Whether you realize it or not, everyone has something they fangirl or fanboy over: movies, TV shows, celebrities, sports, etc. Being a fangirl or fanboy does not mean you are a psycho fan; it simply means you are passionate about something. There is nothing wrong with that. However, the term fangirl/fanboy is often misconstrued and many misconceptions stem from the term.
Fangirls or fanboys will hear phrases such as “you’re too old to fangirl/fanboy” or “you’ll get over it in a week or two.” These are familiar misconceptions centered around the term. They could not be further from the truth.
As Anthony LaParry, Audrey Kopecky and Cecelia Wright explain, the term is misunderstood and people do not understand the term to its full extent. Fangirls and fanboys are not crazy nerds who just need a moment to get over it; they are people who feel strongly about a certain thing.
The term is quick to be judged, but there is more to fangirling and fanboying than crying over an Instagram photo of your favorite celebrity. In fact, LaParry states that it is more of a creative outlet in life. Instead of going out and partying, fangirls/fanboys go to comic cons and cosplay as their favorite characters. Wright mentions that in her case, the novel “Jane Eyre” is something she connects immensely with.
Someone can never be too old to fangirl or fanboy either. There are grown men who fanboy over sports because yes, being a sports fanatic does count. Kopecky, a Disney fan, says that for a place like Disney, it is always changing so someone can never be too old for that.
You are never too old to be passionate about something, Wright emphasizes.
While you may be ridiculed for being a fan, it happens to the best of us, it does not mean what you are doing is stupid. Merely, you are doing something that makes you happy, and you should not be judged for that. Fangirl or fanboy to your heart’s content.
