The History and Legacy of Proshipping Subculture on Tumblr

The Complex History of Proshipping on Tumblr

Tumblr has long been a home for diverse fandom activities and subcultures. One of these is proshipping - the practice of supporting and creating fiction involving problematic or controversial romantic and sexual relationships between fictional characters. Proshipping has a complex history on Tumblr, full of changing trends, debates, and conflicts.

The Rise of Proshipping

Proshipping first emerged in the early 2010s amongst Tumblr fandom circles. It arose as a reaction against increasing policing of ships and content within fandom. Many fans felt that stricter rules against problematic ships stifled creativity and vilified shippers unfairly. The proshipping movement advocated the freedom to ship any characters and create any content, regardless of the characters' ages, power dynamics, or morality.

Some key beliefs included:

• Fiction should not be policed for morality
• Shipping problematic pairings does not mean endorsing real-life abuse
• Creativity should not be stifled in fandom spaces
• Fans should be free to explore dark or problematic ideas through fiction

Using the #proship tag, fans shared their controversial ships and called for broader acceptance within fandom. Proshipping quickly gained traction in many corners of Tumblr fandom.

Height of Popularity

From 2012-2015, proshipping reached the height of its popularity and visibility on Tumblr. Large proship blogs and communities sprang up during these years. It was not uncommon to see proship posts with thousands of notes.

Some factors contributing to its growth included:

• Increased hostility towards antis and purity culture in fandom spaces
• Pushback against the perceived "sanitization" of fandom
• Younger generations of teens exploring edgy content

Proshippers formed tightly-knit circles and engaged in heated discourse with antis. Proship blogs frequently called out and doxxed antis. " discourse" and "anti callout" posts were fixtures of proship blogs at this time.

The Tipping Point

In 2016, proshipping communities faced a wave of controversies and backlash. Several factors contributed to this shift:

• High-profile callouts of abusive behavior in proship circles
• Increased awareness of harm caused by doxxing and harassment campaigns
• Underage members of proship spaces groomed by adult members
• Aligning with "MAP positivity" blogs

Many former proshippers began speaking out about abuse endured in proship circles. Additionally, the alignment with MAP positivity led to widespread criticism of proshipping as a whole. These controversies fueled intense scrutiny and declines in activity.

The Decline on Tumblr

By 2017, proshipping's popularity had waned significantly. The #proship tag still sees occasional posts, but nothing like its former prominence. Some factors in its decline include:

• Tumblr's 2018 adult content ban
• Loss of core userbase as former teens grew up
• Stigma attached to the proship label
• Increased awareness of grooming and minor safety issues

While proship communities still exist on Tumblr, their visibility and influence has faded drastically. Current proshippers keep a lower profile amidst the stigma.

Debates Around Proshipping Today

Views on proshipping remain complex and disputed in fandom. Some key points in current debates include:

• How to balance creative freedom and responsibility regarding content
• To what degree kinks/ships normalize or reflect real beliefs
• If minors should be allowed in proship spaces
• If proship inherently enables abuse and grooming

Proship has undeniably problematic elements of its history and associations. Yet, the core philosophical debates around creative freedom remain unresolved. Tumblr proshipping had lasting impacts, both positive and negative, on fandom culture as a whole.

The Broader Legacy and Lessons

While proshipping's time as a dominant fandom subculture has passed, it left some broader legacies:

• More openness about darkfic and problematic kinks in fandom spaces
• Ongoing debates about the line between fiction and reality
• Increased awareness of grooming and minor safety in online fandom
• Cautionary tale about the dangers of black-and-white discourse

For many, Tumblr proshipping represents a cautionary tale about the excesses of fandom culture. The black-and-white feud between proshippers and antis caused immense harm. However, it also catalyzed needed conversations about safety and creative freedom.

Lessons learned from this troubled subculture include:

• Balance is needed between creative freedom and ethical responsibility
• Youth safety must be prioritized in adult fandom spaces
• Harassment and doxxing are never justified, even against "antis"
• Nuance is required in complex fandom debates

While no consensus exists, proshipping's legacy prompts reflection about how to nurture inclusive, ethical fandom spaces. By learning from the past, fans can cultivate communities that balance creativity with accountability.

FAQs

What is proshipping?

Proshipping refers to openly supporting, creating, and sharing fiction about controversial, problematic, or illegal romantic pairings without judgement or censorship.

When did proshipping get popular on Tumblr?

Proshipping gained traction on Tumblr in the early 2010s and reached peak popularity between 2012-2015 before declining significantly by 2017.

What controversies led to the decline of proshipping?

Factors like exposed grooming/abuse, alignment with MAP positivity, rampant harassment, and loss of core userbase contributed to proshipping's fall from dominance on Tumblr.

What were the main beliefs behind the proshipping movement?

Key proshipping beliefs included that fiction should not be policed for morality, creativity should not be stifled, and dark/problematic fictional content does not reflect real-life beliefs.

What ongoing impacts did Tumblr proshipping have on fandom?

The rise of proshipping sparked debates about fiction/reality, creative freedom, and safety that continue affecting fandom discourse today.