Why Horror Fans Are The Best

I’ve been a horror fan since I was nine years old. I realize that it is probably weird for a lot of people to read. I understand that horror is not for everyone, but the genre has managed to bring a significant amount of joy to a lot of people around the world. I think it creates more goodness than some might expect with the community surrounding it. I’ve been to many horror conventions over the past four years. The comradery there is by far some of the best I’ve experienced. Instant friendships that last for years to come, and that’s something to be proud about at the end of the day.

The world of horror films has brought me great joy over the years and lasting memories that I would NEVER take back in a thousand years. I’m even in a horror book club where I made five more friends from ultimately I would have never known otherwise. My father and I make sure to see a new horror film every year in theaters or rent one in the years’ nothing has been available, to celebrate Halloween. It’s by far one of my favorite traditions that we share, and I’m so glad he made me watch movies like Sleepaway Camp over the years. We even had the pleasure of meeting Felissa Rose together two years ago.

I bring this up because recently I received a comment on a horror piece I was promoting that was beyond rude. If the piece got rejected initially, I would not have cared and chalked it up not to post about horror there. That would have been fine, and I would have moved on with my life. Instead, I’m sitting here writing a blog post because it has left me upset at the thought this piece might not go back up since it was complained about too. I don’t know what happens when this site moves an article back to pending on this site. I love the site, and I adore the owner. However, what bugs me more is after this disapproving comment, the person also downvoted another piece of mine—an article in the same category.

Not all of my articles are going to please everyone, and that’s fine too. Moments like this, however, come off as petty. I would never go that far to deter someone’s success. This moment is not going to hinder my progress. If anything, it has lit a fire in me to write now more than ever. The truth is it has also made me want to write more about the horror community and what a wonderful group I belong to ultimately. However, I had to write about it because I’m so tired of preconceived notions of those who love horror the way I do. 

Loving the horror genre does not make us bad people. If anything I can honestly say that the horror community is by far one of the most compassionate group of people with the most empathy I’ve ever met. I will defend those I don’t know in the community and those I do know because they’re amazing. I’ve had more conversations this year on Twitter alone about horror films with fans that have made this year bearable. I just recently wrote a review, Shudder’s Host, that I’ve gotten SO much love for ultimately. It makes me SO happy. 

This happiness is not merely because of all the love I’ve received. Instead, I’m happier because of all the love Host might receive because of it. We have to support each other in this world gone mad. We have to help innovative people and make sure they have a platform to continue running on so something better comes out of it. And yes, good can come out of a horror movie. Greatness can come out of horror fans. But more importantly, what I have learned from the horror community is that there is no better group of people who are more loyal and deserving of one’s devotion than them.