The term "fangirl" oftentimes come with very negative connotations. It basically is a word to describe both girls and boys, but mostly girls, who have an intense love for a certain person or thing. Society views these girls as dumb or naive, invalidating their opinions about what they love the most. Bands like One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer both have extremely large fan bases made mostly of females. These bands, who mind you make really great music beyond the bubblegum pop people think they make, are looked down upon and shamed because they have this type of fanbase. This perspective on fangirls and claiming their love for a certain artist as stupid or insignificant is why feminism is much needed for people to understand that these extreme obsessions are important for many young females and shouldn't be shamed.
Young girls opinions are often invalidated and told they are less than a man's opinion on the same topic. Like if a band had a large fan base made of an equal number of males and females, these fan's love for this band would be welcomed by society and the band would be given more respect. But, for some reason, a band with a fan base made mostly of females is not given the respect they deserve and people might roll their eyes by the mere mention of their name.
These fangirl's feelings are very real and something that should be listened to and perhaps replicated in other ways.
These "teen idols" provide a safe place for young females to go to when feeling unimportant or insignificant to the world around them.
This place, termed a fandom existing mostly through the internet, is a wonderful, beautiful and loyal place where fans can go to escape from the realities of society. Outside this safe place, these young girl's opinions are ridiculous and obsessive and borderline mental to some people. Imagine being told because you love a certain artist that you're a psycho?! That does damage to girl's self-esteem and makes them feel unimportant compared to males with the same opinion. However, within the fandom, their same opinions are welcomed and important and validated because everyone shares the same love for the same thing. So, fangirls aren't being immature if they idolize someone.
They are carrying and living out their basic right to be unapologetically passionate about something, and I think everyone should take something from that and apply it to their own life.
One thing that this under-appreciation for fangirling does is that it creates and enforces gender stereotypes. It gives into the image of the stereotypical hysterical over-dramatic girl. It overgeneralizes the idea that all these young women base all their decisions on emotions and that they're somehow impulsive and crazy. This view of women is used on many high power women in order to disown or demean their opinion. The deep roots of sexism have allowed people to dehumanize females and their valid opinions and thoughts. Fans shouldn't be embarrassed to like something to the point of idolization just because society forces these views of bigotry and disagreement.
Additionally, many people think only young women like these male "idols" because of their looks, not because of their talent or personality. This type of misogyny allows people to think that females have no sort of critical take on music and its all just driven by their emotions. However, this is far far far from true. Yes, you're always gonna have people who like artists because of their looks, but people who deeply and truly love an artist love them because of multiple very different things. Someone isn't going to spend so much time on one person just for their physical attractiveness.
Lastly, these fangirls and fandoms are beyond powerful and influential.
They are capable and compelling groups of females who are passionate and loyal to the thing they love and to each other. They create movements and speak for what they believe in through their shared love.
So, feminism should play an essential part in fangirling. Instead of using the word "fangirl" in a negative sexist way, we should be using it to empower these young females who so intensely evoke a love for artists and music. We should take notes from them and begin to see that none of it is silly or nonsensical. In fact, these women are the future and are destined for great things because they could care less what others think of their opinions. They are here to stay, and you might as well embrace them.
