Fandom and Self Discovery – POAFG Podcast

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In the latest episode of Portrait of a Fangirl podcast, host Jenna Wrenn spoke with cosplayer Hashirahero_cos about fandom and self discovery.

Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast

The “Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast” is a new series from the team at the Temple of Geek. Portrait of a Fangirl initially began as a web series and has now expanded into a podcast series as well. You can watch and listen to the series both here and on our YouTube channel.  Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, at the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.

You can listen to the Temple of Geek Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Stitcher / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel. 

Fandom and Self Discovery

Being a fangirl looks different to each person. In this episode, hashirahero_cos talks about how being a fangirl has impacted her life.

I think that [embracing the inner fangirl] really has made me more confident as a person. When I was younger, I was always afraid of being made fun of for being nerdy or being in a fandom. I was afraid of as being thought of as weird. So it was more something that I hid.

As I’ve grown and especially now, I really think it’s made me more confident in who I am and in being able to express my emotions. I’m still an introverted person I think at heart. But, I think it’s made me more of an extroverted introvert, where it’s easier for me to say who cares if someone thinks this is cringe or who cares if someone thinks that it’s weird for you to be super into anime or whatever. I really like it. This is fun for me. It brings me joy. It nourishes me and so I’m going to be unapologetically myself and I’m going to show this to the world and I’m going to feel my feelings and share my excitement and the right people will.

About our Guest

In addition to being a cosplayer, Hashirahero_cos is a talented and driven woman in STEM. Some of her biggest fandoms include Demon Slayer, Bungo Stray Dogs, and My Hero Academia. You can follow her on social media at Instagram and TikTok.

About our Host

Jenna Wrenn is a podcast host and entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek. She has written several articles covering conventions, anime, and much more. Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Jenna is a historian by trade, writer by passion, and cat mom by birthright.

Jenna loves all things nerdy and can be found playing D&D with her long-standing Sunday night group. Equally important to her, Jenna loves cosplaying, reading, and rewatching Star Wars: Rebels.

For more Fangirl stories, check out:

Episode Seven – Jade Valkyrie  

Alice Fanchiang- Episode Five

Tiffany Michelle Cagle – Episode Four

Victoria Male – Episode Three

Jordan Ellis– Episode Two

Utahime Cosplay – Episode One

The Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast is executive produced by Monica Duarte, Nathaniel J. Peinado, and Madison Morrow. In addition, it is produced by Jenna Wrenn and Tiffany Cagle. Hosted by Jenna Wrenn and was created under the umbrella of the Temple of Geek Podcast, as an ongoing series. Originally created by Monica Duarte and Emily Schuck for Temple of Geek.