The Cultural Impact of Stan Culture
Stan Twitter… The Good and the Very Bad
The term “stan” was coined in Eminem’s hit 2000 song with the same title and is a combination of the words “stalker” and “fan”. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, stans are defined as devoted and enthusiastic fans of somebody or something in the public eye. Fan accounts on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, excessive photo dumps, and video edits of celebrities and influencers are a popular part of stan culture. Stans can often be seen liking and commenting on celebrities' social media activity, engaging in trending hashtags, and promoting new projects.
“Stans aren’t just people who collectively admire one thing, but instead they are an organised movement. Stans often, and mostly, take on the role of organiser, detective, promoter, protector, consumer, as well as an investor for their faves.”
The boyband One Direction is often credited as being the driving force behind the creation of stan Twitter in 2010. Fans wanted a space to support the bands and talk with other fans, and thus fan accounts were born. Today, there are fan accounts for tons of different musicians, bands, sports teams, movies, television shows, influences, and other media-based content.
Although people have been idolizing celebrities for years, the rise of social media and technology has upped this idolization to new and alarming levels. Social media has made it much easier to communicate with celebrities– something that was rarely done before.
“In the age of oversharing, platforms like Twitter… have bridged the communication gap to make fans feel like they’re constantly connected to the artists they love. That oversaturation and constant sense of connection has created a small social phenomenon known as ‘standon.’” (Madden 2019)
This allows fans to feel as they personally know the celebrity and has shifted the fan and celebrity relationship. Previously, celebrities were considered ultra-exclusive and mysterious, but social media allows celebrities to be more wildly viewed as average people.
“Firstly, there is the apparent closeness of the relationship between star and fan, with the creator throwing out mentions in their videos and social media posts and staring directly into the lens — and thus the viewer’s eyes. Secondly, those stars are expected to be more accessible than conventional celebrities…” (Stokel- Walker 2019)
The development of stan culture and social media has also affected the way that celebrities act and react to scandals. Nicki Minaj is a prime example of this. According to music critic Pablo the Don, “Nicki Minaj over the last 10 years has cultivated a space online that shields her from accountability,” and allows her to act however she wants. She rarely admits fault or apologizes and she does not have to– she knows her fan group will support her no matter what. This is a popular thought process for many celebrities. Constantly seeing you have a dedicated fan base on social media and seeing them defend your actions has changed the way that celebrities act over the years.
Stan culture has led to a lot of toxic and harmful behavior on the internet. As we will see, there is a very fine line between “fan” and “stalker” and stan culture often encourages people to cross that line and engage in questionable behavior.
Doxxing and death threats are just one part of the negative impact of stan culture. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines doxxing as “publicly identify[ing] or publish[ing] private information about (someone) especially as a form of punishment or revenge”. Fans get so passionate they often lose their morals and will expose personal information about somebody who has hurt or offended their favorite celebrity without thinking about possible ramifications. In 2020, Taylor Swift fans became so enraged when the artist’s new album, Folklore, received a rating of 8/10 from Pitchfork, that they leaked the reviewer's personal information like her phone number and email address. Some fans, like the one linked below, note the hypocrisy and toxic behavior that was being exhibited by fans, but many fans did not see a problem with this situation.
Swift fans are not the only fandom to engage in this negative behavior. Nicki Minaj fans sent death threats to a writer who suggested that Minaj put out more mature music. Every group of fans has people who cross lines and engage in toxic behavior for the sole purpose of “defending” their favorite celebrity. Rarely do these fans ever think about the consequences of their behavior or how this makes celebrities look.
Parasocial relationships are another harmful effect of stan culture. According to a popular psychology website, parasocial relationships are defined as, “one-sided relationships, where one person extends emotional energy, interest and time, and the other party, the persona, is completely unaware of the other’s existence”. They go on to talk about this type of relationship is most popular with celebrities, sports stars, and influencers. As previously stated, many fans feel personally connected to celebrities which can lead to dangerous behavior. Both Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift have experienced stalkers throughout their careers. The most heartbreaking and prominent victim of a parasocial relationship is the singer Christina Grimme. Grimme was shot and killed in 2016 by a fan with an “unrealistic infatuation” with her. The rise of social media platforms is often linked to the increase in parasocial relationships.
Finally, stan culture can lead to people blindly defending people’s problematic behavior. An example of this can be seen after AstroWorld when many Scott fans were declaring the singer was not responsible for the mass casualties that occurred.
Another example can be seen by Nicki Minaj fans were refused to acknowledge how her anti-vaccine rhetoric could be seen as irresponsible and dangerous.
With all of this being said, there have been some truly inspiring and positive moments to come out of stan culture/ stan Twitter, specifically in regards to current social justice movements.
“Of the half-dozen stan account managers who spoke with NBC News, most said having a large, mostly like-minded audience allowed them to mobilize their followers to participate in social and political issues this year.” (Rosenblatt 2020)
Similarly, many stan accounts have flooded racist and hateful trending hashtags with video edits and pictures of their favorite celebrities. This lessens the power and hate behind these hashtags.
Many people have noted that being part of stan culture has allowed them to meet people that think like them and share similar interests. It has also allowed them to foster a community where they can truly be themselves.
Like everything in life, it is important to find a balance. You can love and support a celebrity or influencer without engaging in toxic behavior. Stan Twitter specifically started as a place to show your love for a musician or actor, but over the years, this has shifted drastically. When posting about a celebritiy or engaging in stan culture, remember to spread positivity and never post about someone on social media that you wouldn't want to be posted about you!
