#on fandom ageism

[letteredlettered]

Genuine question: where did the perception that fandom is for young people come from? When I first got into fandom it was mostly middle aged ladies. Fandom as we think of it today was invented by middle aged ladies; AO3 was invented by people who certainly weren't kids or teens.

Like I get there is both sexism and ageism involved--adult women aren't supposed to have hobbies etc etc, but presumably in, say, knitting fandom, the sexist and ageist comments aren't, "knitting is for young people and you're creepy to want to discuss knitting online." Presumably the vitriol is about wasting time or something, because as we all know the stereotype about knitting is that it's for little old ladies.

My question is how (and when) did the stereotype about fandom become that fandom is for young people?

[the-pen-pot]

I don't think it's millennials who ruin fandom. I think it's people like this who cannot get over their ageist, bullshit prejudices and decide they're the fandom police.

[mataglap]

whenever some dumbass teenager posts about how adults having hobbies and participating in fandoms are cringe, there are always voices amidst the backlash asking “why do you engage with a child’s opinion?” well, maybe because adulthood is a neverending struggle bus of trying to keep yourself and your loved ones fed, clothed, housed and healthy, and then along comes a dipshit who has never in their life had to worry about any of these things, and tries to tell you you’re not allowed to partake in activities that have been keeping you sane for all these years, and as they say in my native tongue: a switchblade opens in your pocket.

[johanirae]

“Why are you in fandom if you are in your 40s?!”

It’s actually immensely liberating, because you encounter fandom bullshit, decide you are way too old to engage with wankery and just block them. 👍

[mxtxfanatic]

Fandom Grips #25: Nah cause why did I just remember that there are unserious people in this fandom who truly believe that Wei Wuxian would make a bad parent because he’s a “danger around kids,” with their only evidence being that he got angry in A-Yuan’s presence once (not angry at A-Yuan, mind you; he got angry and, unrelatedly, A-Yuan was present). This same fandom that says that whipping children, slapping them in the face, or yelling about how worthless and unloveable they are is just “regular (Asian) parenting.” Imma need y’all to start adding “I think child abuse is when someone I don’t like is near a child” to your posts and bios so the rest of us can easily identify how much of a clown you are and move accordingly.

[the-dracologist]

Throwback to that time I got kicked out of an “inclusive” fandom server because women apparently aren’t supposed to have hobbies after turning 25

[inevitably-johnlocked]

I find it really cool that someone who is 40 enjoys things like these. Usually people at age 40 would be looking at me like I'm some dissappointing alien if I showed them my interests like fics (I'm 20) 🥲 I'm not ready to be judged

Hey Nonny *HUGS*

Y'know, it makes me so sad that the younger fandom folks genuinely believe us older folks just... disappear from fandom after a certain amount of time, it's kind of a really weird sort of ageism. I'm not sure why people think that you have to stop liking things after a certain age... when in reality getting older is fantastic because I can now engage in my fandom life without giving two flying figs about the drama of it all, really.

I'm sorry you've had that sort of experience, Lovely, where you've been shamed for just being a human being. Gatekeeping and ageism is so fucking weird to me, really. It gets better as you get older, because your skills have improved (whether it's critical thinking, art, or writing, etc) and you can really enjoy your free time however you want whenever you want.

Just saying, I'd love to know where these younger folks think their 200K epic, well-written favourite fanfics come from. Is all I'm saying, heh.

And Nonny? There are far more 30+ people in this and EVERY fandom than y'all realize <3 And we all love our little beans coming in to enjoy it with the rest of us <3

[femme-dor]

It’s gross how the main problem people have with the upcoming Barbie film is age. Not Production, not if the cast is capable of portraying the characters, not who’s directing…just age.

Margot Robbie is 32, nowhere close to being old, but chronically online children who have been convinced that life ends after 25 are disgusted she’s playing Barbie because she “isn’t young enough”. This is heartbreaking, extremely toxic, & especially telling as any Barbie fan would tell you that Barbie Dolls are made in a lot of age demographics, and as of these recent years, body types. Also Barbie was literally created by an adult woman I’m….-

I would say you obviously young women need chill with your incredibly high expectations about this movie of a doll franchise meant for little girls, but what y’all need to do is stop pretending to go hard for women’s youth & beauty not depreciating after 25, only to admit you’d think Barbie would be “less ugly” if the actress was 19.

[hyperlexichypatia]

I was thinking about how the social consequences of J.K. Rowling's own ideology would absolutely prevent her literary success from happening today -- and I don't mean "Now that people know she's transphobic, they don't like her books anymore" or even "She built her story on broad themes of liberalism and diversity, but has now aligned with the fascist far-right."

I mean that a big part of the success of Harry Potter came from its adult audience and cross-age appeal. Adults and kids and teens were openly reading and talking about and socializing over a book series marketed as middle-grade, and it was okay. Sure, there were some articles about adults being embarrassed to read a kids' book, and some stuffed-shirt opinion pieces about how Adults Should Read Serious Adult Books. But for the most part, it was okay.

This led to a boom in juvenile and young adult books with broad cross-age appeal, Twilight and Percy Jackson and Hunger Games and Throne of Glass. There was a real glimmer of hope of breaking down strict age categories in media in general and books in particular.

We could've made progress with that. It could've been beautiful.

Instead, we got hit with a massive wave of transphobia, queerphobia, "Think of the children" sex panic. Book bans, Qanon, "saving our girls," Moms for Liberty, conspiracy theories. The biggest Stranger Danger Pedo Panic since satanic ritual abuse. Infiltrating culture so much that queer progressives unironically believe in this pedo panic narrative completely oblivious to its right-wing origins.

Meaning that, to "protect children," many public libraries now ban childless adults from browsing the children's and young adult sections. Sure, they often have "exceptions" for things like people doing research, but that's not the point. It's not about rule enforcement or exceptions. It's about setting a cultural tone that adults sharing physical or cultural space with children are to be viewed with suspicion.

The queerphobia-to-pedo-panic pipeline, which Rowling has gleefully ridden, has ruined the cross-age-fandom phenomenon she helped build. You couldn't have a Harry-Potter-type cultural phenomenon today, because adults and kids aren't even allowed to browse bookshelves together, let alone build the kind of cross-age online fandom communities we had. 2024 culture would have a heart attack and call the police if they saw my 2003 browser history. Adults and kids, talking about the same books, together? Sharing fanfic? Unthinkable!

[cryptidanathema]

Everyone who thinks people over the age of 25 that still have hobbies are inherently predatory creeps, enjoy the excruciating existential crisis you're gonna give yourself in 3-7 years 🎉

[shu-of-the-wind]

gonna fuckin fight some children again so here we go:

people older than 20 get to be in fandom. people older than 25 get to be in fandom. people older than 30 get to be in fandom. you know who writes those 100k+ magical fanfics that you consume, for free?? adults. you know who has protected, shepherded, and guided fandom for DECADES, starting in the days of zines that were sent secretly in snail mail because we didn't have online communities? ADULTS. you know what KIND of adults in particular were pioneers of fandom?? ADULT FUCKING WOMEN. women in their thirties. women in their forties. women in their fifties, sixties, and seventies.

it's one thing if someone is being predatory towards young people online and they are an adult. it is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING if a grown-ass person is just sitting and having fun in fandom and children come into our inboxes and tell us we shouldn't be here. child, YOU would not be here if not for us. I as a thirty year old genderqueer would not be here if not for MY fandom elders guiding me and keeping me safe through my DECADES on this godforsaken fucking website and in fandom generally. you know who protected me and helped me learn how to be a positive influence in my fandom spaces??? ADULTS IN FANDOM.

so sit your asses down and learn something.

[simandy]

I always think about remaking my twitter account but then i remember twitter people exist and....

[fictionkinfessions]

A lot of people in the fandom hate me and to be fair it’s because I’m one of the antagonists but also. Have you never been a teenager. Have you never been an adolescent ever in your life. “What the fuck is her problem” the problem is just being like 16. This is normal.

x

[catgirl-catboy]

Fuck it.

I was going to wait until post notifs can be turned off, but nah.

Minors: You can't cry ageism whenever you get treated like a kid, but also expect random ass adults on the internet to parent you.

Part of parenting is teaching kids that sometimes life isn't about their opinions, so in that aspect I'm doing a decent job in an area your parents are clearly neglecting if you are old enough to use the internet and think you are the fucking boss of strangers.

And guess what? You can't decide when you do and don't want to be parented. Life does not work that way.

If I wanted a kid, I'd adopt one. I'm not being paid to babysit you. This blog is a hobby I run on my own free time, and you aren't entitled to moderate it for me.

If you are a teen on the internet and want to be treated as an equal, stop acting like a toddler. I do treat teens with respect. But those specific teens earned it first, the same way the adults I treat with respect on this site earned it first.

And also? Don't bring up my age in an argument if you don't want me to bring up yours. -_-

[calypsolemon]

im soooo /srs rn, you will start drawing morro as an old man in your "morro never died" aus or else your soul shall be cursed in his place

[insomniamamma]

Oh he's had work done, he's had a chemical peel, i need his skincare routine--

you know what? Shut the entire fuck up. 49 is not old. Stop acting like it is.