A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away I can remember when the casting of a new character, in our beloved shows was exactly that . . . about the character and the show.

A new main character was talked about, favorably and not so favorably. The confrontations were as heated as a Colin Baker pro v con discussion. Toxicity was something that you had in a bad water sample and that was that.

Then….unsocial media hit us…like a brick shattering your temple.

I was listening to a Doctor Who podcast the other day and out of nowhere, suddenly…..I was suddenly listening to people talking about racism in the casting of Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor. It was unprompted, completely, and utterly. 

Doctor Who – racism….instantly. It was almost as if it bullied its way in. Hijacked by hatred, if you will.

The supposed reason?

Someone else has said something racist. So, as a result we have a hateful third party inserting itself, now demanding attention and ‘controlling’ the communication between two other people. Why? Because we allow it…perhaps some even want it. 

But we have to talk about it? It’s important. Mmm….that depends on intention.

I have a theory that true fans cannot be racist. Why? 

They are outsiders. It’s this factor that brings them to whatever fandom they like the look of.  

To live on the fringe of life, to look in, to what we are conditioned to think of as ‘the normal world’ where better people, majestic champions of the game of life and have a great time is exhausting, and sadly…all too common. We accept illusion as reality. We measure our genuine selves against others, and their artificially created selves and it brings great pain.Doctors need patients. Social Media needs misery.

Outsiders need a family. Some never find one. But for someone, faced with being eternally lonely, to wander the time and space of life without ever finding ‘home’ the bright light that is fandom is the closest thing to a home that they will ever find.

And what is the bright light that draws us? What is the common thread, the nature of these stories that attract us?

They are about an outsider. 

This is the factor that draws us. We follow this outsider, as they go on their Heroes Journey facing loss, sadness, impossible odds and eventually, walking the path to a showdown against their biggest foe, they win and then…

They are accepted. 

Acceptance validates our existence. That’s why exile is feared so much.

Acceptance is what calls to us. The outsider is accepted. Not only that, but they are often adored, discover an inner strength, and get this…they are often loved by an attractive individual. What? Ok, sure…you can save the universe, overcome the big baddie…but being loved? Wow. 

And this love, from another person is honest. Why? Well, usually the love interest (strange term…who isn’t interested in love?) knows the heroes secret identity. They know the person behind the mask (or glasses) and love them, without question. In fact, they often feel that the hero’s uniqueness is the reason that they do love them. In fact, they often feel that they cannot love anyone else. Anyone else  simply won’t measure up.

To be loved, by someone who really knows, and understands us. This dream makes our minds soar, but not as high as our hearts and spirit. Maybe we can do the same? Triumph, be loved for who we really are, be….accepted, and find a home.

Can we ever be brave enough to be honest?

We want that to be our story and while we work on it, we are inspired by watching other lycra clad people achieve it. They are walking our talk…inspiring us to take our first step. They are saving the day, crucially reminding us that we can save our own. Experience breeds empathy.

While we are not watching this movie, we buy the merchandise…posters, action figures and pop funko’s to remind us that we want to be this hero, be loved by people who know us, emotional warts, and all. To find our safe home in a very dangerous world.

So, looking at this big bowl of comic con soup I struggle to think that, considering the emotional similarities shared by fans, that racism and sexism can ever be such a huge part of fandom. Is it a raging hateful fire that seems to dominate absolutely everything about the fandom we all love? No. It’s not natural for us. 

Hate is not a part of the emotional makeup of the majority of fans. Not in any multiverse. Our outsider loving immune system would jettison such filth into the stratosphere. Like Wonder Woman, saving the kids in her first scene in Justice League. I love that scene. It stirs the spirit because it’s a great metaphor for what we should all be doing. Keeping evil away from the innocent. Up and away…BOOM!…gone.

We know about being the outsider and how it feels. In our spirits we don’t tolerate hatred.