Chronicles of an Obsessive
I narrowly survived the One Direction epidemic of the 2010s by the skin of my teeth. My fingers aching from incessant Wattpad scrolling, my eyes dry from binging video diaries, and my ears ringing from listening to leaked tracks from their album "Four" on Twitter. I am serious when I tell you that a shiver runs down my spine every time I hear one of their songs in public. Like many fellow fangirls, I've never been one to like anything in moderation. My life swings between extremes, fluctuating from utter disregard to allowing it to consume me.
Contrary to popular belief, defended by my fellow fangirls, the phenomenon of being a fangirl has roots deeply embedded over decades. According to Merriam-Webster, "fangirl" as a verb is defined as "to exhibit fandom often to an excessive degree: to behave like an extremely devoted or overly excited fan”. This definition particularly resonates when observing the ardent followings of artists like Taylor Swift or Harry Styles. Swifties proudly flaunt her merchandise, spare no expense to attend her concerts (count me among the fortunate survivors of the Ticketmaster war of 2022), and dedicate their online presence to celebrating her. Their devotion mirrors the fervor once reserved for icons like Elvis Presley and The Beatles. However, there's an undeniable contrast in how different fandoms are perceived. While The Beatles are revered as symbols of high-brow music taste, One Direction, and their predominantly female fanbase are often unjustly dismissed as foolish and immature. It is these very fangirls who catapulted their idols to stratospheric fame. Harry Styles himself drew parallels between the hysteria surrounding One Direction and the Beatlemania of the past, emphasizing the similarities in their meteoric rise to fame. Yet, while The Beatles' legacy endures with reverence, One Direction and their fans endure ridicule.
Internet personality and fellow Directioner, Brooke Averick, recognized as LadyEfron on TikTok—an homage to her initial email handle reflecting her relentless childhood love for Zac Efron—has recently unveiled her new podcast, appropriately titled Obsessed. She shares, “Earlier in my life, I would have been so uncomfortable talking about how obsessed I am with things. Now, we have this community online where I know that many other people feel the same way. I feel so comfortable and excited to broadcast this across the internet”. Averick creates a safe space specifically for young girls everywhere to unabashedly indulge in their vast knowledge of pop culture and empowers them to see it as a strength rather than a weakness. On Obsessed, Averick delves into niche subjects such as Andrew Barth Feldman’s cover of “Maneater” in the film No Hard Feelings, her spiritual connection with Jonathan Groff as Jesse St. James on Glee, and dissects the narrative inconsistencies in Twilight. She speaks for all of us who secretly wrote fanfiction in our youth.
Despite influencers like Brooke and platforms like TikTok providing a sanctuary for fangirls like me to engage with celebrity content, underlying misogyny persists. As women, our interests are frequently undervalued and dismissed. Whether it's astrology, reality television, makeup, or cooking, society often trivializes these pursuits as insincere. Meanwhile, men freely express their passions without fear of judgment. NFL fans are permitted to riot in the streets for their teams, yet women, particularly teenage girls, are viewed as excessive—too emotional, too passionate, too invested. Can't I simply enjoy the newest season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills without someone in my ear calling it vain?
The irony lies in the fact that girls essentially drive the entertainment economy, yet they continue to be undervalued and disrespected. We are the ones who decide which shows are
popular, dictate which new celebrity rises to fame, and catapult our favorite artists' new singles to number one. So, you know what? I refuse to let the fear of being labeled a cliché distance me from fully embracing my interests. I proudly declare myself a fangirl, unapologetically diving into the passions and fandoms that bring me joy, irrespective of the stereotypes attached to them. For goodness' sake, I'm even dedicating my college education to it. I refuse to allow shallow judgments to dictate my unabashed enthusiasm for the things I love. I am shamelessly obsessed!
