We need to talk about the toxicity of shipping culture. I say this as someone who enjoys shipping, but let's face it, things are getting out of hand.
Now look, if I'm critical about some shipping fandoms, I'm not saying it to mean or to say that liking a certain ship is wrong by any means, because at the end of the day we all have our reasons for liking a ship so take what I'm saying with a grane of salt and know that I'm specifically talking about the toxic fans not a general fandoms as a whole.
So a while ago, I saw this video where Emma Myers was on a podcast, and she talked about how there are some Wednesday and Enid shippers who also ship her Jenna Ortega in real life and how that affects her life and relationships. It got me thinking about just how insane it is that real people can be so negatively affected out of a desire to have two fictional characters to kiss. Why? Why does stuff like this keep happening? I understand if you associate a actor with a character they play but actively trying to force two people in real life to get together, basically trying to take away there free will and right to love who they want, and treating there loved ones.... because of a ship? Why would anyone do that? I have seen this happen so many times in so many different fandoms, and still, I don't understand how people can do it. Like you know there actors, right?
And then there's shipping wars. So I don't know about you lot but I'm exhausted from all the drama comes from shipping wars. Because whether it's The Hunger games, Avatar the last airbender, Harry potter, Star wars, Marvel, Stranger Things, Wednesday, Gilmore girls, The Summer I turned pretty, A Court of thorns and roses or literally any fandom of anything where there some sort shipping war things just get out of hand and people say the dumbest and cruelest things to each other. Things like, " You're a toxic person for liking this," " you're boring for liking this," you being delusional for liking this " and so much more that absolute worst thing I've seen is when people tell someone to off themselves. Just think about that.
The fact that people are telling other people to off themselves because they like a certain pairing in a show,movie or book. So your telling a real person to hurt themselves because they just want two fictional characters to get together. What the actual FUCK.
Look I understand being passionate about a ship and wanting to defend it or protect your love of it, but at the end of the day, it's still fictional and the people your typing these messages to are real life people and you don't know what there mental state is, and you could actually end up doing serious harm to a human being.
And if you dislike a ship, here's an idea... DON'T ENGAGE WITH CONTENT ABOUT IT! Dont go online to those specific fandoms and harass them. If you happen to see fanart, fan edits or whatever then rather just ignore it and keep scrolling.
Try to remember that everyone has there own reasons for liking a certain pairing outside of whatever assumption you might have of that ship or fandom. You have you're reasons for liking a ship and they have there's.
So for the love of God can yall just chill and be respectful.
(I might come back and edit this post later because I have more to say)
