By Julia Kemp
“Why do they hate the things that I love?” I asked myself as I watched my passions and inspirations ripped apart by faceless trolls online. As a young girl in a world obsessed with image, specifically the image of what a perfect girl should be, I’ve found myself faced with a heartbreaking reality: everything that teenage girls love is undeniably hated by everyone else. Whether it be for a love of One Direction, Twilight, or Taylor Swift, teenage girls seem to fall under the constant scrutiny of the public for their interests. This hatred can be traced back to the phenomenon of Beatlemania in the 1960’s, where female Beatles fans, who swooned and screamed and fainted over the band members, were ridiculed and mocked for their obsession. It can be argued, however, that the loud, frenzied reaction to the Beatles was a form of sexual liberation for fans who experienced the rigid double standard placed on women of the time. The standards, which expected women to align with beauty standards, be perfect wives and mothers, and enter the workforce, ultimately led to the second wave of feminism, and with it a free and unashamed passion for common female interests like the Beatles. It’s no question why the loud and passionate Beatlemania—an extension of the sexual liberation of women—was met with criticism: the second wave of feminism in the 1960s posed a threat to the enduring patriarchial society in America, and ridculing the Beatles fangirls was a way for men to scapegoat liberized women. Now the question remains: is today’s customary hatred for perhaps corny or irritating media simply because the media is corny or irritating, or is it because everything having to do with young women, including the media that they consume, is conditioned to be commonly hated by everyone else?
Perhaps one reason why young girls so often connect with similar artists or movies is because of the systemic, sexist conditions placed upon women from an extremely young age. Be smart… but not too smart. Be romantic… but don’t throw yourself at people. Be pretty… but don’t try too hard to be pretty. Under the stress of a constant effort to stay within the boundaries of a “perfect girl,” of course a teenager would find comfort in Justin Beiber’s promise: “if you let me inside your world, there’ll be one less lonely girl.” However, after a struggle to be the idealistic girl who fits every outrageous social rule and expectation, young teens find themselves met with the same painful fate that girls have faced since the Beatlemania epidemic: death by a thousand haters.
The people who criticize fangirls might have reason to dislike female interests. The hysterical obsessions that lead to stalking or creepy fanfiction surely provide cause for reasonable criticism. However, the root of the word “hysterical” itself shows the sexist rationality behind the condemnation of fangirls. Created in the 16th and 17th centuries, “hysteria” initially meant a condition in which a woman’s uterus “wanders about the body,” causing delirium and irritability. Not only is the creation of the word “hysteria” built on extreme sexism and a lack of knowledge of female anatomy, but also it creates a suffocating environment for women today. Men cannot be hysterical. When they burn down buildings after their favorite football team loses, or throw tantrums at the tennis courts, men are not met with the same criticism as a woman screaming her head off when Zayn leaves One Direction. While men rave over the genius of The Godfather, women are chastised for their admiration of Mean Girls. The impossibility for men to be called “hysterical” shows that the hatred for female media has nothing to do with the media itself, but with sexist views toward young girls.
One of the most harmful parts about sexism in pop culture today is how it influences the way that young girls treat each other. Girls who reject popular female media to avoid the scrutiny of the public end up scrutinized just the same. The “I’m-not-like-other-girls” trend is nothing but a desperate response to the immense sexism that young women face, yet other girls constantly mock those who reject “girly” interests on social media. Though they strive to escape the hatred, women still find themselves ridiculed online, with “pick me girls” and “tomboys” made fun of equally, if not more severely, than those who love media that is categorized specifically for women. This shows that young women cannot escape the sexist attitude toward them. No matter what they do, teen girls are stuck in a cycle of hatred brought about by a patriarchal society where men are not the only ones doing the hating.
Overall, I’ve found that in American society there is no correct way to be a girl: there are only ways to fail. Whether they obsess over common female interests or avoid female interest to escape hatred, young girls are faced with the constant condemnation of sexist opinions. Is there a way, as a girl, to enjoy pop culture without facing judgment? Is there a way to like what you like and dislike what you dislike? I believe that, though some modern forms of media might be cliche or unamusing, people (especially young girls) should be able to unashamedly and freely express their passion for Harry Styles or BTS or Fortnight or anything else they might enjoy. Fangirls are powerful. They influence the way that pop culture operates, and change American culture for the better. So to all the fangirls in the world I say: do what you want and love what you love.