Fanfiction & You
What does Fanfiction Mean to You?
For the young women reading and writing fanfiction, it is more than a hobby. Throughout fanfiction's history, women have devoted their time and skills to building communities around the stories they love. Since fanfiction's modern-day inception with Star Trek fanzines, fanfiction has always been about coming together to uplift each other's voices and experiences. It is a tool for preparing for the future, discovering sexuality, and finding your place in the world. It's also something fun to read and share with friends; fanfiction is a transformative genre, able to adapt to any need.
The women who create and continue to lead fanfiction communities are upholding a vital place for young girls to be themselves.
The next time you read fanfiction, take a moment to look through the text (whether it's slash or a fluffy college AU) and find the voice of the author coming through. Look at the comments and see the love and support shared by the community. Fanfiction fosters female connections in an increasingly isolated age; it's no wonder young women have kept returning to the medium.
What does fanfiction mean to you?
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