Fansplaining is a podcast about by, for, and about fandom. It’s hosted by Flourish Klink and Elizabeth Minkel. New episodes come out every two weeks. If you want to call us and leave a message for us to read on air, our number is 1-401-526-FANS!
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Elizabeth Minkel Podcasts
Welcome to Mind the Tags, where we talk about the history and evolution of fanfiction. Join Emily and Vee as they dive into a new fanfiction topic each episode and interview authors, researchers, journalists, and fans.
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The Hippogriff in the Room: The Harry Potter Problem
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Join Emily and Vee as they tackle how Harry Potter fic writers have responded to J.K. Rowling's public shift to transphobia in recent years. Vee shares their own experiences as a Harry Potter fic writer, and Emily adds some unasked-for attacks on long-dead composer Richard Wagner. Topics include: Orphaning fics, the relationship between creators an…
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I Came to Ruin You: The Collecting Practices of K-Pop Fandoms by Rea McNamara & Bo Shin
23:39
23:39
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23:39
This month’s Fansplaining piece is a bit of a departure from our usual fandom reporting and critical analysis: for the first time, we’re very excited to share a virtual art exhibit of sorts, from Toronto-based curators and BTS fans Rea McNamara and Bo Shin. I came to ruin you: The Collecting Practices of K-pop Fandoms was on display at York Univers…
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Interview with Naomi Jacobs: Design Researcher
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52:27
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Dr. Naomi Jacobs, Lecturer in Design Policy and Futures Thinking at Lancaster University. In this interview, we discuss the printing and binding fanfiction ("fanbinding") and the ways in which creating physical copies of fanfiction is another type of transformative fanwork. We also chat with…
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In our newest piece, Sacha Judd goes deep on RPF, tracing it back decades and tackling its thorny intersections with other kinds of fan practices. "The RPF Question" by Sacha Judd. Amid blurry boundaries between fic, celebrity fandom, and conspiracy theories, how real person fiction evolved from forbidden to mainstream and back again. Read the full…
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Fic is (like totally) Lit: Fanfic vs. Original Fiction
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55:35
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Join Emily and Vee as they discuss the similarities and differences between fanfiction and original fiction, including worldbuilding, copyright, filing off the serial numbers and fanfic that becomes published, and the ever-evolving journey of the Mary Sue. Topics include: Publishing, legality of fanfiction, creative writing, Philip Roth shade If yo…
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Interview with Alexis Lothian: Fandom Scholar
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46:33
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Dr. Alexis Lothian, Associate Professor at The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Maryland. We chat with Dr. Lothian about her foray into fanfiction in the early 2000s, as well as her scholarly work around speculative fiction, feminism and …
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Bridgerton and Period Drama Fandom’s Enduring Racism Problem by Amanda-Rae Prescott
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Our latest piece is by Amanda-Rae Prescott, who was one of the expert guests in our "Race and Fandom" series back in 2020! (https://www.fansplaining.com/episodes/135b-race-and-fandom-revisited-part-2) "Bridgerton and Period Drama Fandom’s Enduring Racism Problem" by Amanda-Rae Prescott. Complaints about historical accuracy and acting quality are of…
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The (fan)Artist's Way: The Friends to Lovers Relationship between Fanart and Fanfiction
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45:40
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45:40
Join Emily and Vee as they chat about the long and intricate relationship between fanart and fanfiction, the different legal and financial considerations between them, fanart commissions, and Vee's new venture as a lego artiste. Philadelphia vernacular warning to listeners: Emily uses the word "jawn" at least twice in this episode. Topics include: …
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Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than Brave New World by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
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Gav is back in Fansplaining in 2025! This time, she writes about Sam Wilson's recent Captain America debut—and how the MCU failed both the character and the fandom. "Sam Wilson Deserved Better Than Brave New World" by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw: Marvel wants fans to care about lore without thinking too deeply about themes and emotions—the things that bro…
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Interview with Elizabeth Minkel: Fandom Journalist
1:07:53
1:07:53
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Elizabeth Minkel, fandom journalist, co-host/editor of Fansplaining, and co-curator of The Rec Center. We talk about Elizabeth's travels through Buffy GeoCities of yore, what she loves and has learned about fanfiction over the years, and the trends she's observed in AI in fandom spaces. Chec…
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The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom by Lena Barkin
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28:01
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28:01
Our first article of 2025 is here—and it's a big one! "The War That Almost Broke a Classic Fandom" by Lena Barkin: Blake’s 7 fans and actors mixed regularly at cons and on the pages of zines—until an anonymous letter changed everything. Read the full piece here: fansplaining.com/articles/the-war-that-almost-broke-a-classic-fandom…
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Fic de Resistance: How Fanfiction Can Create Community and Fight Oppression
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1:01:27
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Join Emily and Vee as they discuss how participating in fanfiction can support writers and readers during times of uncertainty, and how the fanfic community can respond to political developments that threaten our communities. Topics include: Pleasure activism, anti-capitalism, gift culture, LGBTQIA+ representation, fan activism Sources from today's…
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The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction by Elizabeth Minkel
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20:36
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Around this time in December, we usually wrap up Fansplaining with “The Year in Fandom”: a look back at five trends from the prior year followed by five trends from the year coming to a close. With Flourish’s departure this summer, the podcast is now on hiatus—but I had a lot of thoughts about 2024, particularly when it came to fanfiction. Many tha…
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Interview with Lindie and Boy: OFMD Podficcers
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Lindie and boy, two incredible podficcers from the Our Flag Means Death fandom. Lindie and boy share what got them into podficcing, tricks of the trade, and some of their favorite things about recording fanworks. We've included some of the fics discussed in this episode below. You can find L…
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Bringing Fanfiction Into the Classroom by Abby Kirby
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Our latest article is by Abby Kirby, who writes about her experiences teaching fanfiction to middle schoolers: "Fic does something that my traditional English classes cannot: it places the power in the hands of the student." Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/bringing-fanfiction-into-the-classroom…
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It's a Femmeslashinomenon: Shipping Female Characters in Fanfiction
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Join Emily and Vee as they discuss "femmeslash" and some of the ships that paved the way for fanfiction centered around romantic relationships between female characters. Topics include: Women in media, gender, the trend of burying your (sapphic) gays, and the lasting influence of Xena: Warrior Princess Sources from today's ep: Blorbo From My Shows …
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Interview with Lani and Jo: Hosts of The Fanfic Writers' Craft
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47:28
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Lani and Jo, co-hosts of The Fanfic Writers' Craft, a podcast that discusses all things fanfiction with a focus on the art and science of writing for the enjoyment of fan communities. We talk about Jo's fandom beginnings in American procedurals, Lani's journey through the RENT fandom communi…
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We're excited to welcome back Allegra Rosenberg, who's written a new article for us on contemporary Beatles fandom: "The Beatles Live! New generations of fans are cultural archaeologists, working with the materials of the past to create the passion of the present." Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/the-beatles-live…
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Slashing Through the Binary: Gender and M/M Fanfiction
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58:50
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Join Emily and Vee as they discuss why some fanfic writers create stories centered around M/M (or "slash") romance. Topics include: Gender expression, queer representation in media and fanfiction, and late breaking news about the patriarchy Sources from today's ep: Queerbaiting on Wikipedia How Do We Solve A Problem Like “Queerbaiting”?: On TV’s No…
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Interview with Diana: Fanfic Writer and Researcher
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38:24
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Vee and Emily interview Diana, a writer and editor interested in queer theory, feminist theory, and media studies. We talk about some of Diana's favorite fandoms (including Inuyasha and Star Wars) and discuss the importance of fandom community when writing fanfiction. Thank you to Erik Potteiger for producing our s…
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The Scream Fandom’s Enduring Divide by Michael Boyle
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21:47
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Our newest article is “The Scream Fandom’s Enduring Divide” by Michael Boyle: Nearly a year after star Melissa Barrera was fired for pro-Palestinian social media posts, fans remain torn over the future of the franchise. Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/the-scream-fandoms-enduring-divide…
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The Multiverse of Fanfic: The History of Alternate Universe
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49:43
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49:43
Join Emily and new co-host Vee as they discuss alternate universes (AUs), including their own experiences reading and writing AUs. Topics include: Canon and cannons, Gulliver's most...interesting travels, and the limitless possibilities of expanding universes to infinity and beyond. Sources from today's ep: Alternate Universe on Fanlore In Favor wi…
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The Acolyte’s Squandered Potential by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
16:48
16:48
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Our newest article is "The Acolyte’s Squandered Potential" by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw: The show brought a whole new set of fans to a stagnating franchise. Its cancellation suggests Star Wars is only interested in looking backwards. Read the full piece here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/the-acolytes-squandered-potential…
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The Traumatized Gatekeepers of Broadway by Laura Wheatman Hill
21:03
21:03
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Our newest article is "The Traumatized Gatekeepers of Broadway" by Laura Wheatman Hill: Theatre fans measure their passion by nitpicking. Does it do the industry more harm than good? You can read the full article here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles//the-traumatized-gatekeepers-of-broadway
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You, Me, and Ao3 with Guest Host Jay Castello
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55:56
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Join Emily and Jay Castello as they discuss Jay’s 2022 article on The Verge: Archive of Our Own’s 15-year journey from blog post to fanfiction powerhouse. Emily and Jay dive into their own fanfiction experiences and share their perspectives on Ao3's important history and future. Topics include: The mysterious business of tag wrangling, what makes A…
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Interview with Elf Herself: OTW Contributor
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26:33
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On this episode of Mind the Tags, Kristin and Emily interview Elf Herself, a fandom archivist who supports the Organization of Transformative Works (OTW), where she works on the Fanlore and Open Doors projects. We talk about Elf's own fandom journey, her involvement with the OTW at its launch, and her ongoing work for the organization. Follow Elf o…
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Welcome to the Internet: The Early Days of Online Fic
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51:03
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Join Kristin and Emily as they talk about a quirky invention called the World Wide Web, and how the internet changed the landscape of fanfiction. We talk about Usenet groups, Fanfiction.net, and The Great Purge of 2002. Sources from today's ep: A Brief History of Modern Fanfiction: the Migration of Online Communities by Katherine alt.tv.x-files (AT…
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The Yellow Balloon Movement by Maria Temming
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23:45
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Our first piece in this new era of Fansplaining is "The Yellow Balloon Movement" by Maria Temming: Within jam band fandoms often dominated by substance use, clean and sober fans are building their own communities. You can read the full article here: https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/the-yellow-balloon-movement Hi, Fansplaning listeners, Elizabe…
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