In defence of fangirls

Tears of a passionate fan at Diljit’s concert are worth a lot more

The internet has found a new prey to pick on, as of late. I am, of course, referring to the viral clip of a fangirl weeping her heart out at a Diljit Dosanjh concert over the outro of his song Hass Hass, which features Sia. Unaware that she was being recorded, all the girl did was wring out emotions that best expressed her state of mind at the show.

However, internet trolls ran amok with her harmless vulnerability. From parody reels to verbal mockery, social media platforms saw it all. The general trend of memes ranged from exaggerated mimicry to mocking her by comparing her seemingly futile emotions to her male family members’ alleged real-world problems.

While some users were swift in defending the fangirl online, the deriding virality became so rampant that Dosanjh himself had to step in. In a video clip shared to Instagram, the Punjabi singer took the stage once more and asserted that music is a matter of emotions and has often driven him to tears.

According to Dosanjh, only those with emotions are capable of crying. “A woman who knows her worth doesn’t need validation—she shines bright enough to light her own way,” he wrote in the caption of the post, resurrecting age-old arguments surrounding the matter of fangirls.

A timeless wrangle

Whether anyone admits it or not, fangirls or predominantly female-centric fanbases are deemed hysterical for their admiration of music acts. This is especially true in the case of boybands, such as the recent BTS and the older One Direction, or even just male singers in general, such as Justin Bieber in the early 2010s and now Dosanjh.

Mocking women for indulging interests that bring out a dedicated side to them is a tale as old as time. This visceral reaction is intriguing when contextualised by the fact that most fangirls are teenagers who are making memories to fondly look back on. Because trust me, my interests may have become more muted over the years, but that wouldn’t stop me from revisiting them if I ever feel the need to.

I may no longer possess the energy to engage with them as passionately anymore, but I do not cower out of fear of how I’d be perceived for that. And even as I reminisce about my more ardent years, especially as a K-pop fan, I don’t cringe or recall how terrible I was made to feel for liking certain things. In fact, I look back on my fandom-driven enthusiasm with fondness.

Cultural impact

However, as easy as it may be to confront these stereotypes now, that doesn’t mean they no longer exist. As per a 2023 Sage Journals study conducted by Coleman and Lyons, music journalism has been prone to using specific terminology to describe the love that fangirls express for their favourite stars. Words like “hormonal” have made headlines.

Interestingly, the study also suggests that this misogyny establishes a “cultural hierarchy” that affects men as well. Boybands tend to lose credibility if they have a chiefly female fanbase because that fact boils them down to their soft looks, dismissing whatever talent they might possess.

Admittedly, though, musical critique comes with its nuances. Music journalism also understands the formula that is employed to ensure that an emerging boy band attracts notice of an army of fangirls. As per Medium, these pop groups are manufactured by record labels to indulge a sense of “courtship” through their lyrics that is sure to get hearts racing.

A number of songwriters are brought on board to achieve this success. Think of the amount of love songs One Direction and the brilliant minds behind the band have churned out. Visual appeal is also the reason why Wattpad has been able to capitalise on several Harry Styles fanfiction novels—some, like the After series, have even made it to the big screen.

Who else is harmed?

However, it has to be said that the negative ways in which fangirls and their interests are perceived reduces boybands to what can only be glimpsed at a surface level. Take for example how BTS is viewed by outsiders for how the members look and what their mainstream love songs sound like, just because they are adored by millions of fangirls.