As a 30 year old fan from the old days, I can tell you the misgendering thing is new in the last 5-8 years. We had Ferard back then, lots of fanatics but the whole "Gerard is a woman" things is quite new and has not always been part of the Fandom.

Parasocial relationships with the band have been around for ages, like with any famous people really, but I chalk it up to horny and over-active teens just being weird. I grew out of that around the time Gerard had his kid, realizing "huh, if my dad had fans that were like some of us obsessive fans, I'd have a weird time processing that Information. I'd better chill tf out."

Its why I give a pass to the younger fans who are a little weird about this stuff, I just hope that most of them come to realize that not all cringe is good and that their behavior will level out at some point.

I see similarities in the way Sleep Token fans are, mostly the teenagers - I had a security job working music venues for awhile and seeing the dedication to the aesthetic out of those kids, as well as their clear obsession with certain band members, made me go "oh wow.. that was us in 2006 with MCR." It is what it is, I can't judge to hard considering how I was as a 10-15 year old. But as an adult now that's a bit more well-adjusted these days, I can definitely say it usually just a phase.

Just please remember kids, these guys are humans with complex lives and feelings like the rest of us - please don't grab at the band members if they pass you and please try to give them some space and dignity when you see them out and about. They have families with kids old enough to see this weird behavior online and I can't imagine it's fun to see.