They Can't Know I Wanna Kiss Robots: Stigma and Audience Segregation in Fanfiction

Fanfiction writers have long faced public stigma, which emerged with the rise of fandom and, according to recent claims, may be lessening as fandom identities gain wider acceptance. However, the practice of fanfiction writers intentionally segregating their audiences remains a deeply embedded aspect of fandom culture, with limited understanding of its underlying motivations. The purpose of this study was to analyze the audience segregation employed by online fanfiction authors in order to understand why they choose to segregate their audiences, and specifically to determine the influence of social stigma on these choices, answering these main questions: Is there segregation between fanfiction identity and real life? What are the mechanisms by which authors segregate? Are there any connections between the writer’s relationship to their writing and their comfort sharing it with those in their real life? Why do individuals separate their fandom/fanfiction identities and their real life? This study surveyed 1080 individuals and conducted 39 extended surveys and examines the relationships writers maintain regarding the sharing of their work with different social groups and the motivations for this audience segregation. By analyzing individual responses and reasoning, it contends that, despite a possible reduction in public stigma, fanfiction writers continue to prioritize audience segregation, largely due to self-stigma. As the relationship between online and real-life identities evolves, fanfiction writers seek greater control over who can access their work, aiming to avoid potential harm stemming from residual stigma.