1. HYSTERIA
One of the major reasons why it is important to talk about fanboys is simply to debunk myths surrounding a woman’s body by showing that fangirls and fanboys are pretty much the same. Hysteria, or the unmanageable excess of emotions, comes from the Greek word hystera meaning “uterus.” Its etymological root connects hysteria to “a disease of the womb” which of course only happened to women (brilliant medical science at work here). Even now, medical discourse still treats hysteria as a “woman’s” disease and whenever you have to diss a fandom, just say that dismissive insult — “It’s just a bunch of pre-teen hysterical fangirls anyway.”
In such a case, talking about fanboy culture, about fanboying, flailing, about fanboy hysteria is important because it helps to create a distinction between a social and a medical hysteria, and de-stigmatizes social hysteria by portraying it as a gender-neutral “disease.” We all know that K-pop fanboying is way different than the kind which happens in football – the chest thumping, testosterone overflowing, monkey noise making – and involves a certain degree of blind idolization irrespective of the gender of the idol. At the end of the day, we are all the “senpai, notice me” sorts because senpai, and only senpai can validate our existence.
2. MASCULINITY
One of the most crucial aspects of appreciating fanboys is studying their masculinity. While several types of femininities are being explored to be wielded as a tool for self-empowerment, change cannot come only from women; it should also come from men. This change is only possible when men are exposed to a variety of acceptable masculinities i.e, anything which doesn’t scream aggressive heterosexuality, hyper-masculine bodies, misogyny…basically Frat Boy culture.
Of course the existence of hysteric fanboys ties up to this new concept of masculinities which also includes an overwhelming love for male idols as well. This love for male idols is not only in terms of “the-brother-I-admire” but also in terms highly romantic and eroticized. Do the fanboys have the freedom yet to yell that they would do a male idol in the blink of an eye? Not yet (hinting towards the existence of a heteronormative and homophobic culture both within and outside of the fandom) but even confessing that a male idol is good-looking on a public forum is a big thing. The flip side to this is that often their proclamations of love are not taken seriously, relegated to a joke but I’d rather have it at least existing as a joke than not exist at all.
While it is not a myth that male fandoms often look at female idols as sex objects which is why there is never a static, loyal male fandom, there are religiously loyal fanboys. Indeed it is a problematic that there is no cult of ardent fanboys but it is worth appreciating the individual ones because it is important to acknowledge the existence of hardcore fanboys at least for a week. This may lead to more such loyal fanboys coming out of the closet, it may also lead to dudebro fanboys shedding the facade of hegemonic masculinity and accepting a subversive form of masculinity.
3. CRITIQUING FANBOYS
Now it would be stupid to say that fanboys are flawless, that it is all hunky-dory in this marginalized sector of K-pop. There is rampant misogyny in their discourse both against female idols and against female fans. There is an all-pervading sense of homophobia where a large majority fanboys think before they flail over male idols, and even when they flail it is restricted to critical appreciation of the male idol’s looks and talents. They do contribute in creating unsafe virtual spaces sometimes by directly contributing to the abuse and sometimes tangentially, by not protesting against it.
HOWEVER, criticism is only possible when we have acknowledged their existence. Acknowledged their existence not as perpetual offenders but as members of a huge family, members who earn more questioning glances than fellow fangirls. Only when we realize that fanboys are not deviants can we reach out and say – “Listen, maybe you should reconsider this…”
4. CONTROL OVER DISCOURSE
Finally, who are the ones even writing about fanboys? Fangirls. While it may look like a very insignificant point, it is in fact, highly important that the gender of the author of the articles, not only on this site but across all K-pop sites, be taken into account. If at the end of the day, fangirls get to decide exactly how the world at large should look at fanboys, get to create narratives for their plight then believe me, that’s one of the finest way of subverting the history of men appropriating women’s discourse. We write your stories!
It’s not merely writing about fanboys, it’s also the presence of a vocabulary which largely pertains only to the female audience. “Ovaries boom!”, “Feels”, etc. are strictly related to women in their origins, and only a variant of it is used for fanboys. Woman is the norm, and a SPECIAL week dedicated to fanboys only solidifies the fact. So if anyone is even slightly bothered that fanboys are being given a liminal spotlight, PUH-LEASE calm down, and think. It’s most probably for your benefit.
But if anyone does want to have a contention with a special focus on fanboys then it can be this — Are penises the only requirement for being a fanboy? Similarly, is a vagina the sole requirement for being a fangirl? It is valid and necessary to question the ways the fandom works strictly within gender binaries, giving the Queer population the customary nod only during talks about same-sex shipping. Just as it is usually thought that fanboys don’t constitute a proper fandom rendering them potentially invisible, the Queer population is treated the same. In addition, there is also a growing “bro culture” discourse; a discourse which allows women entry only if they are “bro” enough, isolating themselves as exclusively “male” doing pretty much what “fangirls” are being accused of.
Therefore, I would LOVE it if anyone has a problem with the narrow conception of “fanboy” in this Fanboy Appreciation Week but if your problem is fanboys to begin with then I am sorry, you fail to see the larger narrative at work here.
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Check out our other stories from Fanboy Appreciation Week, including 8 Things You Should Never Say to a Fanboy, Fanboys Caught on Camera, rappers Dumbfoundead and Rekstizzy talk about their favorite groups, When Idols Become Fanboys, and Why Being a Fanboy is Better Than Being A Fangirl. We’ve got one more surprise for you guys!
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