The problem with gatekeepers, is that their reputation is trashed by people who take it to the extreme. I still feel that gatekeepers in general are important to have for communities and fandoms. But the kind of gatekeepers we could use more of, are ones who’re actually not just weeding out the fakers from the authentic types, but to actually educate a little about what a community is all about from being devoted to a basic fan.

I see too many times, people running around with wiccan stars and satanic symbols, but are only wearing them for cool-factor purposes. But if you came up to one of them to hold a brief conversation as to whether or not they even care of or know the meaning behind the symbols that they’re projecting, more often times than not, they are largely using them because they looked cool to them.

Now as a gatekeeper in that position who is asking the questions, would it be wiser to actually educate them or just scream at them crazily? You could educate them a little and if the answers still boil down to “tee hee, I just think they cool anyways, I don’t care” then you’re permitted to brand them as bullshitters and an insult to actual people who take these symbols to heart.

You just don’t simply want a lot of people misrepresenting and confusing something you care about, because it is damaging an identity at the end of the day. That’s why gatekeepers are important to have around.