Introduction: The Reactionary in the Fan and the Fan in the Reactionary

Abstract

This special issue explores the intersection of reactionary politics and fandom. Fandom has traditionally been thought of as progressive, but this has been limited and limiting. Moreover, considerations of the relationship between politics and fandom have especially focused on democratization and new media–enabled participation. However, it is important to expand our understanding to other aspects of politicization. This introduction situates the issue in relation to foundations of fan studies, examinations of political fandom and fannish politics, and growing recognition of inequality and conflict in fandom. These considerations are important in an era in which fandoms have increasingly overtly embraced reactionary politics and reactionary politics has increasingly taken fannish forms. It is this intersection of the reactionary and the fannish that this special issue seeks to unravel.

Cosplay on Demand? Instagram, OnlyFans, and the Gendered Fantrepreneur

“…The attacks were couched in ethical frameworks, but employed harassment, doxing, and silencing tactics across platforms to push back against any effort perceived to decenter white men, demonstrating what Blodgett notes as a "toxic and angry mindset of entitled masculinity" aligned with alt-right and manosphere discourse (Blodgett, 2020). This type of conflict is part of the growing visibility of reactionary fandom, which Stanfill notes reminds us to push back on narrow interpretations of fandom as a space for "progressive" or transformative work (Stanfill, 2020).…”

Who is the Counterpublic? Bromance-as-Masquerade in Chinese Online Drama—S.C.I. Mystery

“…BL fandom embodies subcultural resistance to heterosexist regimes that attempt to enforce notions of normativity and restrict access to media representation of any queer-related content (Wood 2013). “To position fandom as resistant (rightly or wrongly) is to stake a case for it as political” (Stanfill 2020, 126). As Yang and Xu (2016b) have suggested, under the censorship regime in mainland China, fans have mostly taken up what James Scott (1985, 241) has called “the weapons of the weak,” that is, “cautious resistance and calculated conformity.” We believe that this description can also apply to S.C.I.’s bromance-as-masquerade strategy: it can be seen as a passive form of resistance which aims to safeguard its access to the public, in order to increase the visibility of the BL subculture.…”

“…The practice of reimagining media texts to better meet fans’ needs can be regarded as a form of resistance to existing power structures—as political (Stanfill 2020). In the Chinese media context, the practice of adapting BL fictions can be construed as a battle between production houses, BL fandom, and political power aligned with conservative ideology.…”

“The Fans of Michael Jackson v Wade Robson and James Safechuck”: Forensic Fandom and the Staging of a Media Tribunal

“…The third section then follows Cornelia Vismann’s analysis of the role of media in the judicial system (2011) and argues that the videos represent a “media tribunal” that ultimately is directed to present and potential accusers, trying to silence them by showing the repercussions they will face if they come forward. The biased discreditation of Jackson’s accusers thus highlights the toxic and regressive potential of fan culture (Proctor & Kies, 2018; Stanfill, 2020).…”

“…Of course, fans have the right to critically evaluate the allegations and seek evidence for arguments in defense of the singer. Yet, the tone of the abovementioned project is an example that challenges fan studies' preferred narrative of fandom as progressive (Stanfill, 2020). By staging the media tribunal against Robson and Safechuck, fans participate in a discourse of delegitimization that is primarily based on denying victims a voice and disregarding the systemic nature of sexual abuse within the entertainment industry and celebrity culture.…”