Show Notes:

I am a freak and I am proud.

Why are so many fans hiding their AO3 bookmarks, running private accounts, and apologizing for what they love? In this episode of Pages & Prejudice, Stitch and Adrie Rose dig into the culture of shame, guilt, and fear that has taken over fandom spaces — and why it's making everyone miserable. Drawing on cultural anthropology, Ruth Benedict's guilt/shame/fear society framework, and years of firsthand fandom experience, they break down how anti-fandom, call-out culture, and the concept of "guilty pleasures" are pushing fans to hide, self-censor, and turn on each other.

Topics: fanfiction, AO3, guilty pleasures, anti-fandom, dark ships, slash fiction, fandom culture, kink shaming, fandom shame, fan works, pro-ship, fandom discourse, kirk/spock

Recommendations:

Fanfic:

• Alien Brothers by Helena Seabright

Podcasts:

• Searching for Soshern: The Forbidden Star Trek Fanfiction (Very Special Episodes)

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Hosted by:

Adrie Rose (@adrierising on bsky, twitter, instagram, & tiktok)

Stitch (@stitch on bsky, @stitchmediamix on instagram)

Music: ⁠⁠HOLY MOLY⁠⁠ by Shane Ivers

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