Lately, something about fandoms has been really getting on my nerves. As much as I love being part of a community that's passionate about the same thing I'm passionate about, some people take that passion too far, which can lead to any number of problems.
The problem that's on my mind today is gatekeeping.
I'm in several fan groups on Facebook and in all of them, I see people giving fanartists and cosplayers a hard time. The professional creators who have years of practice under their belt are met with admiration and support, but the newbies or those who don't have the resources or raw talent of the professionals are scorned.
Disclaimer: Before going further, please know that I am not trying to defend unskilled artists who refuse to improve and go after people who are trying to be constructive. That is as much a sign of immaturity as gatekeeping is.
Fandom is a place where fans of all ages and backgrounds can get together to celebrate a common interest. Many people who are part of a fandom are social outcasts in their normal lives. A fandom is supposed to be a place where such "nerds" are allowed to share their unbridled enthusiasm with like-minded people without being called weird or lame.
People show that enthusiasm through comments, likes, reblogs, reviews, analysis, theorizing, fic writing, drawing, painting, cosplay, and many other outlets. The sheer variety of ways people show their love for something is what makes fandoms so fun.
If someone shows their love of something by putting time and effort into a piece of art ("art" refers to fanfiction, fanart, cosplay, anything creative), they are contributing to the fandom. It doesn't matter if an eight-year-old could draw better. It doesn't matter if the fanfiction is cliché or full of holes. It doesn't matter if the cosplay is a cheap Halloween wig and whatever clothes the person found in their closet.
If only the best of the best are allowed to make fanart, the fandom will die as fast as it's born. At best you will have about a dozen people and their followers. The conversation would grow stale as only their interpretations of the work would be seen. There would be no room for the individual to have their own thoughts.
Excluding inexperienced or untalented artists will only ensure that if the great artists leave the fandom, the whole thing will collapse. There won't be other artists to create content because no other artists were welcomed into the fandom and in fact, they were actively discouraged from improving their craft.
In order for a fandom to survive, it needs a wide variety of people. In order for fandoms to have a wide variety of people, they need to be welcoming and encouraging to artists of all skill levels. Fandoms are places for everyone to have fun and celebrate the things they love, not competitions where the less skilled are eliminated.
