Fandoms are not inherently toxic. They’re a space for people to share the joy and love they have for that particular piece of media. They are, oftentimes, safe spaces for fans to be themselves when they otherwise can’t be. Lifelong friendships are made. It’s a joyous space–or, it should be.
As social media continues to grow and dominate the landscape, fandoms start to get poisoned. Whereas in the days of message boards and internet chat rooms access was limited, now fans have 24/7 access to actors via Instagram, X, TikTok, and more. Where there was once a line between celebrities and fans, it’s now become muddied with a sort of expectation, you could say.
