#towardsthefuture

When I think of homemade props and objects that are inspired by a series, I think of admiration, or more specifically, affirmational fandom. I thought of them like how I think of Christmas ornaments; they are objects to hang up that are modeled after or depict things from certain pieces of media. Objects and posters of blueprints are oftentimes visually impressive and suitable for display. It is quite interesting, however, to think about transformative fandom when building and blueprints are involved. For example, fans of Star Trek who create and design their own ships are free to create elaborate blueprints for modeling purposes. I imagine it would feel pretty good to see a physical version of my own creation. My short-sightedness, regarding thinking about props and objects, shows me that I have missed quite a big chunk of the realm of transformational fandom. There absolutely is something lost when I only pay attention to affirmational forms of fandom and ignore transformative forms of fandom. Something in my life somehow largely turned me away from the idea of transformational fandom. I hate to say this, but unfortunately, I do not think I was ever as open to transformational forms of fan engagement due to the gendered stigma surrounding it. I have always enjoyed speculation and art but have never been interested in things like fan fiction, fan films, or machinima. I feel like my “disapproval” of transformative fan engagement is most likely a result from my upbringing. As I grew up, I was influenced by media and certain ways of thought that depicted affirmational fandom as masculine and transformative fandom as feminine; I have missed out on a lot.

Lil’ Guardian Pyro, the winner of the “Best Overall” video in The Third Annual Saxxy Awards, is mainly based on in-game cosmetic items of two of the nine playable characters that appear in Team Fortress 2. The short features these figure versions of Team Fortress 2 characters interacting in a cute, humorous, playful, and action-packed way. Memes and humorous references to gameplay, such as the Spy figure trying to stab the Pyro figure in the back during the fight scene, are small details that relate to common in-game experiences. Tropes, such as a classic sword fight and the ‘come on’ gesture also appear in the short. While the short mainly follows two small figures, the video “isn’t about people,” but is instead “about tropes,” meaning that the video is a “primarily visual” experience for viewers, both casual and hardcore (Turk and Johnson 3.5). The viewers of Lil’ Guardian Pyro, don’t have to be “extremely familiar with [Team Fortress 2 and its fandom]” to enjoy the short; things that occur in the short can be enjoyed by anyone (Turk and Johnson 1.4). Also, the video itself creates instances of in-game interactions that “are not present in the text” and “are part of the mental equipment [of the writers]” (Turk and Johnson 3.1). This idea of creativity was embraced by Valve, who selected Lil’ Guardian Pyro as the “Best Overall” winner of The Third Annual Saxxys.

Personally speaking, I have not given much thought about race and gender while rummaging through the internet. I grew up in an environment where racial issues were not prominent; I have always known about racism and the struggles that people go through, but from what I can recall, I have not had much personal interaction with racism. I am sure others are probably on the same boat as me, but obviously, there is a large majority of people who constantly think about and struggle with race.

There are probably endless ways for me to fix this problem, but an initial first step is that I need to be more aware of what I am saying and who I am talking to. I know that not everyone online is like me, and likewise, I know that not everyone in-real-life is like me. Rebecca Wanzo’s article reminded me that I need to be more aware of what I am saying and doing. This open way of thinking can – and in my opinion – should, be adopted by anybody, regardless of their background; people should realize that nobody is identical.

These best practices can apply to everyone. When acafans interact with other people online, they should understand that not everyone has the same background. Expanding on what Wanzo says about non-white fans, acafans should be sure to interact with and study African American fans to understand fandom associated with the race (1.4). If I were studying African American fandom, I would seek out such fans on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram or on platforms specifically for African Americans, such as certain Reddit communities, Bossip, or on social media platform DotAfro. I would also conduct Google Surveys that include race indicators, so I can get input from people of African American descent. I would include open-ended questions that touch on problems in the media, such as representation and stereotypes.