the digital revolution, now stand united beyond borders, forming communities that not only engage in discussions about their beloved franchises but also go on to create fan fiction art and novels!
The Growing Power Of Fandoms
But while fandoms are emerging as one of the greatest changemakers and disruptors of the modern media landscape, they are still largely stigmatised and misunderstood. Just think about it. How do you perceive that Avengers fanboy or Witcher fangirl next to you? As a nerd? As someone who is unrealistic, unstable and immature? As a person who likes to stay in their own little world of fantasy or science fiction, whom you wouldn't trust to make any sensible or practical decisions in real life, because all you think they are, are overgrown children in love with stories?
In recent years, fandoms have slowly and steadily climbed out of the margins and largely broken the stigmas around them. This is testament to the power of stories, yes, but also proof of the fact that the knowledge and intellectual status of a fandom is now something that even creators themselves have to take into account.
Thus, now cometh the time of fan service! The change was first registered with the emergence of the Harry Potter franchise and fandoms, where many believed that author JK Rowling engaged in at least some amount of fan service towards the end of the book series--followed by The Fantastic Beasts movie series, which is truly just another way of keeping Harry Potter fans interested in the intellectual property (IP). The Lord of The Rings movies by Peter Jackson, the revitalisation of the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises, Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe transformed the scene completely, with screenwriters and producers starting to cater to audiences comprising of hardcore fans who like to decipher every scene and dialogue (or mid- and post-credits scenes) on Twitter, Reddit, YouTube and other online forums.
Cut to today, when The Witcher series' Netflix adaptation and The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power by Amazon are both buckling under the pressure of fandoms, with their producers rethinking the path these shows will take! Because these IPs have such huge fandoms and generate such a lot of capital for the media industry, fans who previously struggled in the margins of society now have considerable power. Here, the question arises: Do women and LGBTQIA+ voices within these fandoms exercise the same amount of power, or are fandoms still largely male-dominated?
The Role Of Women In Modern Media Fandoms
To be honest, women were largely sexually objectified in most fandoms until very recently. Authors of comics and books which are now considered canon by most fandoms barely paid any attention to female characters beyond creating them largely for the male gaze. Think about the image of women like Princess Leia, Lois Lane, or even Wonder Woman for example. With the feminine presence so sexualized, how did women in fandoms operate? Murray says that despite the sexual objectification, women in fandoms still managed to find their own voice by embarking on personal journeys of sexual discovery and feminine passion. And yet, the internalised misogyny of fandoms limited their scope and right to exercise any power within fandoms.
Murray’s interview subjects highlighted that while fandoms facilitated friendships, passion and creativity among women and LGBTQIA+ persons, they also opened them up to constant battles with bullying, racism, colourism, internalised homophobia and patriarchy. “Fandoms can indeed be a safe space from the judgement of the offline world, but it can also reflect the ugliest parts of a world many fans try to escape for a little while through the things they love,” Murray says. But like in the real world, virtual fandoms have also created subversive spaces occupied largely by women. The introduction of women characters, like Xena: Warrior Princess and the Star Trek franchise, gave women the stimulus they needed to create women-led fandoms.
With the growing voices of women and queer persons within fandoms, especially in the internet age, creators and producers also picked up the trend of exploring femininity, gender identity, character development and presence to cater to these audiences. So, while cultural sexism still pervades the world of fandoms, the addition of female characters with real power in most franchises has empowered women-led fandoms significantly. It might have begun with the reverence of characters like Galadriel, Arwen and Eowyn through Peter Jackson’s LOTR movies, or with the rising popularity of JK Rowling’s leading ladies, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Molly Weasley and Luna Lovegood—but it certainly continued with Marvel and DCEU women like Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Agent Carter, Ms Marvel, Shuri, Sylvie, Wonder Woman, etc. The recent Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie not only represented Black and LGBTIA+ women, but also proudly refused to replace Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther with another man.
In the 2020s, another feature emerged—gender reversals for characters which were basically male in the original IPs. Apple TV’s Foundation, an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s revered books, for example, turned its all-male cast into a women-led one—that too with ample representation of Black women. Amazon’s adaptation of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman reimagined God’s voice, angels and demons as belonging to many genders. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation features gender reversals as well as a highlighted role for leading women like Lady Jessica and Chani. In the recent LOTR: Rings of Power, the producers introduced many women characters who don’t just stand in the shadows of the narrative but play key roles in the plot development. Many works which are densely populated by female and queer characters, like The Witcher, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Shadow & Bone, Sandman, American Gods, etc. are increasingly getting picked up by producers, filmmakers and OTT creators for cinematic adaptation.
Sure, cultural sexism is still something women have to contend with—and this was seen once again when Disney announced that its new take on The Little Mermaid will feature a Black girl with tight curls in the lead. But as the audiences are growing in diversity, and fandoms are increasingly becoming spaces where women’s voices count, there is a huge and palpable shift in the way modern media and pop culture is being perceived. Fandoms are no longer spaces with one gender to rule them all. And that is a change every girl and woman today is totally on board with.