This book follows the ways in which women negotiate and navigate between their feminist identities and their belonging to science fiction fandoms that at times disregard or dismiss them. It explores frictions and discords, including those between feminist women fans and other members in their communities, and between the fan and the object of her fandom. This book examines the intersection of fandom and feminism through the lenses of gender, ethnicity and age, and provides an in-depth and intersectional perspective on fan communities and the layered discrimination and marginalization enfolded in them. Based on 40 in-depth interviews with women fans of Star Wars and Doctor Who, this book highlights the different aspects of a feminist woman fan’s identity: becoming, being, belonging, representing, and reconciling. Each chapter in this book unravels the complexity, ambivalence, and contradictions between feminism and fandom, and reveals the tactics women develop to overcome and harmonize them.
Author(s): Neta Yodovich
Series: Palgrave Fan Studies
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 190
City: Cham
Acknowledgments
Contents
Chapter 1: Introducing Feminism and Fandom
1.1 The I in Belonging: Introducing Identity and the Literature on Belonging
1.2 The I in Feminism? Finding Oneself in the Feminist Community
1.3 There Is No I in Fandom: Gatekeeping in Science Fiction Fan Communities
1.4 Bringing Feminism and Fandom Together
1.5 Methodology
1.6 Terminology
1.7 Structure of the Book
References
Chapter 2: Becoming a Feminist Fan
2.1 “Just like falling in love”: Becoming a Fan
2.2 Practicing Fandom: A Labor of Love?
2.3 From Feminist Mothers to Emma Watson: Becoming a Feminist
2.4 “Before I didn’t care, and now it’s a lot of work”: Practicing Feminism
2.5 Conclusions: Feminist Versus Fan Labor
References
Chapter 3: Being a Feminist Fan
3.1 “I can’t stand here with you, because you don’t see me”: Marrying Feminism and Marginalized Ethnicities
3.2 “Into these boys’ things”: Marrying Fandom and Gender
3.3 “I’m told it’s a white thing”: Marrying Fandom and Ethnicity
3.4 “They’re not making it for us”: Marrying Fandom and Age
3.5 Conclusions: Identities in Crisis
References
Chapter 4: Belonging as a Feminist Fan
4.1 “How dare they?! With their breasts?!”: Gatekeeping of Women Fans
4.2 “Can you move over?”: Gatekeeping of Women Fans of Marginalized Ethnicities
4.3 “Someone’s mom”: Gatekeeping of Older Women Fans
4.4 Conditional Belonging: Proof of Connoisseurship
4.5 Conditional Belonging: The Silencing of Feminism
4.6 Conclusions: Belonging in Crisis
References
Chapter 5: Representing Women and Feminism in Fandom
5.1 Princess Leia/Slave Leia/General Organa: When Sexism Meets Ageism
5.2 Rose Tico and Martha Jones: When Sexism Meets Racism
5.3 The 13th Doctor: When Change Meets Backlash
5.4 Conclusions: Does Representation Matter?
References
Chapter 6: Reconciling Feminism and Fandom
6.1 “Nothing is perfect”: Reconciling Fandom and Feminism Through Narrative Tactics
6.2 “Bloody patriarchy, let’s write some fanfic to correct it”: Reconciling Feminism and Fandom Through Practice Tactics
6.3 Conclusions: Living a Fannish, Feminist Life
References
Chapter 7: Finding a Space(ship) of One’s Own
7.1 What Can We Learn from the Case of Feminist Women Fans?
7.2 Limitations
7.3 Looking Forward
References
Index
