Not only Little Monsters: Diversity in music fandom in LGBTQ lives

Abstract

This paper challenges common representations of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* and Queer) music fans, broadening the scope by considering a variety of LGBTQ individuals and fandoms. With this aim, we discuss the narratives on "being a fan" in six life stories of self-identified LGBTQ individuals, who have participated in an oral history project on the role of music in LGBTQ lives. The analysis discloses a great diversity of what being a fan means, covering various intensities of fandom, how narrators conceptualize the topic in their own words, within their daily lives, and in relation to their sexual and gender identifications. These accounts further explore and move beyond established stereotypes of LGBTQ fandom, often focusing on extreme fans and specific fan objects,1 and instead indicate diversity on a number of continuums: From active to more passive fandom, from diva worship to participating in DIY cultures, from listening to making music, and from theoretical to emotional involvement.