#its just... bad

Hello and welcome to my Ted Talk, kids.

First off, I just want to clarify: I’m sure people who write fics like this put a lot of work into them, but that doesn’t make them okay.

Fan fictions about real people aren’t okay.

I actually can’t believe this is something I have to say, but it’s a subject that’s been irking me since I joined tumblr. Fanfics featuring famous actors “x reader” have been popping up on my dash since I signed up on this hellsite.

Imma jump right into this shit and just say:

Actors are fucking people.

Newsflash! They’re human beings, they have feelings and emotions. Them working in the entertainment industry doesn’t lessen their humanity. Writing these fics, even reading them, is horribly invasive and morally just wrong. You’re de-humanising these people and treating them like fictional characters. Actors aren’t toys for your amusement, to use and bend and manipulate as you like.

They’re also just… weird? Like, why would you do that?

It’s one thing to have a crush on an actor or actress, it’s another thing to write out your fantasy and post it online for people to read, thereby creating a community for it and normalising the practise.

Writing it and posting it is crossing a line. A visible, obvious line.

One common argument is probably something like, “Oh but Ely, they’re famous! They’ll never see it!”

Bullshit.

It doesn’t matter if they’ll see it or not, and you can’t guarantee they won’t. Say curiosity strikes them and they wander into this hellhole of weird, creepy fics about THEM. Even if the scenario is unlikely, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s all still so weird.

You’re taking a person who you find physically attractive, throwing their personality out the window and moulding them into your exact type, and then using their name to write out your daydreams and fantasies. Then you post it, knowing other people also have crushes on this person and might read it. It spreads around and around, gaining notes and popularity, and I sit back in complete awe that people can be SO FUCKED UP.

Take a fanfic about Finn Wolfhard for example. Here are a couple of excerpts:

First off: the dude literally isn’t even in character.

Actually, let me pause.

He’s not a character. This isn’t an OOC situation, it’s OOP, or, out of person. Because he’s a person. With feelings. Imma keep sayin that shit so it sinks in nice and good for all you twelve year olds.

Second, literally what in the absolute fuck.

I sniff you, you sniff me! That’s totally fucking NORMAL.

Another category of fics like these are “actor x actor”. Like, fillie, and fack. Y’know, two friendships that were ruined by people who ship the actors together? Finn and Millie don’t even INTERACT anymore (I’m pretty sure they’ve been coached not to) because of insta stans and weirdos on tumblr who ship them together and make every photo and video into something romantic. Millie’s had to delete photos with Finn in them off of her instagram page because she got so many “OMG FILLIE 😍” comments. That’s some toxic fucked up shit. 

You may not think it, but the fandom has impact, especially as a collective. One person shipping fillie and writing about it may not seem like a big deal, but one becomes two and two becomes three and then you have a whole group of people doing it because “everyone else is so it must be okay!”

Nope. 

Here’s a thoughtful quote from a Reddit user: “The frightening attitude that some fans seem to have that a famous person somehow belongs to them, is connected to them personally, or owes them access to their life and mind.”

I’m so sick and tired of seeing this shit. It’s wrong, it’s intrusive, and it implies that these human beings are no more important or valuable than fictional characters (who don’t have real emotions).

It’s bullshit and I’m not here for it.