Introduction

This is the second of our special series about fandom. To start from the beginning, listen to last week’s episode!Being part of an active fandom creates close communities, even families, especially for those who haven’t found any shared interests with friends in other areas. And after several exoduses from various platforms, some of the biggest fandom spaces are fan-operated, like the fanfic archive AO3. But within these communities, people can face discrimination, gatekeeping, and other obstacles around identity, body type, and income. While some fans might find wild success with their writing or artwork, others have experienced rampant harassment and threats—and the difference has a lot to do with who they are.So how do fan creators balance independence from big platform companies with the challenges of moderating inclusive communities?To see some of the fantastic costumes Yalda’s created, check out her Instagram @yaldamn.