In Defense of Fangirls

What do The Beatles, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Jonas Brothers, and One Direction all have in common? Aside from the swoopy hair and crooning lyrics - they've all been notoriously stalked, screamed at, and loved by the world's strongest empire: Fangirls.

Fangirls often get a lot of slack for their unyielding passion. They're often seen as annoying middle to high school-aged girls, who's passion and energy is tossed aside and marked as hormones and overzealousness.

But what defines a fan?

Isn't a fan seen as someone who's incredibly passionate about something?

For every teenage girl the media mocks, a grown man with his face painted, with colored beads dripping down his chest, with a large number on his chest with a different man's name on his back, thrives.

There is no difference between the two.

Let's look at examples.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

Do you get the point?

It's not just a matter of the "fangirl" aspect either. Teenage girls are often mocked and insulted for their passions. They carry the weight of the world already on their shoulders, and yet the public and the media tear them down. 

And you've seen them. You've seen the "CALM DOWN, GIRLS" comments on videos. You've seen new anchors chuckling at crying girls in the stands.

But grown men with their faces painted are "passionate sports fans!"

It's another cog in the the patriarchal machine that builds the entertainment industry. Girls and women simply cannot passionately love something without there being a repercussion.

So why am I bringing this up?

Teenage girls dominate the Internet. They are the most powerful force that exists for digital marketing. They dictate what's in and what's not. 

This clip from Frontline's 2014 documentary, "Generation Like" goes into depth about the mindset of a teenage girl.

When they are passionate about something, they will drag it to surface. One Direction's career literally would not have existed without fangirls. Their passion for the band grew during their stint on the X-Factor and also what helped them to break America.

It's incredibly disrespectful to negate someone's passions. It's disheartening and offensive to put out someone's fire. This is no different for a teenage girl. They are allowed to like these things.

Because one day, they will be dictating all the things that you like.