Interview with a Fangirl: 2TimesMum

I am continuing with my series of interviews with Fangirls that I have met through social media!

2TimesMum with members of The Ghost Crew at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2016

Today, it is my pleasure to interview Fangirl 2TimesMum, who is a 40 year old mother living in Belgium that happens to love Star Wars!

I became aware of 2TimesMum through the Fangirls Going Rogue Podcast Twitter Community and I had the honor of meeting her in person while attending Star Wars Celebration Europe in London in 2016! 

Welcome 2TimesMum to The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl and thank you for taking the time to answer these questions about being a Fangirl.

When do you realize you were a Fangirl?

I love Star Wars from the very first time I saw it as a little girl. We rewatched the original trilogy again and again throughout my childhood. I also loved seeing the prequels on the big screen on every opening night and bought them when they got released. But it wasn’t until my children got interested about a new upcoming show in 2014, everything got so much more intense! Yes, I am talking about Star Wars Rebels.
It was the first Star Wars they saw and they were blown away by it! They wanted to know more about this galaxy and I was very happy to be able to introduce them to it. As their interest got bigger, I got more involved as well. Reading the books, keeping up to date with all the news, listening to podcasts, joining the Belgian Star Wars fanclub TeeKay-421, trying to make a Mandalorian armor, going to Celebration London, … it all started with Rebels for us. Watching that show together with my son and daughter, means the world to me!

How has social media helped or hindered you?

Even though I really dislike the enormous amount of negativity, the lack of empathy & respect, a whole new world opened up for me by joining twitter. I love seeing tweets from families that share Star Wars with one another, just like we do. I love seeing fanart of the characters we adore. I love reading people’s thoughts on past or future episodes. I love hearing podcasts that express a positive message to the Star Wars community and I love getting all excited together with the rest of the fans when we get new Star Wars! I love being able to interact with other Star Wars fans all around the world, something I’m not really good at in real life.

When did you first see Star Wars or other favorite fandom, such as Star Trek, Lord of The Rings, etc. and did you love it right away or did this grow on you over time?

I remember my brothers rented the VHS tape of A New Hope in the mid eighties. We knew nothing about it before we started watching. We were so excited afterwards! It was the first time I saw a girl kicking ass! To say I loved that, would be a huge understatement.

What have you learned from the Star Wars fan community or other fan communities that has had a positive impact on your life?

Despite the negativity I mentioned earlier, there are a LOT more positive things in the fan community. It sometimes feels like a family sticking up for one another and brightening one’s day when someone’s feeling down. It is also so much fun to be able to show my appreciation to the people that help making new Star Wars. Those are little things but I believe they can make a big difference! I think we all should do that more often.

What else do you Fangirl about?

Oh, I like other things but nothing comes close to what Star Wars makes me feel. There is no competition out there for me. That is because my love for Star Wars is intertwined with my life and my children.

Anything else you want to say to others about being a Fangirl?

I’ll tell you what I would say to little me back in the eigthies: don’t hold back on what you love. Always respect people who don’t love the same thing you do. Do not be scared of letting the world know what excites you. There are others like you out there. You are not alone and gender or anything else for that matter does not define the right to be a fan or not. Love what you love to the fullest!

Where can others interact with you?

You can find me on twitter: @2times_mum