I think Trek is one of the interesting franchises that has endured because of fans. Each show and movie may just have fans exclusive to that title. But the fans and those titles contributed to the franchise. We wouldn't have the current output without their efforts and interest
To be clear, I'm not bashing fans or fandom. I'm a fan, most of my friends and colleagues are fans, SF conventions are my happy place. Fandom has been a
huge part of my life.
My objection was the whole pernicious "
real fan" or "
true fan" business which implies that some fans outrank others Insisting that some fans are Trekkier than others suggests:
1) Everybody else is a fake fan and therefore don't count or matter.
2) There's an official party line that all "real fans" support and anyone who disagrees is, bingo, not a "real fan."
3) That STAR TREK is only for the "real fans," not casual fans, newcomers, or (gasp!) the general audience. At worst, this manifests as sneering at "the masses" and adopting an "us" against "them" mentality towards the rest of the audience.
4) And, yes, it invariably lends itself to gatekeeping, i.e. a cliquish mentality that can be very unwelcoming to anyone who doesn't meet the "real fan's" exacting standards. "You call yourself a Trek fan? Why, I bet you don't even know the exact terms of the Organian Peace Treaty!"
In short, fans are great. Fandom is great. But I have no patience for insular fannish elitism.
(Not just a STAR TREK thing, btw. This can be found in most any fandom. I still remember the guy who told me I wasn't a "real" SUPERMAN fan even though he hadn't even been born when I was watching George Reeves on our old b/w TV back in the day.)