Looking beyond the toxicity of stan culture

If you have ever come across a meme that's making fun of big names such as BTS, Taylor Swift, or Nicki Minaj, there's a good chance they are accompanied by hordes of fans, or "stans", flooding the comment section in protest. More often than not, it gets pretty toxic in there, with fans and haters engaging in a complete verbal bloodbath. This is not healthy or productive for either party and makes the internet a more unsafe and hostile place for everyone. But is every stan toxic? How does prejudice play into this? And can stans be source of good, too?

Firstly, the term "stan" is a combination of the words "fan" and "stalker", coined by Eminem back in 2000 in his song with the same name. Although not all stans are stalkers, you can still get an idea of how dedicated these people are to their favourite artists and their work from their association with this word. They've channelled their dedication in online spheres, often creating lively communities, hosting events, and doing free promotion for their idols.

However, as we all know, this is not necessarily what they're known for, and instead it's the toxic behaviour of many members of these communities that has landed them their notoriety.

Stan culture is not an entirely new phenomenon either. It is the most recent iteration of modern celebrity worship, something that goes back to the time of The Beatles, whose fans were known for their obsession with the band members, or "Beatlemania". The same was the case for more recent acts such as One Direction and Justin Bieber, whose fans had participated in their fair share of parasocial relationships.

Interestingly, one common thread between these often-vilified fandoms and stans is that they're predominantly female, usually teenagers. This adds a sexist angle to the situation when you realize that men also engage in their own forms of obsessive fandoms, be it for sports, video games, or certain infamous podcasters, yet don't get nearly as much hate for it. This is despite the fact that these male-dominated fandoms often get involved in actual violence like sports riots, while many video games are notorious for their toxic player base.

So, why is the mainstream ire directed towards only female stans? It is clear that neither gender has a monopoly on toxicity, just that the toxicity manifests in different areas.

Furthermore, there can be positive aspects to stan culture and fan communities as well. For instance, K-Pop stans have proven themselves to be adept in organised activism, sabotaging political rallies by signing up for them in droves but never showing up, taking over social media platforms with viral hashtags, and crowdfunding for various charities and causes. Video game communities have also made significant contributions to social welfare, through fundraisers and charity events, often led by popular players and streamers. This just goes to show that fan communities are not all bad, and we shouldn't paint all their members with the same brush and brandish them as toxic.

Therefore, despite the presence of many rotten apples, fandoms can be a great way for young people to find a place of belonging and contribute to society, and it's about time we stop ignoring the positives and give credit where it's due.

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