While Netflix’s Bridgerton continues to influence everything Regencycore, the Bridgerton fandom continues to get noticed for all the wrong reasons. One would think that a historical fiction about social status, decadent balls and calculated marriages would be a fun place to connect with other fans. But, as a new Bridgerton fan, I have to say, this particular fandom has to be one of the most toxic fan spaces I’ve been in for quite some time. And that is saying a lot considering my default entertainment is usually of the science fiction and fantasy spectrum.

Yes, I will admit, I am late to the Bridgerton universe. The first season didn’t grab my attention with the main storyline of Daphne Bridgerton and The Duke. However, the characters Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte piqued my interest. I figured I would return to the series at another time and left it at that. Then I watched Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and was hooked! I needed more and decided to give the second season a go before the third season dropped. I might be one of the few people that enjoyed the second season more than the first, but this is my hill and I’m standing on it. 

Who knew a Regency-era drama could bring out the racism and homophobia in the romance bookish community?

When Shonda Rhimes announced her plans to use romance author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels as inspiration for a Netflix series, no one (well, maybe Rhimes herself) didn’t anticipate the explosive fandom and streaming numbers that would come with it. Some would argue that what Rhimes did with Bridergton is nothing short of amazing, and as a recent Bridgerton fan, I can agree.

I admit that I am not a romance book girly, but I love drama, especially when it’s set in a specific period. The historical fiction lover in me finds solace in inserting myself in period pieces because it is my form of escapism. And with any series I become invested in, I try to find social spaces where I can find other fans to talk to. I knew the fans would be romance-heavy readers but the racism, homophobia and transphobia I was not expecting.

I am not new to racist fandoms. For the most part, I anticipate it especially when it comes to narratives that center on diversity. However, there is nothing about the Bridgerton series to be upset about. There isn’t any wokeness in Bridgerton, either. It’s an alternative historical drama with attractive rich people who view marriage as a class aspiration necessity. However, there are wives, sisters and mothers of klansmen who are over-politicizing a romance series. The Bridgerton fandom is unfortunately polluted with terfs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) bigots and racists who refuse to accept their vanilla regency romance series now have fluid, rainbow colors. They make the entire fandom look bad and uninviting to new fans like myself. 

The Queerphobia

The homophobia over Benedict’s fluid threesome is laughable. Do these women think wealthy aristocratic men were only heterosexual during this time?  It’s so ridiculous. If Rhimes ever decided to reimagine any Greek tragedies, they would be shooketh. Now, let’s get into this Michaela/Michael Sterling bend that has ruffled the ‘phobes feathers. Their entire argument is that Francesca Bridgerton won’t get her head-over-heels love story. But I disagree. First, I think one of the running themes in Bridgerton is that love is not always calculated. Sometimes, it’s disruptive and inconvenient.  For some reason, Brimsley having a short-lived on-screen romance is tolerable to these fans, but a passionate throuple with consenting adults is a bridge too far, but to whom? I think excluding queerness among aristocrats is dishonest. We have proof that it was a common occurrence, especially among men with wealth. 

The Racism 

I recall the outrage surrounding the series when it was first announced. People were fake outraged that mixed-raced people would be seen as equals to the Crown. Others just wanted the romance without the “politics” but how can you depict romance and the monarchy without political intrigue? While the Bridgerton castmates are all visually stunning, can we all admit that the actors of color are exceptionally more attractive than their white counterparts? This could be intentional because we know Rhimes loves a good swirl romance.  This motivates the toxic fans to spew disdain for the series because they are accustomed to being centered when it comes to romance stories. 

The Bigotry

One of the things that made me hesitate to watch the series was how the fans treated the actors on the show. I remember scrolling TikTok and watching delusion fans lash out at Regé-Jean Page (Simon Bassett, Duke of Hastings) for exiting the show. The entitlement they expressed was a turnoff and because I was already lukewarm on the first season, it just turned me off. After watching Queen Charlotte, I witnessed many fans dismiss the series as a whole. It is easy to assume that Queen Charlotte didn’t receive the love it deserves because white women can not see themselves in Charlotte. It is similar to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. You can search Markle’s name now and see how upset many white women that she is with the prince. 

Perhaps the toxic fandom is a reflection of the author Julia Quinn. After all, she has a past of saying sketching remarks about diversity and race.