A Structural Vendetta Against Joy

Written by Alexandra Kim

Graphics by Katalena

Interests, hobbies, passions. Everyone has a set of these that define who they are, what their heart desires, and what captures their attention. There is an abundance of joy even in the mere process of finding these excitements which is universal to anyone who has ever experienced it. However, this joy has become inaccessible and limited as interests that encompass a non-male dominated audience tend to be highly ridiculed by the public. How much shame comes with simply having interests as a woman (trans or cis) or as an AFAB person? Is it wrong for us to have our own niche gems? Are these very gems actually cringeworthy, or is it simply the fact that the world hates seeing women (or any non-male individual quite frankly) experience happiness?

Misogyny has never been a new concept, and neither is the misogyny behind joy, which can be dated as far back as the 60s with “Beatlemania.” This phenomenon surrounded the legendary rock band, The Beatles, and the massive adoration which followed them for the bulk of the band’s career. The fanaticism led John Lennon himself to believe the band was, “more popular than Jesus.” Now whether this is true or not is another story; however, let us dive deep into what exactly shaped this era and the evolution of the fangirl. Fangirls are women or girls who is a highly enthusiastic fan of someone or thing. This someone or thing could be just about anything so long as the fangirl loves and cherishes them at such a high level. Whether it be through art, through interaction, or more, these fans go out of their way to support the very person or thing that brings them the utmost joy. Unfortunately to the admirers and the admired alike, they were never meant to be taken seriously. Many acts that garner up an audience which is not dominated by cisgender men are seen as either jokes to whatever industry they are in or victims to the obsessive image surrounding the young, teenage girls who are simply their to love them. When The Beatles began their careers with a young, feminine fanbase, they were seen as a joke. They were seen as a boyband with obsessive fans who cannot seem to think of their own. However, as their fanbase moved past the Beatlemania era and switched over to pretentious male indie rock listeners who rate every album they listen to and nostalgic grandparents of the Beatles era, they are deemed “legends” and “pioneers.” There is no doubt that their growth in artistry and legacy contributed to this; however, there is also no denying that the fanbase surrounding them affected their serious reputation as renowned artists. From the Backstreet Boys to the Hallyu Wave of Korean Pop, One Direction and all the way down to Minecraft streaming, the sheer image of these fanbases are much more fragile and easily tainted than those of sports or any other interests that have a highly male-dominant base. Although the world has seen highly problematic behaviors from the groups mentioned above both, on the internet and in the real world, why is it that these actions are only discussed when they do something? Camp outside your favorite bands venue, and you’re seen as unwell, but when it comes to physical fights and public vandalization, I guess it is understandable since it was done for “the love of the game.” No prestige in accolades or quantity in awards could ever cover up the joke that was their fans.

The world sees non-male individuals (especially when they are younger) as a monolith not only in the scope of fanaticism to a point where it is seen as a good thing to be “not like other girls.” There has been so much shame surrounding typically feminine interests that many young girls are raised to think that you were lesser for taking these on. Where does this shame stem from one may ask? Well, let us look at the definition of the patriarchy. This system is a sociopolitical one which tends to value masculinity over femininity, with the rigid gender roles surrounding these two terms being a focal reason as to why. The pitting of masculinity against femininity and vice-versa has led to this idea that people can only be one or another, and given the systemic repercussions of being at the bottom of the system, individuals that are not cisgender male are not granted the same freedoms to explore the complexity of masculinity and/or femininity. We see this in non-binary folk being triangulated as a “third gender” by cisgender people and being deemed “invalid” when they divert from stereotypical androgyny. We see it in toxic masculinity and the shame from fellow men when it comes to exploring the feminine side. Finally, it is also seen in women who refuse to embrace their femininity whilst also enjoying their more masculine parts. The “not like other girls” trait has now become a laughing stock for men where they share the first and final laugh in this situation. If girls are taught that their enthusiasm can only be chocked up to sheer neuroticism, how will they learn to share their joys with the world without filtering it down first? How will anyone, as a matter of fact, learn to embrace any complexity regarding their being when the patriarchal world teaches them that the only way to be seen is to fully abandon and break away from their femininity?

And what better way to set yourself apart from the other girls than to hang with the boys? Except, you’re not actually hanging with the boys and are actually either put in a separate box or questioned and unwelcomed in “their” spaces. Even when it comes to male-dominant interests, women are seen as inferior, and it is in these situations we see how men fall into the patriarchal narrative which surrounds masculinity. If one chooses to follow male sports, they are thrusted into a space where a large number of their fellow fans were never subjected to misogyny’s consequences (therefore never being forced to care about said consequences). If a non-male individual is to cheer for their local team or band, they are expected to back up their interests with extensive knowledge on the group’s whereabouts, yet what does that do for these fans besides further instigate the obsessive narrative which surrounds fangirls as is? However, follow the sport’s female league, and you are clowned on completely. These female teams are severely underfunded and mistreated compared to their male counterparts despite some of these teams showing better merit. For instance, the United States Women’s National Team in soccer have been at the forefront of a years-long lawsuit to close the pay gap between them and their underperforming male counterparts. Four wins in the FIFA tournament, countless international titles, and legendary feats from individual players, yet they are still fighting to be compensated even an equal amount to the male team which struggled to even crack the semifinals in FIFA after 1930. The pursuit towards female happiness and passion is one that goes beyond one ignorant individual. As seen here, it is indeed a structural vendetta against joy.

Women are forced to be in this world to take directions and to shape themselves around everybody else. The young girl is forced to grow out of their little joys and become adult women only for society to shame these very women for not staying young. Interests and passions are a huge defining trait to being human; however, this has become less and less accessible to all as misogyny and sexism continues to work in our society. The idea that non-male individuals are unable to express their joys through interests and hobbies shows how unwilling men (and the patriarchy) are to allow girls to be their own complex being. It shows how unwilling the patriarchy is to acknowledge the trait of rationality in non-male individuals. It shows how unwilling the patriarchy is to grant the same amount of intellectual respect to everyone else as it does to cisgender men. There is beauty to culture being cultivated, but when the people sowing the seeds are not cisgender men, this very beauty is covered and tainted by.