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Abstract

In 2013, Sherlock fans were incensed when journalist Caitlin Moran surprised the show’s actors at a press event by having them read a piece of fanfiction aloud without telling them first what they would be reading. This was clearly done to make fun of fan writing. They took to social media to express their opinions, which included the idea that they were tired of women and minority groups being made fun of for their passionate engagement with cultural products. Themes of queerbaiting, symbolic violence, double standards, and critiques of misogynistic and heteronormative processes were inherent in their conversations about the incident on Tumblr. They characterized the mockery as typical of exclusionary social institutions that characterized them as irrational individuals. This article examines how they responded back with a metatextual commentary to attacks from without, which allowed them to validate their practices to each other.

Keywords

Culture fanfiction feminist critique heteronormativity journalism media Sherlock symbolic violence television Tumblr

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The active defense of fanfiction writing: Sherlock fans’ metatextual response

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