Women, especially young women, have always been an integral part of fandom. From Star Trek to the Beatles, young women have almost always been the ones to become avid fans of something and demeaned for it, only for the interest to be later dominated and introduced into hall of fame status by male converts, who are often seen as the hallmarkers of “good taste.”
The BTS ARMY is no different. Whether it’s in the public media or within the fandom, teenage girls are often treated like they are a hindrance at best to the fandom and a disservice at worst. An inter-fandom Twitter trend started on Feburary 26th is a template along the lines of “I love that I’m a [insert age] fanatical brainless teenage girl with [insert professional credentials].” This was used as a way to reinforce the diversity of profession and age within the fandom. It is true that the ARMY is diverse, in terms of all demographics, including age and professional career. However, why are teenage girls made the butt of the joke? Our fandom diversity should be celebrated, but not at the expense of the demographic who make up a large part of the fandom.
Not just any artist makes it into the global stratosphere of popularity, and certainly not BTS. Obviously the many “it” factors that make BTS so special have been the constant propelling factor in their rise to stardom, but that would not have been possible without the efforts of the original champions of BTS, South Korean teenage girls.
For those older adult fans who have come across BTS in the more recent years, you have a group of mostly teenage fangirls to thank for your discovery. Their consistent efforts to promote BTS helped in making the band more visible, as BTS were from a virtually unknown company that was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Teenage girls have always been an integral part of the ARMY, and always will.
Being a teenage girl who is a fan of something should not be weaponized as an insult. But it frequently is, with insinuations that the perspectives and actions of teenage girls are only a detriment to the reputation and efforts of ARMY as a fandom. Beyond that, it sometimes extends to derogatory judgments made about the overarching intelligence of teenage fangirls and their opinions.
From “I wouldn’t be interested in BTS if I was a teenage fangirl because their concepts are too elevated” to “teenage ARMY only stan because BTS are hot,” demeaning narratives about teenage girls in the ARMY run rampant. Not only in the public media, but also within the fandom itself, and is often perpetuated by women which is of even more concern. Internalized misogyny, whether directed towards older or younger female fans of BTS contributes to this derision. ARMY who are at opposing sides of fandom discourse often respond with comments based on age, fueling a toxic and unproductive cycle.
What is ironic about these narratives is that the members of BTS themselves have never made their teenage fangirls feel disrespected. They cherish each and every one of their fans, and even when provoked in media interviews, rebut against the “crazy fangirl” narrative which is deeply rooted in misogyny.
“Age, gender, nationality, religion, what language you use, it doesn’t matter. Whether you’re young or old, whether you have a hidden child, I don’t care… All of you who loves me and BTS are all ARMYs. Thank you ARMYs for making me a blessed person.”
–Min Yoongi (SUGA), 160110 Fancafe
If the fandom is to truly abide by BTS’s intention of total acceptance of every one of their fans, teenage girls should not be left in the lurch as a result of misconceived and often misogynistic notions.
There is a double standard that exists between female fans and male fans. Male sports fans have gotten into enough violent spats for there to actually be a ranking list of the most destructive. However, guys with “man caves” full of sports jerseys in their basement are rarely judged. It’s just seen as an interest. When female fans have posters of their favorite musicians plastered on the wall or scream exuberantly when they have the chance to see them live, they’re called “mindless,” “rabid,” “hysteric,” and other insulting terms.
Because of this misogynistic double standard, when a musician, actor, or band has a lot of female fans, especially young ones, it is often used to delegitimize the artistry or talent of said artist due to a “lack of substance.” With regard to BTS, who are known for having carefully crafted lyrics rife with wordplay, thematic motifs, and both cultural and social allusions, their legitimacy as a music artist is seen as less in the media because of the fact that they pack stadiums sardine-tin full with screaming, largely-female, fans.
This passionate interest, which many ARMY cite as stemming from the depth of BTS’s lyrics, is seen as a poor reflection on BTS themselves, rather than a testament to their global impact.
The idea that young women are incapable of critical thought and analysis of media is rooted in misogyny and perpetuates a harmful stereotype about women’s ability to make well-contemplated decisions about the media they choose to engage with. The infantilization of female fans and the diminishment of their intelligence is then applied to the legitimacy of BTS themselves. Societally, the interests of young women are treated like young women often are, assumed to be frivolous and devoid of depth.
The tastes of young women with regard to media are equally as legitimate as anyone else’s. To discredit the interests of young women is to discredit the young women behind them.
Passion, exuberance, and engagement are not bad things. If anything, they speak to the relevance of BTS’s message on today’s generation, especially on young women who often feel misheard and misunderstood by society. To abide by the creed of kindness and acceptance that BTS infuse in every element of the words they speak, sing, and rap, we must treat the teenage fangirls with the same respect as we do anyone else in this fandom.
It is possible to contradict the notion that all of the BTS ARMY are teenage girls without discounting the teenage girls themselves, and that is something that every member of ARMY should strive to do.
