One thing I don't like about SNS fans is that some of them feel the need to drag Sakura through the mud in every one of their posts. Calling her a gay beard, saying she is nothing more than a device to convey Naruto’s feelings, calling her catty and jealous of Naruto because Sasuke likes him more than her, etc...

Like, Sakura deserves criticism just like everyone else does, but there's a fine line between criticism and just making shit up like saying Sakura was willing to give Naruto over to the Akatsuki just because of that line where she said getting closer to the Akatsuki would get them closer to Sasuke. Yes, before you ask, I have seen every single one of these claims in SNS posts before.

Like, I'm not the biggest fan of her, but I honestly just feel bad at this point. I know you're a big fan of her so what do you think?

omg anon, I just got war flashbacks to 2014 send help HFKDHKSHSKS.

I honestly did not expect my answer to be as long as it is (that’s on me, I should’ve known that I’d be incapable of shutting up) so I’m putting the rest of the response under the cut!

I feel the need to clarify to anyone that reads this: I am also a SNS fan so please don’t come for me!! I know there are plenty of SNS fans that are also Sakura stans (or at the very least, don’t have any strong opinions abt her character, which I’ll always take over the overly-negative ones) but there is definitely no denying that there’s a small percentage of that fandom who actively hate Sakura for things that are literally out of her control.

You basically summed up how I feel about the whole thing. I think there are legitimate reasons to dislike Sakura as a character, but once people start twisting the narrative - that’s when I get defensive. It’s been proven time and time again that Sakura has nothing but love for both Naruto and Sasuke (once again, I am asking the fandom to stop holding her hostage for shit she said in the very beginning of the manga!!) so this argument that Sakura would be catty / jealous / homophobic because of SNS’s bond literally makes no sense to me.

(Like, seriously. If y’all have CANON evidence, please feel free to let me know and we can discuss it! But most of the time, it’s just people deliberately twisting canon to fit their own personal agenda.)

In terms of the jealousy aspect, I personally don’t mind the characterization that Sakura would be jealous on like, a human level. I understand that. When the people you’re close with enter romantic relationships - especially in this case, when it’s literally her teammates - I think there’s a very natural sense of loss and envy that comes with that. Even in a platonic sense, when you feel that two of your friends have a stronger bond, or that they can connect on a level you will never understand, I think it’s very natural to feel jealous or left out. However, in my opinion, that jealousy would never turn into resentment or bitterness. Sakura has always valued the happiness of team, so at the end of the day, I genuinely think she would be supportive and it pisses me off when SNS fics paint her as this jaded ex / the villain of their ship. Like, y’all are going out of your way to make her the bad guy, and for what? 

It’s funny, I’ve actually read SNS fics where authors are actively aware that Sakura wouldn’t be bitchy, but write her as a bitchy character anyway because they need a villain for their story. Like... maybe you should take a step back and examine why you feel the need to make her purposefully homophobic. 

As for the jokes about her being a beard for Sasuke - well. When done without any real malice, I think they can be funny. But as a casual SS fan, I do think they get old really fucking quickly. Sakura literally has no agency & it baffles my mind when people blame her for ending up with Sasuke (I’m not even pulling this out of my ass - I’ve literally seen these takes.) Like, take it up to Kishimoto!! Leave her alone!! It’s so funny to me when people come up with these wild conspiracy theories as to how Sakura “tricked” Sasuke into marrying & having a child with her as if these aren’t characters with no real agency at the mercy of a heteronormative author. I totally understand if y’all disagree with SS - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but I also take issue with how their canon relationship played out - but people who hate Sakura for ending up with Sasuke as if she had any real control over the matter... It honestly makes me laugh. It’s genuinely funny. Like damn, a fictional character who isn’t even the villain of the show really gets your blood boiling that badly - it’s very girlboss of her!

Also, I just need to throw this in here because it’s come up on my TL a few times and I want to vent: I honestly cannot fucking stand Boruto, none of that shit is canon to me, but SNS stans who deliberately make hateful jokes about how Sasuke purposefully abandoned Sakura and Sarada because he doesn’t actually love them... Like, that’s not the slay you think it is. Y’all are making fun of Sakura for having to be a single mother, but I think there’s something super fucking tragic about the fact that Sasuke, who has so much love for his family and his clan, basically abandons Sarada in her early childhood. I know he has his reasons, but in my opinion, it does a great disservice to his character. Idk, the Sasuke I know would never, but Kishimoto simply does not understand him like I do. Idk, I don’t watch Boruto, so I can’t really give a fully formed opinion about this, but this has been sitting on my mind for the past few days and I wanted to put it out there.

All this to say, I can’t control how anyone thinks. I’m waaaaay past the point where I feel the need to fight with anyone whose opinions I disagree with - the block & mute buttons are my friends and I use them often. As long as no one comes into my space and starts talking shit, especially since y’all KNOW Sakura is my ride or die, then I’m just living my best life.