Introduction

On October 25, a wave of panic swept through the small but passionate fandom behind Sexypedia, a unique chronicle of cultural fandoms. The devoted community awoke to an alarming reality: years of hard work and valuable content had vanished overnight. Each attempt to access the wiki resulted in a stark message announcing its closure. The volunteer archivists, astounded and alarmed, rushed to salvage whatever they could and shift their content to a new platform.

The Origins of Sexypedia

Sexypedia is named playfully after the meme "Tumblr Sexyman," which emerged in the early 2010s. This meme highlighted particular characteristics shared by popular characters on Tumblr—think of the moral ambiguity and fashionable looks of characters like Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sherlock Holmes, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. Over time, "Tumblr Sexyman" evolved beyond a mere label, representing a vibrant tapestry of fan communities unified by their shared interests.

Born as a light-hearted joke in 2020, Sexypedia quickly became the go-to reference for a movement that celebrates eccentric fandoms. Managed by a committed team of volunteers via a bustling Discord server, the wiki served as an invaluable archive and oral history of aspects of internet culture that might otherwise fade into obscurity.

The Sudden Closure

However, on the night of October 24, everything shifted. Users began to share screenshots on Discord, revealing the shocking reality that all pages had been overwritten with a message of closure. As history shows, once a fan phenomenon becomes obsolete, it can slip away forever. In fact, a Pew Research Center report revealed that nearly 38% of web pages from the past decade have become inaccessible—an alarming trend threatening to erase countless creative expressions.

"The disappearance hit everyone like a punch to the gut," recounted Danny, one of the administrators still reeling from the shock and who preferred to remain anonymous. With no prior warning from Fandom—the company's parent organization—most of the staff woke up to this harsh news, leaving them helpless with no chance to back up recent content.

Triggering Controversy

Despite prior attempts to shut it down, Sexypedia had managed to stay afloat—until now. A YouTube video by Trig Jegman, a user who was involved with multiple Fandom wikis, purportedly initiated the closure. In the video, which had garnered about 3,000 views, Jegman recommended Sexypedia's deletion due to its "outright sexual content coverage." The claims raised eyebrows among community members, who argued that the content adhered to guidelines.

As this controversy unfolded, Fandom conducted an internal review, eventually deciding that Sexypedia's sexual undertones rendered it inappropriate. For the Sexypedia team—the majority believing they were following the rules—this move felt both abrupt and unjustifiable. "Our wiki maintained a PG-13 rating at all times," asserted Lee, the wiki’s longtime caretaker. "It seems the issue originated simply from the word 'sex' in the title."

Fandom's Governance

Unlike the Wikimedia Foundation—a non-profit that supports Wikipedia—Fandom operates as a for-profit enterprise, having been owned since 2018 by venture capitalist Jonathan Miller's Integrated Media Company. Many fan wikis are increasingly gravitating toward creating independent platforms, dissatisfied with Fandom's ever-shifting policies. A notable example was the decision of the Minecraft Wiki community to break away last year.

Contrary to those concerns, the Sexypedia team had enjoyed a relatively seamless experience with Fandom and received assistance from Fandom staff until their sudden dilemma. When they inquired about the closure on October 30, Fandom responded, stating it "violated Terms of Use and Community Creation policies," effectively crushing any hopes of reopening. Nevertheless, they allowed the staff to archive their content for restoration elsewhere.

A New Hope

In the wake of the ban, Lee promptly reached out to Miraheze, a non-profit hosting service, seeking a new home for the cherished data. The community rallied behind this decision, with Discord becoming a buzzing hub of activity over the ensuing weeks. On November 11, with the new site in progress, it seemed fans would successfully breathe life back into their unique catalog of fandom love.

To celebrate the new beginning, the community held a vote to determine which character would grace the first page of the revived Sexypedia. The Once-ler from "The Lorax" emerged victorious, continuing a tradition that has become a quirky hallmark of the community. With renewed vigor, SugarPedia is set to rise again, ready to embrace and commemorate the colorful history of internet fandoms.