I'd like to say I use the term "Grown Up" fangirl loosely. Because to this day, I still read the odd Veronica Mars fanfiction and wait outside movie premieres for 6 hours (heavily panting) to see a glimpse of Benedict Cumberbatch's curls. Like most obsessions, fandom started early childhood as a method of finding identity as an Asian girl in diaspora. Fanfiction, shipping, and fandom were my ways of coping, and escape.

Today, I have the privilege of living and breathing fanfiction as an actual job at Wattpad. As I continue to grow, I enjoy delving into questions that disseminate fandom. Why is M/M fanfiction so popular in comparison to other gender pairings? How does intersectional feminism intersect with fandom? Can fanfiction actually shift the "normal" narrative and be medium to enact social change?

This story will explore reigniting my fangirl spirit as an adult and look at unpacking fandom and fanfiction with a feminist, marketing, and data driven lens.