Trans!Hiccup later in life becoming more confident in himself and coming to terms with the fact knowing how to and doing things traditionally viewed as 'feminine' doesn't make him any less of a man my beloved.

He canonically knows how to sew. Like his attempted cover was he was 'making outfits' so why not? He definitely made his own armor, he probably makes his own clothes when he has the time. He said he wanted to he a 'bread making viking' (and yes i knoe it was a hasty lie but hear me out) so I'd like to think he knows at least how to bake and probably how to cook as well. And he enjoys these things and indulged in them when he's able to.

BOYS RUN THE RIOT

✰ Genre: slice of life, drama, coming-of-age, psychological

✰ Demographic: seinen

✰ Editions: spanish, english, french

Ryo is a trans boy who has not told anyone, he is not even able to tell his best friend with whom he is in love. The protagonist has to carry the pressure of pretending to be someone he isn't every day, with the confusion and the fear of not being accepted, which even causes anxiety. But Ryo finds a safe place in fashion, as it helps him express himself and feel himself.

Jin is the new guy at school and he has a rude air, which no one seems to like very much. By chance Jin finds Ryo at one of his favorite stores and drags him along in their plan to create a clothing brand together.

It is a story about freedom, diversity, inclusion, finding your identity and breaking molds and expectations.

Although it may seem like a simple plot, it is not at all. To begin with, Ryo's mind is in constant chaos, he experiences anxiety and depression because he doesn't feel normal or that he fits in with society, he is not comfortable with his physique or his body, which makes him leave us with very intense scenes and makes us worry about his well-being and mental health.

Fashion here is a clear example that clothing helps us express ourselves as we really are and is even used to launch messages of criticism and freedom, which is what inspires the protagonist when making his t-shirt designs. Through his designs and graffiti, he tells his story and that of others, giving strength not only to himself, but to those who need it. It could even be a bit of a metaphor about a person's identity.

BRTR is also a clear example of real life, young boys with a goal that at times see it further than others. They realize that creating a brand is not an easy task and they are going to be disappointed more than once. And that reminds me of the ending. An ending that I've seen a bit criticized for being open-ended (Spoiler alert) and it does not make it clear to you if the boys achieve their goal of the brand succeeding or if it simply remains a high school hobby. From my point of view it is an ideal ending, which perfectly represents the topic of the uncertain future that we overthink so much in adolescence and sometimes in adulthood, not knowing what to do with your life, if you will succeed, if not, if you will what do you want, etc. Well, many of us, like the protagonists of this story, don't know and we cannot know what will happen, we simply live day to day with insecurities. I don't know if that was the mangaka's intention, but I really liked it.

✰ Some details that I found very cool and interesting are:

That the manga is full of characters that are a very good example of how to be a good ally, there are also LGBTQ characters and terms that are also defined, so if you want to learn a little more about the subject and inform yourself while you have fun reading a good story, this is your manga.

Another thing is that Keito Gaku to create BRTR contacted fashion experts and people who created their own brands, so that the experience of reading the manga would be more realistic.

And finally, the entire team that translated and edited the manga in the USA was made up entirely of Trans people.

✰KEITO GAKU,

the author of Boys Run The Riot, and Ryo, the protagonist, have quite a bit in common. They are both transgender boys. And it is that Ryo could be said that in many aspects and situations the reflection of the student Keito Gaku, since many of Keito's experiences can be found in the protagonist. For example, none of them liked to wear the uniform, it was a continual reminder of something they were not, so they always wore T-shirts or sweaters and tracksuit pants. Both were interested in basketball, a detail, which may not have much importance, is that the protagonist was asked to join the women's basketball team, but for Ryo that was a problem. Although for Keito it was also, he decided to play in the basketball team.

Gaku never came out of the closet during high school and he basically didn't need to. His closest circle of friends realized that he was trans because he felt uncomfortable with some things and also because of how he wore the uniform, so they began to treat him as him. Well, and despite the fact that he did not come out of the closet, he lived through situations very similar to Ryo's (let's not forget that the manga is full of personal experiences), his colleagues realized that he was not someone "normative", so there were people who he treated him normal, others rejected him and some, although they did not understand him, wanted to learn and improve as people, but he never suffered massive harassment for it. According to Gaku, the LGBT community is already very present on a day-to-day basis and it is no longer so common to be bullied for belonging to it, but people still have to empathize more. He speaks from personal experiences.

His dream since he was a child was to be a mangaka, although later with basketball he put it aside and it was not until he was 20 years old that he drew again. Gaku created up to four manga before officially debuting with the oneshot Bright, with which at the age of 22 he won Tetsuya Chiba's 77th Rookie Award in 2019. A year later, in January 2020, he would go to work on his first serialized manga, Boys Run the Riot, published in Weekly Young Magazine. He is currently working on another manga and is looking for assistants. I am curious to know if this one is also about transgender people, since for Gaku that is like his label and what has led him to gain popularity. By the way, a curiosity is that Keito Gaku whenever possible ensures that his team of assistants belongs to the LGBT community, especially looking for trans people, to give them visibility and support.

If you decide to read the manga at the end of the first volume you will find a very interesting short interview about the author.

✰BRIGHT

it was the oneshot with which Gaku debuted, and the truth is that to be such a short story it is very deep. We are reintroduced to a boy of heart and mind who was born in the body of a girl. This is the case of Maki, a trans boy who was not being accepted at his school, but finds refuge in the bar where he works part-time, where gender has no importance, and finally feels like himself. Until one day a classmate of his happens to visit the bar...

You can read the oneshot here, along with the rest of the winners of the 77th Tetsuya Chiba Award, completely free and legal, the only thing is that you have to know Japanese.

Despite being very short, it is a brilliant and interesting read, since in just one chapter you empathize with the situation of the protagonist. You see another perspective of life that a transgender person can lead, in this case because of the people around them. Since unlike in Boys Run the Riot, in Brigth Maki suffers more bullying at school for trying to be who he really is and it is terrible what he has to suffer, in addition to what he already carries with him. Although the way in which the protagonists feel about themselves is practically the same, both have hundreds of problems with their body and mind and the way in which the author narrates and draws it with so much reality that it makes for an unforgettable experience.

✰ Give support and love to the mangaka because I think he has a bright future and should not be missed.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!

hey, kevin here, i apologize that somethin' of this matter is being posted so late like this and so sudden. i won't be typing as i usually do as the accusations here are a serious matter and there won't be a need for my usual, light-hearted typing style.

it has come to my attention, though this information has been kept private for maybe a month, two? but has only just recently been brought to my attention by a good friend of mine. the claims were sent to him over instagram by my ex; kai or huhrizon. the photo will be attached below in which, kai, is laughing about the fact he believes he's found out that i am a minor. more specifically, fifteen. which couldn't be farther from the truth, this thread will be debunking and defending myself before he can come out and express these fabricated lies to try and ruin my reputation because he's upset that i wasn't ready for a relationship.

kai messaging mattia over the fact he believes he has uncovered 'my mother's facebook profile'. which will be debunked below.

very interesting that you decided to not only, try to uncover things about my identity after i politely explained to you that i no longer wanted to pursue a relationship, but that you're brewing up fake rumours just to try to get back at me for it.

onto the main claim. kai has been professing, that i, am infact a fifteen year old falsifying his age online. the reason he believes these claims are that, one, he found my mother's facebook profile. and two, that there was a photo on there of me, with the caption 'happy birthday kevin' posted onto the account. mattia has explained to me that this photo isn't here to be displayed as evidence, solely because kai sent the picture through instagram's vanish mode.

* this mode automatically deletes anything sent after the chat is closed.

mattia informed me that this photo was overall suspicious though as kai had blurred out the user's facebook handle. very odd indeed kai, very odd. i have no clue what this women looked like as there were no further photos, so until then, i don't know how i can debunk the woman not being my mother; appearance wise.

what reason do i have to believe this is motivated out of spite? before kai and i had become acquainted, i followed him through dylan, who had publicity posted about how his friend had created a dark blog. wanting to follow more creators who shared a similar interest, i followed him. immediately, kai had started sending asks about whether or not i was single. we had not talked nor even messages before, we had liked a few of each others posts and that was the max of our interactions. but i responded with a flirty remark, which i am now known for, but wasn't at the time. flirting was thrown back and fourth and after awhile i had realized i was no longer ready, mentally or emotionally for a relationship at that point in time. i still had full feelings for kai, yet kindly expressed my discomfort with a relationship. which he mutually accepted and that was that. i thought we were ended things on great terms, we both communicated and got our messages out of the way.

apparently this was not the case, as kai, without my knowledge goes to search for any sort of dirt he can find on me. which, i will be using a post by dylan to explain why i have reason to be swayed into the fact this was out of anger— i love dylan, and he's not included in these accusations whatsoever, but this post is important to view. do not drag him into this, please. i'm serious.

dylan admits to kai being able to ruin people's lives for fun. which is obviously, not a good look for him. he purposefully goes on the hunt for any information he can attach to someone. unluckily for him, he couldn't find anything worth exposing, so he restorts to making up lies about my age in an attempt to get some sort of revenge? as punishment for breaking his heart i presume. very, very mature after a breakup which i calmly and kindly let you know that i wasn't ready for anything further.

now, onto the rebuttal i have for his big accusation; me being a fifteen year old who's mother's social, kai sniffed up. my mother does not own any form of social media, she has an email which is technically not even a social app. ( this is used for her grad teachers, in order to contact her for reasons that will be explained ).

my mother hasn't had any social app for years, much less posts or takes photos of us to display whatsoever. my mother entered a relationship with a man, who at the time she didn't know was very, very anti-lgbtq.

* before anything else it's important to note that kai, believes i have a brother. i told him this in order to stray away any true information about me, as there are very few people i fully trust with the knowledge of my personal life. much less, someone who i just met at the time; i.e kai. kai had mentioned a friend of either his or his brothers being named 'hank' to try to also fit the lie of having a brother, i told him it was a funny coincidence that my brother had the same name. i do not have a brother, my sister and i are both trans— she being mtf, and i being ftm. she has given me explicit permission to disclose this, as i wouldn't ever dream of letting that information out without her word.

this leads into my main argument. my mother had been with this man for quite awhile, and had finally asked us for permission to give him the news, that we were both transgender and that he should know for the future of our family. he obviously, did not take this well. to keep details minimal for the safety of my family, i'll briefly explain some of the shit he's done to my mother. stalk, threaten, send unsolicited photos and dead animals to our home, try to get my mother to meet up - or find her location to meet up with her, and many, many more vile things. my family has been hiding, moving, and changing our identities ever since. my mother has wanted a healthy, safe environment for her children to grow up in without fear that their lives would be taken or in some way ruined by this man. we can't keep a house for more than a year before we're forced to go into hiding because of a message from him or some sick prank from somebody who knows about the situation. this is all i can say, as i don't want him to somehow get ahold of this post. which is also why i am withholding my families legal names as well as her ex's legal name just to be cautious. though it is never ever justified to lie to your partner, kai and i had barely talked and i felt pressured by the environment and excitement to rush headfirst into a relationship. causing me to hold back any truth to my personal life, excluding interests, stories, and stuff of that sort. which deserves an apology all on it's own.

now, where this fifteen, number came from. not a clue in hell, my sister, is sixteen but was fifteen at the time i was in a relationship with kai. i have no clue if this has anything to do with it, but he knew, as i told him i was celebrating her birthday through text. letting him know, the age she was and the age she was turning.

i live off the grid and always have. my legal name is not on here, my family or friends names, etc. my personality, all me, the stories or hobbies i have? true. my job? true. i express the true me on here while still holding back information that could cause my family into another year of hiding. my mother never has and never will have any socials. she barely uses her email out of fear, but has no choice as it's her only means of communication to her job.

another quick thing i would like to mention, to be truthful, as this is a post solely based on trust alone. as i have no physical evidence to back it up. i sent a photo to kai, letting him know it was taken when i was in middle school. i told him my mother put a filter over it, which is weird right? i just explained how my mother doesn't have socials, he's got to be lying, right? no, my teacher had taken the photo and she had edited on her photo to show our grandma, who she sent the image through phone messages. this was no lie, but it was a misdirection to try to get kai to believe my mother posted about me. i still didn't trust him and never fully did, so this was another. morally wrong, attempt to cover my true identity by lying to him about it. which, again, never right to lie to your partner. but i have a family to protect, it's hard to make friends and relationships online when you have to hide who you truly are your whole life. and i'm sorry that's been the case, though the information my mutuals privately know is all the truth. i've grown to trust a fair few, so thank you.

as a summary, these claims are total bullshit. i can provide more context or answers to any questions you may have, below, through dms, or through my inbox. this was once again posted before he could get his word out, as i wanted to make sure everyone knew what i had to say, in case he decided to 'expose' me while i was at work, or too busy to compile a rebuttal. thank you all for listening, you don't have to believe a word of this. as yes, my story does sound far-fetched but i have no way that i can verify it without putting my family in danger. which, i'd much rather lose my online status over a silly rumour than harm my family for another multitude of years. this is a rather short and rushed post though, as it's been bugging me for awhile and i just need to push it out.

A Harry Potter Confession/Rant

Ya’ll are free to ignore it if you want. I’m putting it under a Read More so it won’t clog up the dashes of anyone who doesn’t care about it. If you DO click the Read More, be warned, this got really frigging long.

Firstly, I want to say I love Harry Potter. Like, I really love it and it means a lot to me.

It was an introduction to fantasy for a lot of people. It’s created amazing communities, connected people around the world, and spread a ton of wonderful, uplifting messages.

The kind of power that comes from Love, that something as simple as caring can make huge difference for another person.

Harry Potter has gotten a lot of people to think critically about the world around them, and reminded them that things aren’t always as wonderful as they first appear.

It touches on things like racism and classism in a way that people can understand. It tackles things like morality and how it is different for every person who sees it. That doing what’s right wasn’t easy, and sometimes even the best intentions could make things worse instead of better.

The stories are amazing and suck people in. The foreshadowing is done well in each book and lends itself to the stories in subtle and fantastic ways.

No one had written a series like hers and took off as well as what she’d created. There had been other Magic School-type stories before, but she’d found the right channel to send it out. And now it’s something everyone can name and talk about.

For me, the great thing about Harry Potter was the doors it opened.

How modern fantasy for kids could be written. How a magical community could work in modern world (along with all the good and bad things that were in it). How something as amazing as magic could stay hidden for as long as it had (and the effects it had on everyone involved).

It’s community and the people mean so much to me, and it’s become a strong center to my own views and life.

But that doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to it’s flaws.

Looking at the way the world works, and the relationships of the people in it, gives a very clear view of Rowling’s flawed world view.

And people have written entire essays on all the flaws of her writing, so I don’t think I really need to go into tremendous detail about them all. But I think I can sum the basic idea of it pretty well.

Yes, she can write a great story. But that doesn’t mean she wrote a great world. (As all of her post-story retconning shows.)

Looking back, I openly admit many instances in the books had red flags that showed how bad things actually were.

From character relationships to the corrupted government, the racism and classism, the sexism and abusive undertones. Even just the shitty tracking of things between stories and blatant ignorance of how schools and societies should function!

There are so many flaws and screw ups I can hardly keep track of them all.

So many of the character relationships read as abusive or horribly fractured, that would leave more broken hearts and hurting feelings than should be let stand.

Ron/Hermione is one “couple” I can think of. They’re constantly fighting and at each other’s throats, and had only ever tried to get along due to being friends with Harry.

They’d be that couple who would always be fighting and breaking up with each other and separating, then forcing themselves back together because “This is how love it supposed to be, right? We always fight because we love each other. It’s why everyone said we were like an Old Married Couple. Right?”

(No, that’s not how it works. I know some people still ship them, but I feel like they’re better off friends than lovers. It’s less hurt for them both.)

Or Mrs Weasley, who ruled her house with an Iron Fist and would force her family to follow whatever plan she had set up for them.

From destroying the twins projects and trying to force them into a Ministry job, or her obsessive coddling of Ron and Ginny, or even forcing her husband to not talk about his hobbies/passions and making him need to work in the shed just to enjoy things he liked.

She drove of BOTH of her oldest sons away from home with her overbearing nature, yet so few people seem to see the problems with that.

Remus and Tonks getting together out of grief and just about falling apart when she got pregnant. I honestly don’t know if they were in love or were just together to deal with their grief. (Which would definitely cause problems later down the line if they’d lived.)

(And let’s not get into Harry and Ginny. I think that’s one pairing that everyone else has already beaten into the ground.)

The fact that all of these are the GOOD GUYS, the people that usually show some form of ideal the writer has, says a lot about how Rowling thinks love should be.

The Ministry is so blatantly corrupted and poorly planned, it’s a wonder the Wizarding World hadn’t just flat-out collapsed on itself yet.

Rowling goes out of her way to argue against everything she’s set up that would have made it possible to save the Wizarding World from it’s own corruption. From ways to get around the Truth Serum to blocking people from entering minds to find the truth.

She’s making thousands of excuses for why she didn’t use her own tools to make things easier for her character, but the actual reason is simple. So simple that if she just said it, she could have avoided all the problems people had with it.

She wanted a corrupt government for the story she was writing.

That’s it. That’s why there were no trials with Veritaserum. Why prisoners weren’t interrogated by people who could preform Legilimancy. Why no one had to swear magical oaths to prove they were telling the truth or weren’t on the Dark side.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but if she had just said that instead of making excuses, I would have been fine with that. Sometimes, as writers, we have to admit that the reason we didn’t do things that would have made it better for our heroes is because we needed things to go bad.

AND THAT’S OKAY. Not every story needs to have a million well thought out arguments for why the bad guys were able to get as far as they did. Sometimes we just need to say “they were really corrupt/clever” and that’s fine.

Rowling was really bloody lazy, had no idea how to do things practically, and had a ton of sexist/racist/toxic views that she really should have just kept her mouth shut about.

A ton of the issues in Harry Potter go back to this.

Her researching skills were terrible even when the things she needed to look up would have been as simple as looking at the weekly paper. (The price/value of gold is literally something you can look in the weekly news paper to find.)

She never looked at how culture differences would have effected things when she talked about “international” magics and said things that were just plain stupid because of her lack of research.

(The Mahoutoko School of Magic. ”Mahoutokoro” literally translates into “Magic School”, meaning the school is called “The Magic School, School of Magic.” I don’t think I need to explain why that’s stupid.)

She had no idea how to arrange a schooling/class schedule and was completely oblivious to how understaffed her magical school was. None of the class schedules made sense, none of the arrangements made sense, and even the number of students in the school makes no sense.

(Without getting into how many schools of magic there are in the world when you consider the size of the human population.)

Then, of course, there are the racist/anti-lgbtq+ stereotyping done through the magical beings of HP. From Goblins to werewolves, there’s a lot of poor, negative, and outright offensive representation wrapped up in there. (Really, her Anti-Trans stuff is just the tip of the iceberg there.)

That said, I still really love Harry Potter.

I know it’s flawed. I know there’s a ton of bad shit wrapped up in it. I’m not saying people should excuse it.

It’s a flawed work by a flawed person, and people should remember that.

We shouldn’t try to erase or ignore those flaws by trying to explain them away or claim someone else wrote it. Because that allows for complacency.

It implies that we can excuse these things in other works if we like them enough and that they aren’t problematic. If we can ignore them in one place, we can ignore them in other places. That they aren’t as bad if we can pretend they aren’t there.

And that is a problem. People need to accept that, just because they don’t like something, they can’t just disregard it and act like it isn’t there.

It’s real. It’s there. And we need to acknowledge it.

But just because the series isn’t perfect doesn’t mean people can’t still enjoy it.

We shouldn’t magnify the bad things in it until that’s all that can be seen. Because that would erase all the good things people have come away with from this series.

People shouldn’t be shamed or put down for liking Harry Potter.

There are people who’ve discovered importing things about themselves because of Harry Potter. People who found strength to get past difficult and traumatizing events in their lives. People who have found their best friends and even love because of their connection to this series.

There are even people who have found the confidence to embark on their own writing and artistic journeys because of Harry Potter. That it inspired numerous wonderful and amazing things created by it’s fans.

And I think that’s just as important as all the flaws that Rowling’s stories have.

We can still love something while admitting that there are bad parts to it. Books and media don’t have to be perfect. They don’t have to be utterly flawless to be considered “enjoyable”.

We don’t need to act like everything has to be black and white, perfectly defined good and evil, to be good. We can still love things while accepting that there are problems with it.

I just wish more people could understand that.

TLDR: Just because Harry Potter is a flawed, imperfect series written by a flawed, imperfect (and kinda shitty) person doesn’t mean people can’t still like it. And I really wish more people would accept that.

Barbie may not be out of the closet yet, but her fans sure are

Has there ever really been a gay doll? 

Well, yes and no. In 1977, "Gay Bob," marketed as the world's first gay doll, was sold through mail-order ads in gay magazines. And I'm sure that Mattel still thinks about the "Earring Magic Ken" fiasco of 1993, and his "necklace." 

But there's nothing inherently gay about dolls themselves – they're toys, pieces of plastic after all. In the same vein, there's nothing inherently gay about doll collecting as a hobby, as a passion, as an art form. 

Dolls are cultural reflections of the times, for better or worse. But doll brands like Barbie that are symbols of hyper-heteronormative, old-school femininity are being reclaimed and reinterpreted by adult LGBTQ collectors in a new way. And don't think the toy companies are unaware — they’re not, and they are absolutely involved. 

More recently the main way collectors are expressing this kind of love and solidarity, and where community can be found, is through the internet and social media. This is a space where the toys' brand narrative has usually been out of corporate hands. But companies like Mattel are in it now, noticing these LGBTQ fan communities, and vying for their digital eyes.  

Now THIS is what the Dreamhouse should look like.

Image: THE SIMPSONS/ Fox

Coming out of the (doll) closet  

Many adult collectors choose dolls because of the nostalgia associated with collecting toys from their childhood. Younger LGBTQ collectors aren’t connecting as much over the nostalgic dolls themselves, as much as they are using social media to connect with other gay fans. 

Tumblr user @dolljunk, who used to collect Barbies as a young boy, got into it again as a young adult through online fandoms. “Internet groups were a great way of connecting to other collectors. I had never even heard of [doll-related social media], let alone other collectors and when I went to my local library, I found a multitude of forums and fan sites that detailed how people collected dolls such as customizing, photography, and numerous guides for doll releases. It really opened my eyes to another side of playing with and seeing dolls.” 

LGBTQ collectors are also identifying with the messages of newer doll franchises, and the potential for what the dolls can represent. Monster High collectors in particular are mostly Millennials who never grew up playing with the dolls themselves, but with whom the brand's identity has resonated. 

Dott, a doll collector active on social media, introduced her collection, saying “I mostly collect Monster High, but there's some Barbies, Ever After Highs, and Descendants strewn in there." For reference, all of these brands were created after 2009. "Monster High's my main focus because...well, I think I connect with the lore the most. Unlike a lot of doll collectors, I love the lore aspect as much as, if not more, than the actual dolls. And there's something about the MH media that I just adored.” 

In an article from the University of Connecticut titled "Valuing queer identity in Monster High doll fandom," author Sara Mariel Austin wrote that "Monster High's recent ad campaign claims, 'We are monsters. We are proud.' Race, ethnicity, and disability are coded into the dolls as selling points. The allure of Monster High is, in part, that political identity and the celebration of difference..."

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The #Goochella monsters couldn’t get enough of the #FierceRocker’s freaky-fab cover of @LadyGaga’s song, Born This Way! 🙌💁🙌 Thanks for showing us that any dream is possible if you are brave enough to put yourself out there! 💪❤️ #KindMonsters #MonsterHigh

A post shared by Monster High (@monsterhigh) on Apr 21, 2016 at 8:05am PDT

If the messages intrinsic to these brand identities are like this, it's no wonder that LGBTQ doll collectors connect with these dolls on an emotional level. Social media doll communities like "Dollblr" and "Dollstagram" have also inspired other ways for a group that's traditionally marginalized to express themselves.

A passion for fashion: doll artistry and expression

Doll collecting is, inherently, at least somewhat escapist. There’s something that feels revolutionary about being constantly bombarded with the idolized bodies and lives of cisgender heterosexuals on social media, and then going “screw that! I’m gonna take this toy, make it a representation of me, and imagine a new world with it.” 

Utilizing dolls as an art form – through mediums like photography, clothes-making, customization/modification, and fanart – allow for LGBTQ collectors to envision a world free of toxic masculinity. Creating doll art in and for an online world allows a safe space for folks to literally “play” with their own femininity and subvert gender roles as they see fit. 

“It's something that's a nice escape from real life? We aren't worrying about gay stuff if we're rerooting a doll head, cause we keep pricking our fingers on accident, and our wrists and palms are sore from using pliers. In all seriousness, I think it's a form of self-expression,” Dott told Mashable about the physical art of doll modification and customization.

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A post shared by Barbination™ (@barbination) on Mar 10, 2019 at 3:31am PDT

The way that @dolljunk connects to his collection emotionally through art is similar. “Dolls and toy collecting [are] a great creative outlet...and can encompass fashion design, hair styling and face painting/makeup while also offering a way of creating new items,” he said. 

"It resulted in me becoming more secure in my identity and interests because Barbie, for better or for worse, is a symbol of hyper femininity that doesn't allow any room for toxic masculinity in her world. Being able to get in touch with my feminine side and interests was a big contributor to accepting my sexuality as being an intrinsic aspect of myself that didn't need to be changed,” @dolljunk said.

  View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barbievette (@barbieboyvette) on Dec 31, 2018 at 1:52pm PST

And for many LGBTQ folks, especially gay boys and trans girls, that's incredibly important. Even Carlyle Nuera, who is now the lead designer for Barbie Signature at Mattel, sees the growth in these social media communities as being rooted in collective childhood experiences. 

“I think for a lot of us, in different ways, for different reasons, we feel repressed growing up," Nuera said. "Depending on our homes, our family situation, we might not feel safe expressing ourselves. I think a lot of people when they start to have expendable income, they kinda create this fantasy world, this beauty that they never really had access to as a kid. They can see it — and I think they can sort of create it with their own dolls, by customizing their own dolls, or with photography. And then also to share with other people, cause you can connect with other people [on social media].” 

Dolls are humanoid, so it’s easy to project our wants, desires, and dreams onto them. And if we alter their resemblance enough, they can mirror us back in ways we hope society will someday. 

Does life in the Dreamhouse have to be so straight?  

Toy companies, though, are already creating their own miniature worlds with their own identities for the dolls through tie-in media. With various outlets and extensions of their brand, they impose their own meanings onto the products. Mattel and Hasbro, for example, have their own TV shows and movies. Barbie has the Netflix series Life in the Dreamhouse; Monster High and Ever After High had their own movies and webisodes, and Hasbro has the massively successful My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series.

They also have flashy social media accounts with good fashion photography and witty interactions. Barbie is now an Instagram influencer, as well as a vlogger with her own popular YouTube series. Mattel once ran an entire in-universe Monster High school newspaper through their Tumblr account. 

The presence of toy companies on social media is intriguing though, given that the minimum age for Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook is 13. So who really is the audience for these branded doll accounts? 

While these companies likely don’t want to risk alienating the parents who buy dolls as toys for their kids, it's also seems fair to say they want to capture this LGBTQ adult interest in their products. There have been brand partnerships like with Crayola, meant to solely market towards kids. But when you have Mattel partnering with Lady Gaga’s Born this Way Foundation for Monster High, it’s obvious that they spend at least some time thinking about their messaging that can be subtly aimed at the LGBTQ community. 

Especially since in a lot of their media franchises, there's a heavy focus on messages about being yourself, accepting others, and celebrating our differences — great lessons for kids of course, but all of which resonate deeply with LGBTQ doll fans. 

Milissa C. is a big fan of the Monster High and Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse series, alongside collecting the dolls themselves. She believes that the connection between the brands and the fans is deliberate. "[We] members of the LGBT+ community are oftentimes made to feel like we are not normal because of our feelings and our identities. Monster High encourages people to celebrate what makes them unique, 'freaky flaws' [as the main character Frankie Stein says] and all. LGBT+ doll collecting communities will certainly imagine more of their dolls to represent themselves. Every time I see a post from the official Barbie Instagram accounts where Barbie is obviously having a date night with a lady friend, I think — bi queen!"

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It’s a museum date! Taking in the @mickalenethomas exhibit today at @mocalosangeles. See more from the galleries in Stories. 💙 #MickaleneThomas #barbie #barbiestyle

A post shared by Barbie® (@barbiestyle) on Feb 1, 2017 at 2:26pm PST

Connecting to the storylines as much or more than to the dolls themselves is a celebration of LGBTQ identity, in Dott’s case. “Mostly because Monster High's entire concept is centered around embracing who you are. Plus, it was my special interest when I realized I was a lesbian. Mattel never gave us any canon gay characters in that franchise, but I find it profoundly moving that lots of lesbians/bi girls see themselves in characters like Clawdeen [daughter of the Wolf Man] and Twyla [daughter of the Boogyman]." 

Yet, she's right — the representation so far hasn’t been that explicit. There’s a line between using broad metaphors to illustrate big concepts (mainly for kids), and allowing the diversity of the real world to exist and be seen on the small screen. 

Despite knowing that he is far outside the target demographic, @dolljunk says that toy brand media “influences or recontextualizes the designs of the dolls I collect. A good piece of toy tie in media often encourages its audience to invest in the universe they have created, and I've seen it result from kids to adult collectors to go on to create their own fanart or fan characters. That being said, in the future I really do hope they are able to innovate and modernize for an ever changing audience in a world with changing attitudes and values.”  

From the Ever After High episode, "Dragon Games." This was supposed to be "CPR". Yeah, right.

Image: NETFLIX / MATTEL 

Dott says she always hopes for more explicit inclusivity. “Put some canon LGBT characters in your doll and toy franchises. Show kids that it's okay to be gay or bi or trans! It hasn't got to be something big; maybe a boy character has a schoolyard crush on another boy, you know? Just something small like that to get the ball rolling. Companies still have to do better.” 

Not having canon LGBTQ representation is not unique to doll media, but because the companies have opened the door by putting these messages front and center, doll collectors engage with the media as a way of reclaiming identity, and then push the representation further than canon allows for. Toy companies arguably owe it to both children and adults, LGBTQ and not, to step up with better depictions of diversity because they're already toeing the line. 

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A post shared by Barbie® (@barbiestyle) on Nov 21, 2017 at 2:36pm PST

Progress is being made, slowly but surely. There are new dolls and action figures coming out of prominent IRL figures and fictional characters who are LGBTQ. Last year on Instagram, Barbie wore a shirt that said "Love Wins." Even in doll-related media, companies are beginning to test to waters — in 2016, Mattel's movie series based on the doll line for Ever After High featured an on-screen kiss between two princesses.

For many collectors, it's not enough anymore to simply admire and collect these fashion figures. They want to see themselves in the dolls that they've been projecting onto for decades. 

So while we wait for the brands' next move, gay culture will keep claiming dolls because we know in our hearts that they're ours as much as anyone's. Barbie? More like Bar-bi. 

WATCH: Lady Gaga hopes award shows will become gender neutral

[TRANS] GOT7 Jackson LifeStyle Magazine Interview

Nothing should be taken for granted. I think that I am myself, so I just have to be the best of myself. Able to face myself, able to face others. Take care of myself, take care of family, take care of those I love. This is why I work as if my life depends on it, so that they can be proud of me. –Wang Jia Er Jackson

Jackson who has a considerable amount of popularity keeps saying this, “Don’t ask who I am again, I am Jackson Wang!” He woke up at 5am in Macau and rushed to fly to Beijing in order to shoot our cover story. In the whole process, we saw that Jackson Wang is willing to work his hardest, is humble, and is thankful. He is Jackson who makes us feel proud.

“Nothing should be taken for granted”. Jackson Wang’s domestic popularity is continuously rising, with ten thousands of fans commenting on Weibo, and large numbers of fan waiting at the airport. When asked whether he was troubled due to his extreme popularity, he humbly said “I don’t have the right to say I’m troubled, nothing should be taken for granted.” From his point of view, his parents bring him up should not be taken for granted, his fans’ love should not be taken for granted. And all of these people treat him well, so he should also treat them well, and should be grateful and thankful. In that moment, I was touched by Jackson Wang. 

Before the interview, I was unsettled, because I didn’t dare approach such an honest, youthful, sunshine-like boy who was quite popular and dazzling to the eyes. Of course, when I entered and was still searching for, someone next to me stood up and said, “Aren’t you guys eating? Let’s eat together!” That was him! Not only then, but throughout the whole shoot and interview, he continuously told everyone, “You’ve worked hard, thank you,” and took the initiative to greet and shake hands with everyone in a friendly manner. And it is because of this, that he has such good relations with others.

Because of ‘Go Fridge’, many people have liked Jackson Wang, this natural and truthful boy. Later on, he participated in many variety shows, including ‘Fighting Men’, ‘University Students Are Here’, ‘Happy Camp’, ‘Top Surprise’ and more. He attracted the attention of many through his performance, and have been acknowledged by many seniors has someone who has variety potential. But he said himself that he didn’t perform especially well, but just ‘be himself’ and not be others, or changed himself because of what others said. “I think that I am myself. If I change myself for others, then I won’t stop changing. No one is perfect. No matter what you do, there will be those who like it and those who disliked it. How can you satisfy the whole world? Right, so just be yourself.” Being yourself is the best option. How can you satisfy the whole world? The most suitable thing is always what you like. Just be yourself, then you can win the respect and recognition of others.

He’s always been the Jackson who is being himself, cool and resolute. He’s continuously worked hard like his life depended on it, for the people he cherishes, for those who cherish him, and for the success in his heart. “Don’t ask who I am again! I am Jackson Wang!”

Q&A Dialogue, Jackson Wang Q = LifeStyle   A = Jackson

1. “Don’t ask who I am again”

Q: “Don’t ask who I am again! I am Jackson Wang!” This is a phrase you have said many times in 2016, and are very strong and unique. How do you think Jackson Wang should be like? Describe in a few words or phrases. There’s the widely known “Cute He-Er” couple, and he is someone who knows have of the South Korean entertainment industry. He said, as long as you treat others sincerely, others will also treat you sincerely. When treating others well, do not anticipate anything in return, just treat them well. Don’t let yourself down, don’t let others down.

A: I want to become Jackson Wang who hopefully everyone recognises, and that everyone who knows me likes me because of my works, and not because of my appearance. That they like the real me. Even though I am lacking and am not perfect, I hope that everyone lies the real Jackson, the real Jackson Wang.

 Q: There is something that must be mentioned, and that is the currently trendy “Cute He-Er” due. (“YES!” He shouted loudly) Tell us an interesting story with Teacher He, for example a section during the recording that has not been. Do you both meet frequently in real life? For example, going out to eat or something. 

A: Every time it’s interesting. To me, brother (hyung) He is my ‘master’ and ‘benefactor’ who led me into this industry. At the beginning, my Chinese wasn’t that good. But after all, I’m Chinese. At home I speak Cantonese and Shanghainese, so I don’t speak as much Mandarin, other than with my Grandparents. I didn’t know has many words, and didn’t know how to use Weibo, so brother He taught me everything. He is a brother that I am thankful for in my whole life. Of course we meet in real life. Every time we finish recording ‘Go Fridge’, we will go eat non-spicy flavoured shrimped, both steamed and roasted.

 Q: In ‘Go Fridge’, what was the happiest or the most rewarding thing?

A: On the outside, it may seem to be a food program. But to me, it a program with a very warm family. It taught me the importance of family, and that happiness is not as complicated. Very simple things can already make you feel blessed and happy. Eating and chatting with family can already bring happiness. These are simple things that can make you happy, and it’s a blessing and happiness that cannot be bought with money.

 Q: After ‘Please Take Care of My Friend’, you and He Jiong hosted ‘Fresh Sunday’, which is also related to food. Are you someone who loves food? What foods do you like? Give a few examples of dishes you like. 

A: This program has already finished airing. Whether or not there will be another season, we’ll need to ask Henan TV (laughs). I am someone who extremely loves Chinese food. Street-side restaurants, non-spicy Guangdong dishes, and Shanghai dishes.

2. His variety entertainment and music

Q: You seem especially tough, someone who knows who they want to be. 

A: I am someone who is quite willing to try, willing to put in my most, and am not afraid. Someone who is themselves.

Q: So from being a singer to a variety host, do you have any plans in the aspect of TV and film? Any roles you want to try?

A: I always had plans to develop in this area, so everyone must contact me a lot (laughs). Acting in action movies and dramas is something I’ve wanted to do since young. If there really really (especially cute high pitched tone) is no one who will find me, then I will go act in the background. Even acting as a tree is fine (oh right, you said that you will act very seriously even if you’re a tree).

Q: You could say that 2016 was a very rewarding year. You’ve continuously accepted awards, including Tencent Video Star Awards’ 2016 Annual Variety Star Award, 2016 Sina Weibo Night Awards’ Popular Artist of the Year. Additionally, ‘Go Fridge’ was also awarded the 2016 Best Variety Programme Award. Evaluate your 2016.

A: I think that the year of 2016 was a preparation before the start for me. A bedding that has been spread out as preparation for my start. 2017 is the starting point for me, and I will do my utmost in every aspect. In 2017, I want for everyone in all the airports in the country to recognise me, this is my target.

 Q: Is there is restriction to the type of people who like you? 

A: Really, honestly, I hope that everyone from 1 years old to 70 years old will recognise me. Whether or not they like me, I can’t control it. But I think that as long as I work hard, more people will be able to know me.

 Q: In the aspect of music, GOT7 released two full albums last year and received many awards. In Asia, you all received love form countless of fans. And when GOT7 conducts a world tour, it causes very strong reactions. You also participated in composing ‘We Only Live Once’ and ‘Boom x3’. Talk about your music, what style do you hope for your music to have? In the aspect of music, what are your next targets? 

A: When we first debuted, the first 3 albums weren’t the style we practiced as trainees. During the trainee years, we practiced Hip Hop. GOT7’s real style started from the fifth album. If looking from which album, then songs like ‘If You Do’ and ‘Fly’ show a common point, and from that you will know what GOT7’s style is. I most want to be an entertainer, make every happy, whether it be music, TV and film, or variety, I want everyone who’s seen by work to be happy, and for them to say that it was good.

3. His fashion icon

Q: Following your rise in popularity, the media’s focus has continuously risen, especially fashion media. It’s been said that there are countless fashion magazine shoot offers (“Don’t lie to me” Cute attitude). What is your personal understanding of fashion? What fashion style do you like?

A: Honestly, the same clothing depends on who is wearing it. If I wear it then my fans will decrease (laughs). What I like the most is to not wear anything, not wear anything on the top. At home I really don’t wear, no matter if my body is good or not, I don’t wear, it’s comfortable. If asking me what is fashion, then I think suiting your own style is good enough.

 Q: Thermal underwear is said to be a fashion killer, but you always tell fans to wear thermal underwear. Teach everyone how you can wear thermal underwear fashionably.

A: Really? Can I take some photos only wearing thermal underwear? Not wearing a top, only wearing gold coloured thermal pants below, tight cotton ones. My mum bought it for me. (Really can’t imagine how thermal underwear can be worn fashionably, I assume only you can?) Of course. If you can wear it then wear it. No one has tried, so give it a try, everything is golden. I think it’s not bad.

 Q: You’re getting busier now, so what are your hobbies and interests when you’re not working? 

A: Sleeping, working out, or driving out to play. Drive around myself, not sure up till where, and then go home.

 Q: The day before the magazine release will be the eve of Chinese Valentine’s Day. Say a few words to your single fans.

A: When I’m tired, I’ve asked myself if doing so many things are worth it. Each time I will tell myself that I am happy, with so many people who love me. And for the sake of them, not wanting to let them down, not wanting them to be looked down upon for telling others “I am Jackson Wang’s fan”, and wanting for them to be proud of me, I have chosen to work as if my life depended on it.

Q: So what do you think success is?

A: Success is, being able to take care of yourself; take care of family; take care of everyone who loves me; and being able to be recognised by many, this is what I think success is. And I’m not talking about the type of recognition for good looks, but the recognition of my personality.

Source Translated by: Misxing You (tumblr/twitter) Please take out with full credits!

[TRANS] BTS Japan Official Fanclub Magazine - Suga’s Biography

A mischievous kid growing up into a boy who enjoys reading 

I was born in Daegu in the South, the third biggest city of Korean, and grew up there until I came up to Seoul. When I was young, I was pretty much an ordinary kid. I loved playing around so my kindergarten teacher didn’t seem to like me. (laughs) I remember being scolded “It’s dangerous!” a lot. I also loved sports and was good at running, to the point of being picked as a relay runner from elementary school all the way up to high school. When it comes to studying, I’m slightly above average. 

I used to love playing outside with friends back then, but I changed as I grew up. Even when we went outside, it wasn’t like we did anything, we just gathered at the park. I wasn’t fond of that so many times I just stayed at home on weekends. My mother told me to go outside and meet my friends sometimes. (laughs) 

I had a thing for collecting, so I collected a lot of books when I was young. It was a time when I wanted to be a cultured man, wanted to pretend I know things too. Mature stuffs that didn’t suit my age or novels, poetry books, essays, newspapers,… I read everything regardless of genre. I don’t know why but up till middle school, I had the habit of reading books from the back page. I still read books sometimes now. My reading speed gets faster by reading multiple sentences at a time. 

Memories of first love from elementary school… I really don’t have any. Unlike Seoul, the provinces are conservative, and my school didn’t have that kind of atmosphere in which boys and girls talk to each other. If I was with a girl, I would become really shy and wouldn’t even say a word. 

The encounter with hip hop Started composing in middle school 

I started to be interested in music in 5th year of elementary school, while watching the performance of “Stony Skunk”, Korean artists, on TV. It was the prime of ballad back then so if 18 teams perform on a music program, 10 would sing ballads, 5 would be idols and the other 3 would be other genres. They were one of those 3 teams. It was so cool how they were different from other singers. Up until then, I didn’t have any interest in music, but with Stony Skunk, I started listening to hip hop and reggae music, and was influenced by Epik High as well. MP3 player was starting to come out at that time, but I bought a Panasonic CD player and listened with that. 

Along with listening to music, I also started writing music at the same time. It wasn’t like someone told me to do it, I just had the thought of having to do so. I started writing rap lyrics in elementary school and started composing after I went to middle school. Back then, no one around me liked hiphop… It became extremely popular in Korea now but when I first started listening to it, hip hop was a genre once popular a long time ago. I think there probably wasn’t anyone on the streets who raps, except for me. If I rap at the karaoke room, it would just become some kind of sound to my friends. You know the moving hand gestures that are hip hop’s specialty? I was picked on for that too. 

Despite that, I still kept liking hip hop and in my 2nd year of middle school, I went on the stage for the first time at a festival. I performed Dynamic Duo’s “Go Back” with a friend. I didn’t like standing in front of people, but at that time, I only felt like I have to do it. I showed the rap that I practice too, although it wasn’t anything great. (laughs) 

 Actually in middle school, I wanted to go to an arts high school so I composed classical music. But the tuition was too expensive so I ended up just going to a regular high school. I told my father “I have done enough music now so I’ll study hard in high school” and went to that school, but of course I didn’t. (laughs) 

Full-fledged activities as a rapper after joining a crew in town 

Middle school years was when I composed music to satisfy myself only, on a hobby level. It was after I changed the MIDI software that I started full-fledgedly making music. In 1st year of high school, I showed my song to a person that was like a mentor to me, and he liked it a lot. I was introduced to a hip hop crew called “D-town” and joined. That song had the feeling of new-age music but had hip hop beats similar to Nujabes. For your information, the mentor that acknowledged me studied at Berklee College of Music and is currently working as a movie music director.

I think I started rapping properly after joining the crew. I have been rapping since elementary school, but since there wasn’t anyone who raps around me, I thought I was the best. (laughs) 

After that, I came to the Daegu underground scene, and from then, I also got to know that you can’t make a living out of music in the underground scene. Most of the hyungs who made music with me that time was about 10 years older than me, there were also people over 30. They worked part-time jobs and made music at the same time, but it seemed very hard. Even when performing live, it was already a huge deal to have 100 audiences, and I hated that fact. I thought “If I success, could I be the liaison of the underground scene?”. There are plenty of people who make good music in the underground scene, so I thought when I become famous, I want to create a better environment for them, I want to show their music to the world. 

Just then, I knew Big Hit was holding an audition in Daegu. I came there knowing nothing but that it was a company formed by composer Bang Shihyuk, but I was told that I was accepted the next day. I heard it later that when he saw me, he immediately thought of letting me pass. Even though I wasn’t good at rapping that time. (laughs) 

Coming up to Seoul after becoming a trainee Different from first thought…!? 

I came to Seoul on November 7th, 2010, when I was in 2nd year of high school. I still remember it now. 

I joined to company not to rap, but to become a composer. So I thought I didn’t need to dance, and let people who are good at rapping rap, I just needed to follow the producer path. But it became a totally different thing. (laughs) At that time, rather than idols, the company was planning to create a group consisting of rappers, but that changed. The members were Rap Monster, J-hope and me. There were also Supreme Boy, i11even-hyung who is now active in the underground scene and Iron-hyung who made it to the finals of Show Me The Money 3. I think if we debut like that, despite being good at rapping, we would fail. (laughs) 

Rapper & producer The future Suga thinks of as a goal 

My 4-year-older brother plays a very big role in letting me be able to walk on the music path like this. He started liking hip hop under my influence, but when I came to the audition, everyone in my family opposed it except for my brother. They didn’t view music activities nicely, even my relatives told me “What music for you, go study.” So I only showed my songs to him. He was the first person I informed that I passed the audition too. Our relationship is so good that we’re like friends. I basically don’t drink alcohol, but I drink it with him only. 

My family all support me now, of course. Even the relatives that told me to study ask for my signatures. (laughs) 

These days, I have thoughts about wanting to also be active as a producer. I have no greed of being in the center, I just want to make music. I don’t have interest towards the entertainment world too, everyone says they want to act, or to go on variety shows, but I don’t want to do those. (laughs) But still, the first thing is to make BTS get 1st place in Korea as well as Japan. And myself too, I want to be the best rapper, the best producer. I don’t know if it would take time, but I have to try.

JPN - KRN © mondomizel1

Blog #3, Harry Potter

       My second audience experience is learning about fandom and how it applies to fandom surrounding Harry Potter. What exactly describes a fan is a person who is “emotionally invested in their favourite media by thinking about the plots, characters and messages of those texts” (Sullivan, 2013, p. 191). There are often negative stereotypes towards fans which was personally experienced by media scholar Henry Jenkins as he was Star Trek fan. Fans generally have a negative association with them, especially around science fiction and fantasy fandoms. Depending on the audience it is a little embarrassing to talk about being a Harry Potter fan. However as Harry Potter is such a global phenomenon it would be more widely accepted than Star Trek for example. When I was younger during ages 9-13 I would have been considered a fan. Harry Potter was more relevant then compared to now as the original franchise has completed all the film adaptations and books have all been published. Now that it is less relevant in popular culture I would consider myself more of an enthusiast with some fan elements. In my middle school aged years I would often wear Harry Potter shirts to school and discuss it with my friends who shared my love for the franchise. I never got to the point where I was a producer and would repossess or re-contextualize the text. I would say I have been part of a subculture within certain parts of my life as I had a few Harry Potter posters in my room and dressed up as one of the characters for Halloween. However since those days the subculture is not apart of my routine. Sullivan describes the active producer fans of Star Trek, their participation was beyond a pastime or hobby. They would produce newsletters, songs, stories, artwork, literature etc. and share it with each other at meet ups and conventions. I will rewatch the movies with my family every the odd time or read Harry Potter related content on Facebook, provided it is something that is shared. I will likely not go out of my way to search something Potter related unless it is already on my feed. Several years ago a friend and I went to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre. Authentic props from the movies were there along with sets where fans could explore and see artifacts up close. I would argue that this is not like a convention as there was not much fan engagement other than the odd comment. There were no interviews or Q&A sessions. It was just like going to any other exhibit at any other museum, except this was about a movie franchise.          Kim (2016) discusses the sport fanbase and viewing in a home environment verses the nontraditional theatre environment- one that is not usually used for viewing sports. The viewing environment for these movies in the theatre verses at home is quite different. When watching one of the final Harry Potter movies in 3D I jumped and let out a little scream because I was so startled, completely unintentionally. At one point a snake pops out of the floor and it is as if it is lunging for your face. The effect that scene would have had on me if I were viewing it in the home setting for the first time would have been very different from the 3D theatre setting.         Convergence which “allows media content to be displayed on any number of different devices, but it has also enabled the simple reproduction of these media into computer file formats that can be distributed via the Internet” has even a very relevant concept in the Harry Potter franchise. The books and movies span well over a decade. The first movies were released on VHS tapes, later DVD, online through iTunes and other digital networks such as OnDemand, then Blue Ray. The first book was published before e-readers ever existed. With convergent media, content can be viewed on so many different platforms which can be labeled as trans media production. Jenkins describes it as “the coordinated use of multiple media platforms (or technologies) to craft a narrative. Unlike traditional storytelling in a single medium like television, film or books, trans media narratives open up the possibility for audience participation and dialogue with media producers (Sullivan, 2013, p. 241). Author J.K. Rowling has created a website called Pottermore which creates an online digital reality within the franchise. Fans get assorted into various houses just like the movies. There are reports that a Harry Potter version of the Pokemon-Go game will be released where users have to move and walk around to find items using their phones. There is also a Harry Potter amusement park within Universal Studios, Orlando. Fans are able to ride on Harry Potter themed rides, tour through a castle, ride on a simulator and shop through Diagon Alley, creating the closest thing to a real life, tangible Harry Potter Experience. Audiences and fans can also visit Warner Brothers Studios in London, UK and visit sets of the movies. There are also train rides that one can go on in Scotland and England which simulates the Hogwarts Express. Producers have capitalized on opportunities to cash in on this fandom culture and create a business with longevity.

  Fandom is important because it creates communities where like minded people can come together and share their common interests.