Longtime culture writer, formerly of Vox. Member, WGAE, ATCA. They/them or she/her. http://ajaromano.com - I am NOT @bookshop.org lol.https://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlvtvnhftk2lWe're sooo close to the baseline 🙏 less than a handful of paid subscribers from reaching this milestone. And the work will only get better! [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 May 2026 17:23 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvtvnhftk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlteofezfk2rI had such fun joining RALLY's What If We...? podcast to discuss the evolution of memes and their enormous role in our cultural trajectory! Short and engaging chat. https://what-if-we.captivate.fm/episode/the-hidden-power-of-memes14 May 2026 17:45 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlteofezfk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlqjmezmyk2eToday's Fansplaining article is a must-read. @soila.bsky.social was part of several of my fave panels at Seattle Worldcon, and I was elated to see her write about decolonizing fanfiction for us! https://fansplaining.com/the-elation-and-anxiety-of-reading-fic-in-your-native-tongue/13 May 2026 14:35 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqjmezmyk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mljm3fvssc2kJust finished @lincodega.com's Pasha the Storm, and I feel a little overwhelmed by it! Such immense, immersive polyqueer worldbuilding, w/a large, sharply drawn, incredibly horny cast of characters, a deep mythology, and a salty pirate hero falling for a hot flustered principled naif half her age!10 May 2026 20:31 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mljm3fvssc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlgjb3o6fs2q🔥🔥🔥🔥 [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 May 2026 15:02 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlgjb3o6fs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlblbnj5422hYou guys, @fansplaining.bsky.social is close to funding our current weekly publishing rate! 🙏 If you signed up for free membership but have been thinking of upgrading, today would be a lovely day to take the next step! Paid membership means you get access to everything incl. special podcast eps!07 May 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlblbnj5422hhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mlbiwlymr22zHad a great conversation about Chinese CP fans with Nicoletta! We talked about everything from Xiao Zhan and AO3 to the military's crackdown on Linghe's beautiful face in Pursuit of Jade, but of course that's all background for this piece. [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 May 2026 15:13 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbiwlymr22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3ml73z3rdps2nThis piece was SUCH a delight! [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 May 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml73z3rdps2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkztwuugoc2hI don't think we're talking enough about how, after years of trying to legislatively punish the city of Memphis for existing while Black, TN Republicans are now just... taking it over by force. Exhibit A: https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/04/20/state-oversight-board-would-control-memphis-shelby-schools-budget-contracts/?emci=8ada45c0-f33c-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&emdi=c4b75c41-713d-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&ceid=676780 Exhibit B: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/tennessee-republicans-eye-new-gerrymander-to-eliminate-states-last-democratic-district/04 May 2026 14:09 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkztwuugoc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkstybbqok23Thank you all SO much for the love and enthusiasm! Bluesky once again proving it's the coolest platform for internet nerds 🔥 💪 💖 [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 May 2026 19:21 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkstybbqok23https://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkprcbfj2c2qOne thing I love about @lincodega.com's article on The Pitt fandom (which you can read rn just by becoming a free member of Fansplaining!) is that alongside all the cogent writing about fan practices is just. So much thirst for Jack Abbot 😂 https://fansplaining.com/the-pitt-fandom-phenomenon/30 Apr 2026 13:55 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkprcbfj2c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkncg6uxbs23IT'S HEEERE! Membership is FREE and you get access to so much smart writing about fandom, starting with @lincodega.com on THE PITT! I am so excited for the stories we're going to be bringing to you all! Articles on everything from danmei to Drake! From conlangs to Thai GL! Join us! 🥳 [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Apr 2026 14:23 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkncg6uxbs23https://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkivjat7ec2tI was like CAN WE GIVE THE FAN A LIL LAN CLAN RIBBON? MAYBE A GUQIN? 🥺 and loooook 🥹🥹🥹🥹 [contains quote post or other embedded content]27 Apr 2026 20:22 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkivjat7ec2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkeo4zavuk2iThis is exactly why we are relaunching @fansplaining.bsky.social as a proper media outlet dedicated to nuanced reporting on fandom culture! We deserve to break free of this repetitive, endless "have you heard of fic/shipping/slash/etc?" cycle! We will fix this 💪 [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Apr 2026 03:59 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkeo4zavuk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkdbqtza3k2ponce again, it's "be gay, do crimeS," the original quote was "crimes" not "crime," the "s" is mandatory, it underscores that you are so full of gay crimes that you are starting with crimes against language itself, it cannot be anything else, ty for coming to my ted talks25 Apr 2026 14:45 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkdbqtza3k2phttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mkbcvwyioc24glancing at the public convo about MJ and remebering the article I wrote for a redacted former employer that exhaustively revisited the original media coverage of MJ's allegations, and how the media *immediately* consistently dismissed them as greed-motivated nonsense, that my editor killed on sight24 Apr 2026 20:00 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkbcvwyioc24https://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mk6nz2m7kc2jI should also add that I am open to (really more like grabby-hands about) pitches! I have a giant brainstorming list of topics I'd love to publish that I'm happy to send out! Here's a little glimpse for you all. aja@fansplaining.com for pitches, questions, kudos etc! [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Apr 2026 18:41 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6nz2m7kc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mk6jrlqq222sWE ARE SO CHUFFED! Get excited for us! 🎉🎊🥳 Dust off your fandom pitches that you didn't have an outlet for! 🔥🔥🔥🍻 [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Apr 2026 17:25 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6jrlqq222shttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mk2xcnvbsk2joh poor Leo!! Please chip in a few dollars if you can, or pass this along in order to help a sweet lil guy 🙏 [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Apr 2026 07:16 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk2xcnvbsk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bookshop.bsky.social/post/3mk25cibdgk2wThe regime is attempting to criminalize the infiltration of extremist groups, just as it has perpetually tried to frame antifascist resistance as equivalent to fascism. The charges are primarily a tactic to try to shift the cultural perception of what counts as extremist activity. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Apr 2026 23:31 +0000at://did:plc:s3gwpbphtdgyjfa45gwioa3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk25cibdgk2w