I mean I know what is generally meant when the term gatekeeping is used but it seems like those that throw the term around consider something as simple as asking what comics they like to be gatekeeping. Is it as simple as that?
I remember when they announced the writers for the Star Wars High Republic series and besides the fact their twitter posts were full of "white man bad" nonsense she mentioned how empowering it was to see a female Jedi on screen. Of course she got mad when people pointed out there were female jedi in the prequels. Her defenders were calling everyone gatekeepers.
Also, there was the lady who is producing the new She-Hulk movie. She got mad because someone asked her if she is familiar with the character because the guy was concerned since so many of her tweets were about how evil white male nerds are and how horrible western canon is. She mentioned something about gatekeeping but I would think it is entirely reasonable to expect someone who is given a comic book related project to know the source material. I am currently on season 2 of Babylon 5 but if they ever did a reboot or sequel and asked me to write for it, you can believe I'll spend at least two months cramming on all the B5 lore I can find.
Sorry for the long post, but I would like your input. It seems to me that those that throw around the term "gatekeeper" are people who are mad because someone may have asked them something pertaining to the hobby.
But what do I know. Entering a hobby/fandom and then complaining about how it doesn't cater to you and insulting people makes perfect sense I guess.
I responded to this initially on the other forum, but I'll repost my comment here:
What they mean by "gate-keeping" is self-evident. And on the face, you might be bewildered because it is a senseless accusation that shouldn't carry any weight. You assume there must be some 'code' or hidden meaning behind the term because of its obvious mundanity and pointlessness, but there isn't. They mean exactly what they are saying, and the 'hidden' element is that they are themselves just shallow and weak enough to think they're insulting you with something that frivolous. That's their whole big move. Accuse you of breathing.
Now, there's obviously more to it, but the crux of the issue is this over-sensitization to all conflict that has promoted this kind of basic commentary into the realm of 'abuse' and 'attack.'
You've properly identified that they are using 'gate-keeping' as an insulation against their own exertion of effort and standards of behavior. Just like 'racism,' 'sexism,' and even 'pedophilia' they mean to capture a connotation of something dire and apply it to something mundane:
Ask woman a question = sexist
Ask a black man a question = racist
Watch anime = pedo
Have any standards = gate-keeping
The flaw in all of these is that fundamentally of conflation using the barest of common traits (a woman is involved, two races are involved, anime character looks young to someone) while evoking the worst possible scenario with the accusatory word absent context as a form of pre-winning the conflict through the old political trick: "What matters is not the nature of the evidence, but the seriousness of the charge."
You might notice that one of these is not like the others though. Gate-keeping is perfectly normal, natural, and has a fundamental place in all professions, interests, and practices. Even in its most dire connotation the worst you have is a private club you aren't a member of, and probably shouldn't be. It is YOU who are at fault for being envious of a place in which you do not belong. But they take this common 'evil' and stretch it to mean that all borders are bad, all standards are pointless, and all group-identity should be abolished because it is 'exclusionary.'
Finally, there is a nefarious and intentional insidiousness at play as well. They want access to your group, not because it is attractive, but because you have it. They want to use that access to destroy what you have, mark it as their territory, and force you to leave. It is a power-play. They're happiest when they are collecting scalps. Trophies to share with their friends who also rage against the machine that is patriarchy, maleness, whiteness, western-ness. You are their political enemy, and your possessions, your toys, your hobbies, they will delight in destroying while you watch, helpless because you weren't able to 'gate-keep' them out. They laugh at your pitiable failure to protect what you loved. They laugh because your sadness is their mission accomplished.
Thank you for the breakdown. Very insightful