Positive fandom is a term that was created by the Harry Potter Alliance, a non-profit organization that aims to give back to organizations that center around the Harry Potter series. Positive fandom lies down the terms of how to have a good experience within a fandom, and how to keep your fandom experience. Here are 3 ways you can use positive fandom with other people in your fandom online!
1. Listen to others and respect what they say.
Sometimes the #1 thing that causes feuds is people aren't listening to each other when it comes to contrasting opinions. Both points are allowed to be valid and right in their own ways, but things go awry when people only want to abide by their opinion and not the other. Instead of talking trash about another person's opinion, try to focus on the positives and show you're listening without settling for agreeing with their opinion if you don't want to. To them, their favorite point/opinion could mean the world to them, and hearing something negative about something they love, like their favorite pairing or character, can be damaging for them to hear. If you like one thing - cool! If someone likes a different thing than another person - still cool! It may be out of my interest but it's still cool others enjoy it!
2. Be welcoming to newcomers.
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When someone new joins your fandom, they may ask some questions that you have seen answered back when you first started, or when your fandom began. It could get frustrating explaining things over and over to new members, but instead of getting frustrated at them, remember that you were once a new fan, too. Welcome them into your fandom, share your favorite fan creations, maybe even introduce them to someone else who's new to the fandom as well so they can figure things out together!
3. Help others instead of putting them down for being wrong.
So you're talking with someone in the fandom, and they have a bit of misinformation. Maybe they heard somewhere that there's going to be a sequel when no such thing was announced from the direct source, or maybe they just found an unofficial piece of art advertisement that's being shown as the real thing (for example - a poster for the "Aladdin" live-action film even though it's clearly a fan creation and cannot be found through the direct source). Instead of yelling at them for spreading false information, help them find out how they can properly cite their sources. Is this piece of information directly from the creators, or did you find it on a forum? Lend this person a hand and tell them where they can find the most factual information next time. Don't make them feel bad for it if it's their first offense, just help them out so they know next time.
The most important thing about being part of a fandom - have fun! You have found the people who love exactly what you love, and people who are willing to talk their heads off about it just like you. Make fan art, create FanFiction, engage in conversation, do whatever you can to participate in fandom and have fun with it!
