#SaveCarmilla – Fans Get Their Tampons Out For Season Two

Breakout YouTube web series Carmilla – based on the Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu  – posted its final episode last Tuesday (Dec 2, 2014). While most fans found the finale very satisfying, the loss of a beloved series – which has been uploading episodes twice a week since August – is never easy; especially when the future of the series is uncertain. To show their support, and in the hopes of inspiring sponsor UbyKotex to invest further, fans began posting pictures of themselves with  UbyKotex products.

WARNING this post contains spoilers. Click here for a spoiler-free recommendation of the series.

The sheer beauty of a brand of tampons sponsoring a series about a lesbian vampire is almost reason enough to support U by Kotex but Carmilla is more than its humorously relevant subject matter. It’s a series that has earned a large and extremely active audience that have banded together to prove they are willing to support anyone that helps the beloved series continue. Of course it doesn’t hurt that Carmilla’s fanbase is largely populated by people with vaginas, so their purchasing feminine hygiene products on mass isn’t exactly a stretch.

@ubykotex I switched to U pads a year ago ) and just switched to U by kotex tampons just to #SaveCarmilla – @brunnhilda1023

*hustling sounds of tampons from a far* – cheethos

I personally always hate all brands of tampons and pads but thanks to Carmilla I heard of UbyKotex and I started buying it to support and now I love their products. You can help too! Go buy a million boxes! – danknightregalswan

future headline: “Feminine Product Company Sees Major Sales Increase Thanks To Lesbian Vampire Series.” – inbetween

I have never been more passionate about a show involving tampons. #SAVECARMILLA AND BRING US SEASON TWO! @carmillaseries@ubykotex – @kazoobeast

#SaveCarmilla because @AaronChartrand put tampons inside his nose for this, don’t let this beautiful man down. – @firecrackerx

After the final episode 36 was was uploaded, Carmilla’s Official Tumblr made a post thanking the fans – affectionately called Creampuffs – but also explaining that the work isn’t done yet because if they want to make season 2 happen, they need a little help. They urge everyone to use the hashtag #SaveCarmilla on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook  and Instagram. This was backed up by UbyKotex who said: “That finale though! We want Season 2! Do you? Show your love!” #SaveCarmilla”. Camilla fans took this request and ran with it.

#SaveCarmilla and heroic vampire bullsh**

Artist: valentinemichaelsmith

The post by Carmilla’s Official Tumblr featured pictures of the cast and crew with UbyKotex products, which lead to fans filling the #SaveCarmilla tag with their own pictures as well as declarations of love and much more. “Alright Creampuffs, listen up!” wrote Tumblr’s Carmilla Feels HQ in a post which outlined all the things fans could do to help Carmilla’s final PR push for season 2, including posting Creampuff selfies like the ones pictured above, creating fanworks celebrating the series, following all the relevant social media accounts including official Carmilla accounts and UbyKotex and writing ‘Why I love Carmilla’/‘Why I want Carmilla S2’ posts like these:

“But then Carmilla came along. Of all the things, a simple web series with a fantastic cast and crew was the thing that brought that feeling back. when I first heard about it I, of course, marathoned it until I caught up. I even got my little 13 year old sister into the series. Ever since then, whenever a new episode came out wherever I was, I would watch it. In my work bathroom, in bed as soon as i wake up, in class with headphones. Its been 3 hours since i watched episode 36 on my bed, and I still cant get the feeling out of my stomach, when they finally kissed, the way Laura says “so you’re a giant black cat, huh?”, they way they just smile at each other, in a weird way, it reminds me of when I was 12 again and feeling the feelings I did.” – yeahbutnahbro

“I am 24 years old. I have never encountered a show where there was a lesbian character (let alone MANY) that did not have drama about coming out (though I understand that this is a very difficult and life changing event), falling for someone who was not out, or have their entire screen time involve lesbian drama. I’ve always been aggravated with this, because while I am a lesbian, this is not my defining feature. My life does not revolve around being a lesbian (though currently, it does revolve around watching fictional lesbians) and it does not consistently have drama because I’m a lesbian.” –   major-roxy

“Save Carmilla because (and I know I’ve brought up this point several times,  but it bears repeating) I feel like I have very few (read: practically 0) characters that remind me of me. Characters that make me feel like I’m normal and okay and something to be proud of, instead of being full of shame and fear and self loathing like I have been for years. Since I started watching Carmilla, I have been able to final acknowledge to myself and ask the world to call me by gender neutral pronouns. And I am so much happier and healthier for it. My mental health and stress levels have drastically improved. I am genderqueer and I am proud and I am beautiful just the way I am.” – tragic-sock-puppet-backstory

“But specially for me is the fact that LaFontaine exists. I´m SO okay with gender queer, all the sexualities possible, etc (thanks tumblr). I have started to identify more as queer. But Carmilla series and LaF taught me I was still struggling when hearing someone identify themselves as “they” and not some gender binary pronoun, in my head I understood it and accept it, but when it was voiced and I had a direct interaction and faced it I notice my brain still struggle to accept it, not because I thought it wasn´t okay, but more of the fact that it is not a constant in my life to be around gender queer, because there is not more gender queer in media so I didn´t have someone to relate til now. And then I thought “GOSH, THIS IS MINDBLOWING”.” – pancakeshio

Reading about the way this series has effected individuals, it’s pretty easy to see why so many are willing to swear they will never use another brand of Tampon as long as UbyKotex sponsors Camilla. Sure, they’ve finally given those poor Gothic girls a happy ending – complete with epic kisses – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more story to tell. Edward and Bella had three whole books, and four movies after their first happily ever after (and let’s be real, Carmilla has it all over Twilight), let’s see what Carmilla and Laura get up to now that they’re officially more than just roommates.

Check out the #SaveCarmilla tag on Twitter and Tumblr for more. And don’t forget to – as Carmilla HQ Feels reminds us: “Tie 5 friends down and make them watch it. Pictures or it didn’t happen.”

Author: Undie Girl

Undie Girl (aka Von) has a BA (Hons) Major in Cultural Studies. The title of her honours thesis was “It’s just gay and porn”: Power, Identity and the Fangirl’s Gaze. She’s currently pursuing a Masters of Media Practice at University of Sydney. Von’s a former contributor The Backlot’s column The Shipping News and a current co-host of The Geekiary’s monthly webcast FEELINGS… with The Geekiary.

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