The ‘Heated Rivalry’ Fandom Has A Racism Problem
Recently, we talked about the smear campaign against one of the stars of Heated Rivalry, François Arnaud. Arnaud, the only openly-queer cast member, has been seen hanging out with Connor Storrie. This has sparked speculation and contention among fans, with the more extreme aimed at attacking Arnaud personally.
This is not, however, the only thing members of the Heated Rivalry fandom have done that has attracted negative attention. Hudson Williams, who has spoken openly about his Korean heritage and the importance of Asian representation in media, has been the subject of racist comments, with entire X accounts dedicated to posting hate and negativity about him.
Not only have they targeted Williams, but there are screenshots of disparaging comments against family members, as well as Williams’s alleged girlfriend. These comments are not only enjoyed, they are encouraged in a cross display of blatant bigotry. Fans have gathered some of these screenshots in a Google Drive.
It was within our due diligence to address this as well. The toxicity in the fandom has gotten out of control. Major news outlets have been reporting on the turmoil, which is, frankly, almost unheard of when it comes to fandom drama. That is telling enough that what is going on with the fans needs to be stopped.
What is fandom?
Fandom is meant to be a community, a space of joy and love. As social media has grown, it’s become more than just a space to talk about your favorite characters: Now there are fan video edits, endless fanart and fanfics. People can connect through Instagram and X and find lifelong friends (and even partners). That is supposed to be the purpose of fandom. Recently, however, the rise of outright trollish behavior has begun to tarnish that idea.
One would think that with a show like Heated Rivalry that celebrates acceptance and queer love, the fandom would reflect that. And parts of it do, of course. It is not a wholly bad space; it is just like an apple with rot. As we spoke before about parasocial behavior, this enabling of internet anonymity and inflated sense of entitlement due to the easy access of social media has made people bold.
Rage-baiting, racism, and the chronically online
If you are not already familiar with online terminology, a “rage-baiter” is an individual who deliberately posts, says, or shares inflammatory, controversial, or irritating content online to provoke anger, outrage, and arguments. The old internet adage of “don’t feed the trolls” certainly applies to these people.
However, there is a difference between rage-baiting and posting genuinely disgusting comments just because you don’t like somebody. I have been in fandoms for 20ish years. I have seen the trolls and have been a victim of the trolls. That is just the internet. Respectfully (or disrespectfully), that is all chronically online behavior.
But what fans are doing with Williams–photoshopping his appearance, making up blatant lies to fit their own narratives, among many others–goes much further beyond that. The fandom, quite simply, has a racism problem, and it is directed at him. Despite what they may try to say, it is not harmless.
There are death threats. There are people happy that Williams is facing racism and hope it ruins his career. One even said that they would have “guessed he had fetal alcohol syndrome” because “he barely looks Asian.”
Williams himself has not spoken about the racism online, but during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy hosted by Andy Cohen, he did state that he only respects the opinions of people who have a “developed frontal cortex.”
Hate campaigns are not normal, despite what the internet tries to tell you
It is clear that Williams allegedly dating a woman has caused much of the backlash against him. Evidence was attempted to be supplied that she and Williams liked homophobic and pro-MAGA comments online.
RPF (real person fiction) fans want to see Storrie and Williams together. Because that isn’t happening, they’re lashing out. Suddenly, Williams is a “homophobe” because of his “Korean upbringing,” not to mention the slurs that fans have used in their posts about him.
There are countless screenshots online. A cursory X search will more than likely give you a few, including that “fans” are happy he is experiencing racism. This is not normal behavior. But it is also not the worst of it.
Recently, a fan group chat on X dedicated to target Williams specifically was exposed. The screenshots of the 63 members’ conversations range from “racism, sharing ableist edited images, and spreading false information. The account’s creators are actively engaging with extremist groups, including Zionist, MAGA, and misogynistic accounts,” according to the user who posted it.
The thread below is a collection of just some of the racism Williams has faced online among his supposed fans. Another user compiled everything into a Google Drive.
It is a baffling aspect of stan culture that supposed “fans” will dedicate so much time to this. Making up scenarios and fabricating lies is not normal behavior. And it is a tragedy that these people are the ones drowning out the good of the Heated Rivalry fandom.
It’s an issue that should not be brushed aside
It’s easy to say that we should not give these people the time of day. That we should ignore them. But that is counterproductive when dealing with issues like racism. The more we let it continue, the bolder these fans will become. There is the very real possibility it could become dangerous.
No one cares who you ship. At the end of the day, the characters that these very real actors play are not real. They exist within our minds, in the pages of the novels, in the portrayal of the show itself.
You are allowed to dislike characters. You are also allowed to dislike actors. But when you misdirect that hatred, when you wish harm upon someone simply for their looks or their heritage, you are no longer part of that fandom.
(featured image: Noam Galai/Getty Images for Gold House)
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
