Fansplaining

The Success of Heated Rivalry Should Not Be a Surprise by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Fansplaining's Next Chapter by Elizabeth Minkel

Huge news!! Fansplaining is becoming a full-on weekly publication, with a wide range of writing (and audio! and art!) by, for, and about fandom. Head over to the site to sign up for updates about…

Can Fandom Make Us Better Tourists? by Kayti Burt

Our final article of 2025 is here! Kayti Burt—who first wrote for us last spring, in a fantastic piece on the precarity of being a fandom journalist…

Alternate Universes by Newt Albiston

Our November piece is here! Newt Albiston's essay is one part guide to fandom text-based roleplaying, one part meditation on working through gender exploration via roleplay. Plus: be sure to click…

Reclaiming the Mary Sue by Meghan Fitzmartin

Our October piece is part essay/part excerpt: Meghan Fitzmartin, who's written for DC Comics, Supernatural, and many other fan-favorite properties, has published an indie comic, Mary Sue, about—you…

K-Pop's Demons, Real and Fictional by Aja Romano

September's piece is by longtime fandom journalist Aja Romano, on the explosion of Kpop Demon Hunters, and its intersections—or lackthereof—with real K-pop artists and fans. "K-Pop's Demons, Real and…

The Fan, the Pro, and the Spaces In Between by Tessa Gratton

Our August piece is by novelist (and Fansplaining SDCC 2025 panelist!) Tessa Gratton, about navigating the intersections of the fan and pro writing worlds, and how their queerness shapes their…

The Fandom Advantage: How Fan Creativity Fuels Pro Entertainment Careers

Fansplaining returned to San Diego Comic-Con this year (our tenth anniversary!) with a fantastic panel of fandom folks who work in pro entertainment careers. There's an audio recording here on our…

How Friendships Onscreen and Off Fueled Half a Century of Fandom by Jay Castello

Our latest piece is about making fanworks—and fandom friendships—last through the decades! "How Friendships Onscreen and Off Fueled Half a Century of Fandom" by Jay Castello. For the admins of the…

I Came to Ruin You: The Collecting Practices of K-Pop Fandoms by Rea McNamara & Bo Shin

This month's Fansplaining piece is a bit of a departure from our usual fandom reporting and critical analysis: for the first time, we're very excited to share a virtual art exhibit of sorts, from…

The RPF Question by Sacha Judd

In our newest piece, Sacha Judd goes deep on RPF, tracing it back decades and tackling its thorny intersections with other kinds of fan practices. "The RPF Question" by Sacha Judd. Amid blurry…

Bridgerton and Period Drama Fandom's Enduring Racism Problem by Amanda-Rae Prescott

Our latest piece is by Amanda-Rae Prescott, who was one of the expert guests in our "Race and Fandom" series back in 2020!…

Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than Brave New World by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Gav is back in Fansplaining in 2025! This time, she writes about Sam Wilson's recent Captain America debut—and how the MCU failed both the character and the fandom. "Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than…

The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom by Lena Barkin

Our first article of 2025 is here—and it's a big one! "The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom" by Lena Barkin: Blake's 7 fans and actors mixed regularly at cons and on the pages of zines—until…

The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction by Elizabeth Minkel

Around this time in December, we usually wrap up Fansplaining with "The Year in Fandom": a look back at five trends from the prior year followed by five trends from the year coming to a close. With…

Bringing Fanfiction Into the Classroom by Abby Kirby

Our latest article is by Abby Kirby, who writes about her experiences teaching fanfiction to middle schoolers: "Fic does something that my traditional English classes cannot: it places the power in…

The Beatles Live! by Allegra Rosenberg

We're excited to welcome back Allegra Rosenberg, who's written a new article for us on contemporary Beatles fandom: "The Beatles Live! New generations of fans are cultural archaeologists, working…

The Scream Fandom's Enduring Divide by Michael Boyle

Our newest article is "The Scream Fandom's Enduring Divide" by Michael Boyle: Nearly a year after star Melissa Barrera was fired for pro-Palestinian social media posts, fans remain torn over the…

The Acolyte's Squandered Potential by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Our newest article is "The Acolyte's Squandered Potential" by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw: The show brought a whole new set of fans to a stagnating franchise. Its cancellation suggests Star Wars is only…

The Traumatized Gatekeepers of Broadway by Laura Wheatman Hill

Our newest article is "The Traumatized Gatekeepers of Broadway" by Laura Wheatman Hill: Theatre fans measure their passion by nitpicking. Does it do the industry more harm than good? You can read…