When someone takes it upon themselves to decide who does or does not have access or rights to a community or identity.
"I love punk bands like Green Day!"
"Ugh, they're not even punk. They totally sold out."

"Oh man, I love Harry Potter. I am such a geek!"
"Hardly. Talk to me when you're into theoretical physics."

"Erika Moen is my favorite queer cartoonist."
"She's not queer, she married a man!"
"Quit your gatekeeping. No one died and made you Queen of the Gays!"
by sarahalyse March 3, 2012
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Gatekeeping is to make your interests exclusive in order to protect them from becomingmainstream
Gaslight, Gatekeeping, Girlboss
by Suzanne Keller January 13, 2022
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A word used to describe when someone sets a standard/limit on what someone must do to call themselves a 'true fan' of something/someone.
Joe: So what TV shows do you like?
Erin: Well, I'm a huge fan of Doctor Who. I also...
Joe: Doctor Who? I LOVE that show. When did you start watching.
Erin: Back in 2005 when the show was restarted.
Joe: Ah, you see, I was watching the classic series long before then. You can't really call yourself a true fan.

Erin: But I have a ton of the merchandise, and I've met David Tennant...
Joe: Oh, you're a fan definitely but not a proper fan. We've been there since long before the BBC revived the show.
Ted: Dude, stop gatekeeping the show. A fan is a fan. You don't need to set a standard.
by WatcherMark October 27, 2018
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When someone uses a hobby or interest as a means of elevating themselves above others to give oneself a sense of being superior transforming their passion or knowledge about a particular subject into an ugly tool of self-inflation.
-GoodGuyFitz 2019
Eric Vivian Mathews is gatekeeping all the time.
by TOLOLOLOLOLO August 9, 2019
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When someone takes it upon themselves to decide who has access to something
Gatekeeping is literally just:

YOU'RE NOT A REAL (insert something here) IF YOU DON’T (insert completely arbitrary thing here)!!!1!1!11!
by KomaKing March 12, 2019
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When someone limits people from certain hobbies/memories/activities over something as small as the year that they were born in.

Gatekeeping is frowned upon, so I don't recommend doing it. It's also a really stupid thing to do.
Example of gatekeeping:
Anyone born in 2007 is a tide pod eating 2010 kid who doesn't deserve to have a opinion.

Please don't gatekeep, its really rude and immature. I just wanted to show an example of how gatekeeping is used.
by Lemonade_m0uth06 September 14, 2020
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n. The practice of preventing the entry of bad actors into a fandom. The bad actors’ intent is to damage intellectual properties by forcing the IP owner to change the lore, alter the gameplay, or otherwise decrease the enjoyment of the IP by long-time, heavily invested fans. These bad actors typically have no interest in the intellectual property and are not willing to spend time or money to support the IP, but have a loud voice on Twitter or other social media, fooling IP owner into thinking they have more clout than they do. They usually join the fandom for political reasons or to damage the public image of the fandom.
“I used to be against gatekeeping. Then I saw what happened to Star Wars, Star Trek, Dr. Who, the video game industry, Marvel, DC, Hollywood, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, the NBA, the NFL, and MLB. Gatekeep your fandom, my friends!”
by DumpsterKeeper October 15, 2020
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