Snapewives

The Snapewives, also known as Snapeists, are a group of women in Harry Potter fandom who believe that they channel Severus Snape (allow his spirit to inhabit their bodies and speak to him), are engaged in romantic relationships with him, and see him as a vital spiritual guide for their daily lives. They practice "Snapeism," a new religious movement centered on Snape. They believe Severus Snape is not simply a character in the Harry Potter books, but an omniscient and immortal deity, and in fact believe that the books were written because J.K. Rowling was channeling Snape.
Snapewives were most active in 2006, with their communities primarily on LiveJournal. They have since deleted all of their webpages and forums due to mockery from outside their community. After this, the community apparently faded. Some of the content was copied and discussed on fandom_wank."Severus, come to me/ Be the light for me/ So I can see/ Life's beauty/ Guide me to destiny."; WebCite, October 22, 2006
==Snapeism==
Snapewives practice as religion called Snapeism, and self-identify as Snapeists.
Zoe Alderton in the journal Religions wrote seriously about Snapeism, citing Romano's references in the Daily Dot article to Sts. Hildegarde and Theresa and to Spiritualist practitioner and historian Emma Hardinge Britten. She contextualizes the wives' experiences in terms of a "fiction-based faith", explaining that it is neither unique nor insane. She also points out that most of the fingerpointing and howling mockery go to making other fans feel better about themselves -- they are in a subculture often deemed insane by the dominant culture, but at least they're not "going too far".Zoe Alderton, ‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom. Religions 2014, 5(1), 219-267; doi:10.3390/rel5010219
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===Origins===
===Practices===
====Relationships with Snape====
====Astral Projection====
 In fandom, some fans claim to practice astral projection in order to spiritually experience and interact with "other realities" in which fictional settings and characters reside.
Astral projection appears strongly related, perhaps identical, to the 2020 trend of Reality Shifting (AKA Dimensional Jumping)KnowYourMeme, which has proliferated most notably on TikTok, and also to some extent in other online communities found on platforms such as Reddit, Discord, and Amino Apps.
==Decline==
==Fan Comments==
From the Daily Dot:
Most reactions by fans, and non-fans, is one of mockery, finger-pointing, and exaggerated horror.
 
Some fans found the mockery uncomfortable and shaming.
 
Some fans understood the fine line that fandom sometimes draws.
==Celebrity Marriage Cliques==
The fannish practice of "marrying" a character or a celebrity existed outside of Harry Potter fandom. It was an offshoot of ""Marriage Cliques." See Celebrity Marriage Clique.
==Further Reading/Meta==
* An Introduction to ‘Snapewives’ and the Severus Snape Aesthetic (abstract for academic paper)
* Unpopular fannish opinion: i feel bad about mocking the snapewives (2010)
* Snape Fandom, An Epic Tale on Fandom Wank Wiki (2010)
* , by Jamie Bartlett, article in The Telegraph, February 6, 2014
* Snapewives thread at Fail_FandomAnon, May 2019
* Married to Severus Snape on the Astral Plane: The Story of the Religion of Snapewives by iwasonceafangirl (2020)
* understanding snapewives: religion, fandom, sociology & erotica by biz. (2022)
==References==
Category:2006
Category:Harry Potter Fandom Glossary
Category:Fannish New Religious Movements