Shipping
what it means
Short for "relationshipping". Ships are named by blending the two names, and disagreements between ships are one of fandom's most reliable sources of conflict.
Wanting two characters or people to be in a romantic relationship.
the origin story
Emerged in The X-Files online fandom in the mid-1990s, where "relationshippers" wanted the two leads together.
It became one of fandom's organising principles, with ship names, tags and dedicated communities. "Ship wars" between competing pairings can be intense, and shipping real people rather than characters is a persistent ethical debate within fandom itself.
in the wild
I ship them so hard.
They've had two scenes together.
The two ship tags don't speak to each other.
Classic ship war.
how to use it
- Describing wanting characters together
- Fandom conversations
- Media discussion
- About real people who've asked not to be shipped
- Professionally
- In ways that harass actors or creators
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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