Fanboy and fangirl carry asymmetric gendered connotations of devotion.

Evidence

“Fanboy” describes an opinionated and ardent male fan. It is considered pejorative and originated in comic book fandom. “Fangirl” has a slightly different connotation that implies romantic interest. While “fanboy” is deeply gendered, I found that most global Web 2.0 enthusiasts were, indeed, male. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 930

Categorization

• DEFINE: Precise distinction between fanboy (opinionated, pejorative) and fangirl (romantic-interest connotation), with the empirical claim that Web 2.0 enthusiasts were mostly male.
• XREF: Relevant to status-attainment theory: the gendering of fandom as deviance versus competence dovetails with how feminine-coded enthusiasm is delegitimized. — connects to: Male and female eroticism are experienced as transcendence versus alienated immanence respectively. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 775; Men’s perspective passes as neutral truth while women’s is read as gendered — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 53

Broader Connections

• Men’s perspective passes as neutral truth while women’s is read as gendered #expands (0.78) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 53
• Male and female eroticism are experienced as transcendence versus alienated immanence respectively. #expands (0.75) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 775