but saying you’re a Star Wars fan is basically meaningless now. And for people who proudly wore that mantle, through eyerolls and ridicule, that’s a genuine loss.

I remember explaining something similar to my partner (not about Star Wars) and about how this isn't about "gatekeeping" (though it can become gatekeeping) but rather about this loss. I can't remember exactly what it was about now, but it was some aspect of nerd culture that didn't exactly become mainstream, but rather morphed to become mainstream.