Women in Fandom: Participation Patterns and Perceived Authenticity

• Published in: Psychology of popular media 2024-07, Vol.13 (3), p.529-533
• Main Authors: Correa-Chávez, Maricela, Kohfeldt, Danielle, Nguyen, John
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Authenticity; Communities; Female; Human; Human Females; Male; Mass Media; Participation; Popular Culture
• ISSN: 2689-6567; 2689-6575
• DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000470

In this study, 305 participants (61% women; 75% White) reported on the fan activities in which they engaged, including consuming and/or creating affirmational content (e.g., character analysis), consuming and/or creating transformational content (e.g., fan art), and consuming and/or creating mimetic content (e.g., cosplay). Results from this study run counter to the idea that men and women participate differently in fandom. Here, women engaged in more fan activities overall. Women created more affirmational content than men and consumed affirmational content at the same rate as men. Women engaged in more transformational fan activities, both consuming and creating. Women also created more mimetic content. However, despite their participation, women were also more likely to report that they were not perceived as "authentic" fans within their communities. Public Policy Relevance StatementIn this survey, women reported higher rates of participation in fan activities compared to men but also reported more instances where their authenticity as a fan had been questioned compared to the men in this study. The results may point to the changing demographics of fan communities and to how previous gendered forms of participation in fandom may be changing.