I don’t think I need to explain the insistent misogyny-fueled disrespect fangirls have faced to anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the last century.
Being a Gen Z woman who’s been a part of fandom culture since I was at least eight years old, and an established freelance writer and up-and-coming fan engagement strategist who happens to be forging a path for myself in the music industry, this is a topic that’s quite close to my heart, so I decided to write about it.
Because fangirls are constantly made out to be hysterical, embarrassing little girls whose interests begin and end with screaming over attractive men, when in reality, they are some of the most committed, inventive, resourceful, and culturally influential people on the internet.
They build communities, organize campaigns, create entire systems, translate content across languages, raise astonishing amounts of money, sustain artists’ careers, and turn individual enthusiasm into collective action.
And yet, no matter how much labor, intelligence, skill, or impact they demonstrate, their devotion is still routinely treated as something silly, shameful, or inherently lesser simply because it is associated with girls and women.
Well, if you’ve ever failed to see the value in fangirls, maybe this will change your mind.
I’ve been an Army since 2020, and in my opinion, the 2020 to 2022 era was the closest a fandom has ever come to creating its own society.
You may think I’m joking or exaggerating, but I am quite literally not.
Table of Contents:
- I – The Bora Society
- II – Fanboys Are Part of the Fandom, But Here’s Why I’m Focused on the Fangirls
- III – Conclusion
- Unofficial IV – A Fangirl’s Self Promotion
- Sources
I – The Bora Society
I’ll never forget the 2020 Black Lives Matter mobilization. BTS and Big Hit were reported to have donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter during the height of the George Floyd protests; ARMY then launched #MatchAMillion and exceeded the target within roughly 24 hours.
One In An ARMY – a volunteer-powered nonprofit “driven by shared interest in global superstars, BTS, and the idea of using our collective power for global good” which “seeks out nonprofit organizations worldwide and harnesses the power of ARMY into giving micro-donations over a one-month period with the motto ‘I am ONE in an ARMY,’ which plays with the idea that many people giving small amounts can create a substantial impact when working together.” – had already routed about $50,000 in the first four and a half days prior to the public match challenge accelerating donations.
From 2020 to 2022, there were what seemed to be hundreds of new service, charity, or community-based accounts popping up daily – all with a purpose-driven mission. They were not simply fan pages posting pictures, edits, and updates about BTS. They functioned more like departments within a sprawling, unofficial public-service network. There were accounts dedicated to education, career development, mental health, translation, research, literature, medicine, voting, graphic design, and nearly every academic subject imaginable.
ARMY Academy, also known online as ARMY Academics, was one of the clearest examples. Created in 2017, the volunteer-led initiative offered free tutoring to ARMY and developed an entire network of specialized subaccounts. Instead of directing everyone through one crowded page, it divided its services by subject area, complete with a central account, a volunteer-recruitment account, backup channels, Discord infrastructure, and dedicated pages through which students could locate the help they needed.
ARMY Science offered assistance in Earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. ARMY Math helped students struggling with mathematics. ARMY Social Science covered social sciences, accounting, and economics, while ARMY CS supported people studying computer science and promoted help for standardized and professional examinations. ARMY Language offered free language tutoring and conversation-based programs, ARMY Art helped people with their artwork and art-related subjects, and ARMY Learning Center shared study methods and advice intended to improve students’ academic lives. There was even an ARMY Medical Students account for fans majoring in, or considering majors in, medicine and pharmacy.
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