Dear #StarWars Fan Police: Overpolicing Star Wars Fandom Brutality

Dear girls, Watching Star Wars once doesn’t make you a fan. Sincerely, Everybody

— Darth Vader (@MadDarthVader) August 2, 2014

The fan police or the gatekeepers for Star Wars fandom has probably been going on since 1977.

Fan police are over-exuberant fans who think they have watched every single tinkle of Star Wars since they learned of this movie’s existence. They are the know-it-alls of Star Wars. Not Gurus who have the patience of Yoda. Not openness like Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Darth Sidious). This type of fandom is a psychosis. They have an inappropriate connection to fictional material that drives their daily existence, and it is dangerous. It is what gets moviegoers killed in movie theaters because of one person’s psychosis clinginess to fictional material.

Fans express their fandom uniquely.  It is a personal choice. There is no one way to pursue fandom. Being a fan is about camaraderie and fun. It is about freedom of expression and exchange of ideas so that we all revel in delight. Fans come at different levels. Some just want to bask in the sunlight, and glide along the waves. Some fans want to dive deep into the ocean of the Star Wars milieu. Some fans want doctorates of literature, filmmaking, pop culture iconography in Star Wars. Some fans have Ph.D.’s in Star Wars.

But whatever one’s fandom, it is not lumping an entire group of fans into a pile and debasing or trolling them to hurt them. That is not Star Wars fandom. Just like real life bigotry, racism, homophobia, and many other social injustices aren’t fandom, the above tweet, sexism by gender bash is not Star Wars fandom, too.  That is gatekeeping because fandom for this genre of movies is about upliftment at all genders, not tearing down fan psyche.

If the Star Wars Actors Guild 77 has said it once, it will say it again, fandom is what you make of it, but it is yours, it is a gift. It is precious and you should keep it as your expression of your creativity. But if it intentionally hurts others because their Star Wars fandom is not like yours, then it shows your insecurities  and your hate of Star Wars. You are not a fan by yourself if you have to post that narcissistic psychopathy that names unsuspecting groups.

Get help.