This is referencing the IT and Stranger Things fandom as, these are the fandoms I’ve had the most experience with however, I am sure it applies to many other fandoms as well. For a while now I’ve noticed the IT fandom is getting a reputation for being toxic, so much so that people associated anyone in the IT fandom as being toxic. I’ve seen people leave the fandom because of receiving death threats, and abusive messages from others involved in the fandom because they have a different ship or like/dislike a certain character, I’ve seen this happen in the Stranger Things fandom as well.
I myself have never experienced anything like this. A part of this reason is because I’m scared that if I am more active and voice certain opinions I’ll be on the receiving end of the death threats. However, the people I do interact with, the fan accounts I follow on social media, have all been really nice. You can tell they are all in the fandom because they love the characters and maybe relay on them and relate to them like I do and that’s comforting to me as, it makes me feel less alone. I am sure there are others they feel this way.
Unfortunately, people ruin it for everyone else. The small amount of toxic people in these fandoms are talked about so often it makes it seem like we are all that way. I and I’m sure many other people feel like we are all being grouped together, and that most people perceive anyone in the IT or Stranger Things fandom as being toxic people. It upsets me to see fan accounts and people leave because they were receiving abusive messages. At the end of the day we are all in the fandom because we enjoy the same tv show, movie, book. It doesn’t matter who ships what or who likes what character, if someone has a different opinion to you, it doesn’t matter, as long as they’re not affecting you, you should just leave them alone.
People are entitled to their own opinion. If someone prefers Elmax to Mileven, okay. If someone prefers Stozier to Reddie, okay. If someone says they prefer Mike Wheeler to Richie Tozier, it doesn’t matter thats their opinion. The point is they may feel as happy reading a Hanbrough fanfic as you do reading Stanbrough or Stanlon. Someone may freak out over a piece of Byler fan art like you freak out over a Benverly one. Someones difference of an opinion is not a big deal. Not everyone’s the same and not everyone has the same viewpoint, that doesn’t mean they are bad people it just means they have a different viewpoint than you. You should just accept that they like something different and move on.
So if you are one of the people that sends threatening messages or comments hate on someones account maybe just think before you do it. Put yourself in someone else's shoes, how would you feel if you received something like that just because you enjoyed something else. How would you feel if someone sent you a death threat for simply posting about your ship or your opinion of a character. Just leave people alone and let them do what makes them happy, and please don't leave the fandom if people are sending you messages, block them and ignore them, I know its hard but don't let people drag you away from something you love.

















