City University of New York (CUNY)

CUNY Academic Works

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects CUNY Graduate Center

6-2022

A Qualitative Exploration of Discourses in Fan Community, /r/

boyslove
Jessica Lin
The Graduate Center, City University of New York

How does access to this work benefit you? Let us know!

More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/4825
Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu

This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY).
Contact: AcademicWorks@cuny.edu
 A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF DISCOURSES IN FAN

COMMUNITY, /r/BOYSLOVE

by

JESSICA LIN

A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New

York

2022
 © 2022

JESSICA LIN

All Rights Reserved

ii
 A Qualitative Exploration of Discourses in Fan Community, /r/boyslove

by

Jessica Lin

This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Women’s
and Gender Studies in satisfaction of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master
of Arts.

Date Matt Brim

Thesis Advisor

Date Dána-Ain Davis

Executive Officer

THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

iii
 ABSTRACT

A Qualitative Exploration of Discourses in Fan Community, /r/boyslove

by

Jessica Lin

Advisor: Matt Brim

The Boys Love (BL) genre, which tells stories of male-male romantic and sexual relationships, and

originates in Japan, has made strides through transnational and transcultural engagement across

countries, aided heavily by the internet age. I examine the development of the BL genre from its

controversial beginnings to its feminist response as well as queer reception. Over the course of fifty

years, the genre has exploded in popularity, becoming a more progressive medium of social

change. As BL has become more diverse in content and broken with older conventions of the

genre, what are the current discourses among the BL fan space? I answer this question through

thematic analysis of r/boyslove, a community on the popular social media platform Reddit. The

generated themes were: (1) Don’t Yuck my Yum, (2) Fantasy vs. Reality, and (3) Progressiveness

in the BL space. Fan discourses highlight an enduring sense of shame for fans’ enjoyment of BL. In

these conversations, participants deliberated the functions of consuming BL purely as fantasy and

the importance of critically reading BL, keeping in mind real life consequences for gender and

sexual minorities. The r/boyslove community acknowledged moral and political concerns around

BL but also see the genre as a medium of change. Ultimately, discourses among BL fans show how

the personal becomes political.

iv
 Table of Contents

Section 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1

The Boys’ Love Phenomenon ............................................................................................... 1

Yaoi Ronsou .......................................................................................................................... 4

BL as Feminist Refuge .......................................................................................................... 6

Queering BL ....................................................................................................................... 11

Section 2: Method and Methodology ............................................................................................. 18

Site Of Study ...................................................................................................................... 18

Data Collection ................................................................................................................... 19

Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 19

Section 3: Results ........................................................................................................................... 22

Don’t Yuck my Yum .......................................................................................................... 22

Fantasy vs. Reality .............................................................................................................. 25

Progressiveness in the BL Space ........................................................................................ 27

Section 4: Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 30

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 35

v
 List of Figures

Figure 1: Cover of Kaze to ki no uta (1976-1984) ........................................................................... 8

Figure 2: Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko (2018) .............................. 17

Figure 3: Thematic map depicting three main themes ................................................................... 22

vi
 List of Tables

Table 1: Descriptives of data .......................................................................................................... 21

vii
 Section 1: Introduction

Boys Love Phenomenon

The genre of Boys Love (BL) depicts male homoerotic stories and was popularized by

Japanese writers and readers. This might give the impression of tolerance towards gay men in

Japan, but closer inspection of the creation and consumption reveals that BL is only tangentially

linked to the lives of gay men (McLelland & Welker, 2015). In Japan, it is assumed to be a genre

that was exclusively created by and for heterosexual women. Later researchers found that this

widely held belief is not entirely accurate (McLelland & Welker, 2015). Starting in shoujo manga

(girl’s comics), stories of male-male romantic/sexual relationships caught the attention of

publishers. BL stemmed from the early 1970s subgenre of shoujo manga called bishounen

(beautiful boy) comics which told stories of beautiful, androgynous teenage boys falling in love,

often in a European setting (Mizoguchi, 2003). While shoujo manga targeted a readership of girls

and young women, the actual audience includes men and older demographics (Mizoguchi, 2003).

Later in the 1980s, the Japanese word yaoi (やおい) was used in the subculture as a self-

deprecating remark. The term was an abbreviation of Yama nashi, Ochi nashi, Imi nashi (山場なし

, 落ちなし, 意味なし) meaning no climax, no resolution, and no meaning (Mizoguchi, 2003). At

the time of creation, the term specifically referred to doujinshi (amateur published parody works)

that utilized characters from popular culture and were often pornographic with generally poor

storytelling. Doujinshi were the most common noncommercial channel of BL distribution and

included media in the form of webcomics, games, and anime. Commercially, manga and light

novels were the most common form of BL, but other forms of distributed media include live action

movies, audio dramas, anime and video games (McLelland &Welker, 2015). In the 1990s,

commercial magazines specializing in male homosexual fictions emerged; however, the characters
1
were no longer androgynous teenage boys like in “beautiful boy” comics, and therefore publishers

then coined the term “Boys love” or “Bii Eru/BL” (Mizoguchi, 2003). While yaoi has

predominantly been used to refer to noncommercial works, and BL has been used to refer to

commercial publication, there have been overlaps of term usage (McLelland, 2015). In its country

of origin, the genre is at the present, most commonly referred to as ‘BL.’ Fans are often called and

call themselves fujoshi (腐女子), a self-ridiculing title that modifies the polite term for women and

girls to mean “rotten girls/women.” Fujoshis acknowledged their obsession with BL as socially

abnormal and embraced their rottenness (McLelland & Welker, 2015). In Japan, BL-related goods

and media brought in approximately twenty-two billion yen or 219 million USD in annual

domestic market sales in the 2010s (Yano Research Institute, 2017). Since the 1980s, BL has

popularized and expanded to other countries around the globe, dramatically increasing the number

of fans and creators, especially in the current century with the help of social media and web

communities (Welker, 2022). Publishers in the United States were slow to adapt the term “Boys

love/BL” as it contained suggestions of pedophilia in Western culture. “Yaoi Con,” an annual

convention in the United States founded in 2001, solidified the use of the term yaoi. Both terms

started being used interchangeably by fans to refer to all content depicting romantic and sexual

relationships between males that targeted female audiences (Mizoguchi, 2003). However, for fans

today, the word BL has emerged as the more popular umbrella term when referring to any male-

male fictional romance, while yaoi contains a more erotic connotation. Although born in Japan, BL

has since expanded through global online and offline communities of international fans who create,

share, and discuss BL media.

BL as Contemporary Media

The Boys Love (BL) genre, which tells stories of male-male romantic and sexual

2
relationships, and originates in Japan, has made strides through transnational and transcultural

engagement across countries, aided heavily by the internet age. I examine the development of the

BL genre from its beginnings of controversy to its feminist response as well as queer reception.

Over the course of fifty years, the genre has exploded in popularity, becoming a more progressive

medium of social change. As BL has become more diverse in content and broken with older

conventions of its genre, what are the current discourses among the BL fan space? I answer this

question through thematic analysis of r/boyslove, a community on the popular social media

platform Reddit. The generated themes were: (1) Don’t Yuck my Yum, (2) Fantasy vs. Reality, and

(3) Progressiveness in the BL space. Fan discourses highlight an enduring sense of shame for fans’

enjoyment of BL. In these conversations, participants deliberated the functions of consuming BL

purely as fantasy and the importance of critically reading BL, keeping in mind real life

consequences for gender and sexual minorities. The r/boyslove community acknowledged moral

and political concerns around BL and see the genre as a medium of change. Ultimately, discourses

among BL fans show how the personal becomes political.

Traditional Characteristics of BL

BL has been a perplexing genre with misalignments. Its stories often excluded women or

contained misogynistic portrayals (i.e., crazy ex-girlfriend, creepy stalker), despite most creators

and consumers being women. It also celebrated male homosexuality without participation of gay

men. It is a relatively new genre that rose in the age of the internet but follows established romance

structures of deprivation, conflict, and repair. BL narratives generally feature a dominant,

physically masculine character who plays the top in sex (“seme”) and a passive, physically

feminine character who plays bottom in sex (“uke”). Following bishounen traditions, they are often

depicted as aestheticized, attractive, and beautiful boys. The genre embraces emotions of
3
happiness, suffering, feelings of guilt, shame and loneliness that occurs with loving a person of the

same sex. Contradictory feelings of love alongside hate may forge the bond between the main

couples in BL. Some key characteristics comprising BL narratives include sexual and emotional

abuse, traumatic life events, mental health issues and suicide (Mizoguchi, 2008). Mizoguchi (2008)

conducted a structural analysis of BL stories from the late 1990s and identified four tropes: (1) rape

as an expression of excessive love, (2) maintaining heterosexual identity despite homosexual

activities, (3) fixed seme/uke roles corresponding to masculine/feminine role, (4) sex almost

always involves anal intercourse1. Outside of this formula, she also discussed additional emerging

trends in BL: more protagonists possess a clear gay identity, increase in graphic/realistic depictions

of male bodies, and lesbians as brethren to the main couple (Mizoguchi, 2008). Further

developments in BL conventions will be discussed later. While BL, with its melodramatic and

sexual elements has received much love among fans, there has also been plenty of controversies

surrounding aspects of the genre, such as unrealistic gay representation.

Yaoi Ronsou

Since BL does narrate stories of male-male relationships, some may assume that gay men

comprise a significant part of the audience, but there has been a tense relationship between the BL

community and gay community. One critique of BL was the homophobia embedded in its

narratives (Hitoshi, 2015; Mizoguchi, 2008). Characters in BL regularly denied homosexuality

with the trope embodied by the phrase: “I’m not gay, I only love you.” Gay identity was rejected in

order to illustrate exclusive attraction between the main couple and not to men in general.

Mizoguchi (2008) further analyzed this trope in the BL formula as a narrative device used to

1
For more a more in-depth analysis of BL tropes, read Mizoguchi (2008) chapter 3.
4
emphasize the challenge against consummating the relationship. Narratives become more dramatic

when presenting a difficult obstacle. The romance that perseveres, despite the challenges presented,

would be perceived as a purer love. Regardless of social stigma, characters would still convey their

affections for each other. On the other hand, some argued that this BL trope supported

heteronormativity. These characters who participate in male-male romantic relationships, would

deny homosexuality, and be troubled by guilt or aversion towards the idea of same sex attraction.

Some argue that such narratives in BL reinforces society’s heterosexism by excluding gay men

(Hitoshi, 2015). Despite such criticisms, BL supporters have argued that the production and

consumption of male homoerotic romance stories has had an accumulatively positive impact on the

perception of possible masculinities (McLelland & Welker, 2015). The popularization of soft

masculinities across Japanese popular culture is demonstrated through the success of idols and boy

bands who feature men with slender frames and beautiful faces. In this way, an alternate

masculinity that was previously limited to gay men, have reached mainstream representation

(McLelland & Welker, 2015).

Yaoi Ronsou or “The Yaoi Debate” exemplifies tensions surrounding the BL subculture. In

1992, Satou Masaki, a gay activist and drag queen, wrote to Choisir, a small feminist magazine

dedicated to discussion about female sexuality by women. He felt attacked as a gay man by women

creating and enjoying yaoi. He accused the genre and its participants of generating a skewed image

of gay men as young, beautiful, intelligent and regarding those who fail to fit that image as “gomi”

(garbage) (Lungsing, 2006). Satou was concerned about the portrayal of gay characters as being

unrealistic depictions of gay men (Lungsing, 2006). He additionally cites Lucky-kun by Takaguchi

Satosumi, explaining how he enjoyed the story until to his displeasure, one character died and the

partner who remained decided to marry a woman and start a family. Satou saw this as a denial of

gay lifestyles and the impossibility of happiness for gay men. Later on, he admitted to enjoying BL
5
but remained against yaoi (subgenre that focused more on explicit sex) and its objectification of

gay men (Lungsing, 2006).

In response to attacks on BL as a harmful distortion and misappropriation of gay life, fans

defended the genre as creations based on pure unrestrained fantasy and not with the goal of

depicting realities of gay men and their lives. Mizoguchi (2008) and McLelland (2006) both argued

that BL stories are imaginary universes where lovers only see each other to the fantastical extent of

idealized love, and that these stories are not intended to portray ‘real’ gay men nor straight men.

McLelland (2000) additionally investigated Japanese gay pornography produced by and for gay

men and questioned to what extent even this media actually depicted realities of gay men and their

lives. He pointed out that the gay pornography, at the time, replicated heterosexual porn with the

exception that the female role would be replaced by a younger male. Gay produced media largely

comprised of nothing but unrealistic pornography and advice on how to get sex, as opposed to

realistic narratives of gay lifestyles (McLelland, 2000). While both gay pornographies made by

men, and yaoi by women, may depict gay men unrealistically, the trend of criticism targets the BL

genre, known to have a large fanbase of women.

BL as Feminist Refuge

BL scholarship has frequently focused on the genre’s feminist politics and its origins as

women’s counterculture against patriarchy. Many past studies on BL have explored the reasons

underlying BL’s popularity and young women’s fascination with male-male homoerotic fictions

(McLelland & Welker, 2015; Mizoguchi, 2008; Zsila et. al., 2018; Zsila & Zsolt, 2017).

Researchers have pointed out a collective resistance against restrictive gender roles as a main

driving factor in the creation of the BL genre (McLelland & Welker, 2015). The inclusion of

dramatic elements may also function therapeutically for fans who have gone through similar
6
experiences (Zsila & Zsolt, 2017). As a queer, Chinese American woman, I have found that

consuming BL allowed me to dissociate from traditional gender expectations by re-identifying with

altered gender constructs. Unlike conventional heterosexual romance narratives, which replicated

gendered stereotypes (‘men lead, women follow’) and sexist social structures, BL contravened

expectations and depicted male-male physical and emotional intimacies that subverted gender. It

helped open my eyes to new possibilities that conservative schooling, as well as mainstream

cultural messaging, did not offer.

From a feminist perspective, early BL works were about women and their desires, which

were strategically conveyed through aestheticization of androgynous boys (see Figure 1) and their

love for each other (Welker, 2006). The combination of androgynous visualization with anatomical

maleness acted as devices for readers’ identification and disidentification respectively. The set-up

of beautiful boys desiring other beautiful boys allowed for women to gaze from the safety of the

observer position, blissfully excluded. A character may hold a stereotypically feminine role

(sexually abused, harassed) in the story but his anatomical maleness prevents female readers from

identifying with him and perceiving the sexual abuse on themselves. The character’s maleness and

homosexuality produced a shield for women, as well as a sandbox for experimentation with gender

and sexuality (Mizoguchi, 2008). The anatomical maleness of characters in BL acts as a driving

force behind women’s disidentification from oppressive gender roles and into a fantasy of male

homoeroticism.

7
 Figure 1. Cover of Kaze to ki no uta (Song of Wind and Trees) © Keiko Takemiya/

Hakusensha bunko (1976-1984). This highly acclaimed work featuring

aestheticized, androgynous boys is considered a pioneer in the BL genre.

While early BL in the form of bishounen comics first emerged as a function of avoidance

and escape from social gender oppression, Yaoi, with its portrayal of male-male sexual intercourse

also played a key role in the creation of the BL fandom and feminist counterculture (Saito, 2011). It

shifted readers’ positions from passive to active and allowed women to further play with sex and

sexuality. Mizoguchi (2008) theorized BL fan communities to be a productive feminist forum

where women were able to share personal thoughts and desires with fellow members. Without the
8
pressure of outsider judgment, they freely expressed their sexual fantasies through outlets such as

creating doujinshi or participating in online role play (Fujimoto, 2007 as cited in Zsila &

Demetrovics, 2017). Yaoi in particular, which was self-defined by fujoshis as having no point and

no meaning, facilitated experimentation with sexuality, through fantasy elements and separation

from reality (Galbraith, 2011). Zsila and Demetrovics (2017) suggested dissociation from gender

struggles and projection onto fictional male characters as significant factors for fans’ motivations.

Additionally, the male-male pairings offered women with a safe zone where they were liberated

and can take on the role of spectator, instead of the gendered object of the male gaze and

patriarchal voyeurism that is traditional in heterosexual relationships. BL allowed for

emancipation, making space for female sexuality, a matter that society frequently neglects and

oppresses. Women can appease sexual curiosities without the discomfort of feeling sexually

objectified. Yaoi doujinshi, which can be comparable to slash fictions in the U.S, established a

community of BL fans who removed the lines between audience, creator, and distributor. Through

published postscripts, letters or forums, content creators and consumers engage in candid

discussions about sexuality in a mutually supportive manner as fans (Mizoguchi, 2008). As a result,

an affective environment is produced for social fantasizing, consolidating female homosocial/erotic

bonding through exchange of fantasies of male homoeroticism. This intimate community has been

called a “virtual lesbian space” where women’s bonds are cultivated, and “virtual sex” occurs

through exchange of erotic fantasies (Mizoguchi, 2008).

In a qualitative study, Chinese female authors of BL stories reported three main discursive

constructions in BL counterculture: “the idealization of intimate relationships, the deconstruction

of heteropatriarchal gender norms through the female gaze, and the imagination of female power in

negotiation with state discourses.” (Chang & Tian, 2020, p.7). These Chinese fans, through

creating male-male homoerotic fantasy fictions, produce and share a more democratic model of
9
romantic and sexual relationships. Furthermore, depictions of homoerotic scenes point to a

confrontational stance against China’s censorship and the Chinese ruling party’s dominant

Confucianist ethos (Chang & Tian, 2020). Thus, the BL genre becomes an imaginary space where

female fans can break away from the gender hierarchy and dare to realize their bold fantasies. Yaoi

doujinshi, in particular, where women reappropriated characters from existing texts often marketed

towards male audiences, and transferred them into homosexual scenarios, including rape and

bondage play, exemplified women’s agency in a space traditionally reserved for men’s sexual

fantasies (Fujimoto, 2015). From a liberatory perspective, BL narratives freed female readers from

fixed identities with the absence of female characters, allowing for erotic autonomy that is separate

from any certain point of view or sexual identity. These conversations have led some scholars to

argue for BL’s sociocultural and political potentials in troubling heteropatriarchy (Kwon, 2021). It

acts as a non-threatening safe space for female fans and at the same time, threatens patriarchy.

Other scholars reflect on the misogyny portrayed in BL narratives (Ueno, 1998). The

escapism built on the anatomical maleness of characters sees the female sex as an intrusion to

fantasy. This can be seen as misogynistic, as the idealization of boys’ romance operates at the

expense of femaleness. Researchers explain that this was the result of patriarchal society’s

systematic sexism making it difficult for many women to love themselves as they are (Ueno, 1998).

From this standpoint, the BL genre serves practically as a means for women to distance from their

own gender stereotypes through the manipulation of gender in a fantasy world. The genre has come

a long way from villainizing women in narratives. Female characters still function as plot devices

towards the union of the main male couple but are increasingly portrayed in a positive light,

sometimes acting as cupid or an understanding family member or classmate. With shift in female

characters’ depictions, scholarship also moved away from focus on misogyny. Starting from

feminist critique, queer analysis began to be incorporated into BL studies, a framework that
10
perhaps may be more appropriate for discussion of the BL world.

Queering BL

Since the 1990s, the genre of BL has only continued to expand, manifesting in a variety of

media forms (i.e., video games, movies, theme cafes) and crossing regional borders into North

America, Europe, other parts of Asia and around the globe. Following genre aesthetic and cultural

traditions, many popular BL creations have been produced outside of Japan and gained fame

globally through the internet. The BL fanbase includes many people living in heteronormative and

male dominated cultures, not limited to Japan. Heteronormative societies view the standard as

heterosexual, specifically the coupling of a passive cis gender women with an active cis gender

male. In this case, homosexuality is perceived as the other. As homosexuality became more

socially and politically accepted, overt homophobia became less permissible and homonormativity

was established (Duggan, 2003). Homonormativity proscribed culturally specific characteristics of

being gay that matched existing norms. In addition to reinforcing hierarchies of race and class, it

reinscribed gender appropriate behaviors. The hetero/homonormative dichotomy heavily relies on

fixed and stable identities of gay/straight, man/woman. In line with psychological concepts of

essentialism, dichotomization, and ambiguity intolerance (Frenkel-Brunswik, 1948), this fixed

hetero/homo binary model permeates Western thought (Sedgwick, 1990). The cognitive tendency

to categorize and avoid indeterminacy, rejects the ambiguous nature of the diverse factors that form

our sexuality and gender experience. These ignored factors in hetero/homonormative cultures are

the subject of queer theory. BL media, containing a wealth of ambiguities in narratives and

reception, calls for a queer reading. To queer is a way to embrace ambiguities disregarded by

binary oppositions within gender and sexuality. To queer is to recognize instability, fluidity, and

11
difference, and welcome the abundance of counter normative expressions.2 While BL has been

marketed towards a heterosexual female audience, the actual fanbase is far more varied in sex,

gender, and sexuality. BL has created a unique connection between men and women through

enjoyment of erotic media (Brenner & Wildsmith, 2011). Past scholars have observed that male

fans enjoyed the alternate views of sexual identities and masculinities, and female fans saw BL as a

way to overcome and critique heterosexist gender norms (Mizoguchi, 2008; Nagaike, 2015).

Mizoguchi (2010) states that BL supports a female community that cultivates more freedom in

gender and sexual expression. Shifting from studies of BL as resistance for heterosexual females,

queer readings examine the unconventional representations of gender and sexuality, and its queer

potential.

When analyzing narratives in BL, ambiguities are prevalent, obstructing stable

constructions of who is what. Both sexual identity as well as gender can be questioned. Welker

(2006) points out the uncertainties of gender in BL manga and anime, especially in early bishounen

works, which constructed ambiguous sex due to or despite of “apparitions of the penis (p. 849).” In

Welker’s (2006) analysis of Kaze to ki no uta, a pioneering work in the BL genre, he highlighted

the absence of clear drawings of male genitalia, which allowed audience to see a vulva if desired.

The bishounen was interpreted as a queer character outside the limits of our heteropatriarchal

world, offering readings of any gender and sexuality (Welker, 2006). Following this argument, the

bishounens could indeed be understood as lesbians. Giving readers free interpretation of the

character’s gender supported experimentation with nonhegemonic practices of gender and sexuality

(Welker, 2006). Audiences maintained the freedom to retell the story and control the genders

within the narrative to their own preference. This queer perspective of BL was based on the

2
See the extensive work of Eve Sedgwick and Michael Warner on queer theory.
12
ambiguities of content and imaginations of the audience.

Similar to Ueno (1998), Otomo (2015) discussed freeing from the female body as a feature

of BL. However, Otomo did not cite misogyny but desubjectivization, a dissolution of the reader’s

own subject, and the resulting disembodied experience where the gendered body disappears in the

BL fantasy world. She saw queer utopian potential in BL as an escapist fantasy and the opportunity

for political transformation. Otomo (2015) proposed that BL was a resistant form of escapism,

providing a place of respite for fans from realities of heteronormative oppression. BL can be

viewed as queer in its disassembling of stable identity categories and its enabling of fluid

identifications. The seme/uke architype at its surface may parallel traditional man/women gender

roles, supporting gender normative dichotomies. However, transposing of heterosexuality onto a

same-sex couple can be read as more transgressive in the way it decouples sex from gender.

Additionally, the uke identity is more complex and subversive, crossing between masculine and

feminine realms. He maintains his biological maleness, benefiting from patriarchy while also

holding a feminine object position. This female position however is not disempowering as the uke

enjoys equally pleasurable sex from the seme (Wood, 2006). If read as a self-insert character for

heterosexual female fans, there is still empowerment in the construction of an active, feminine

presence. While the uke archetype may suggest a feminine object, his gender performance is more

accurately a hybrid of masculinity/femininity. Female fans can also vicariously participate in BL

narratives as the seme character. Meyer (2010) found that about one third of female fans identified

with seme characters, subverting heterosexist expectations that female fans must identify with the

submissive character. Research suggests that there are female fans who prefer to position

themselves as the aggressive, dominant seme character who desires the submissive uke (Meyer,

2010). When considering the various positions of both audience and characters, the binary is

expanded. The seme and uke relationship illustrates multiple counter-hegemonic masculinities,
13
crossing gender boundaries.

Nagaike (2015) directed attention to fudanshi (rotten men), male viewers of BL who were

not afraid to admit their enjoyment for homoerotic narratives. Fudanshis did not clearly represent

any specific sexual orientation. These men responded to surveys with a range of sexual orientation

identities including gay, straight, bisexual, as well as asexual (Nagaike, 2015). Fudanshis, like their

fujoshi counterparts, seek an escape from more dominant narratives of gender. But for fudanshis,

they are escaping traditional masculine traits by identifying with the feminine men in BL

narratives. They enjoyed how BL characters did not live up to the macho image of conventional

gender norms and expressed traditionally feminine characteristics like passivity and vulnerability

(Nagaike, 2015). BL creates a subversive space that allows fudanshis to reevaluate stereotypical

masculinities and learn to accept feminine traits, which are devalued by society when expressed on

male bodies, as part of maleness. In China, aesthetics and themes of danmei (China’s adaptation of

BL) are influencing even non consumers of BL. The underground distribution of BL has resulted in

increased awareness of homosexuality, reshaping heteromasculinity and homosociality among

heterosexual men (Wei, 2022).

Further Developments in BL Conventions

Since the early 1990s, the genre has become more diverse in style and approach, while still

following some traditional conventions. Mizoguchi (2008) saw a decrease in “rapes of love” and

explained that it may be due to boredom towards the overused trope and mature author’s feelings

of responsibility as mentors for younger audiences to not excuse rape. Furthermore, “homophobic

homo” characters have decreased and been replaced with more gay identified characters.

Sometimes the character starts off with a straight identity but becomes accepting of his gay identity

after falling in love with his same sex partner. Many such characters come out to their family,
14
friends, and the public. Other times, characters start off with the awareness of their gay or bisexual

identity (Mizoguchi, 2008). These changes show how the BL genre has matured and how creators

feel more responsibility towards fictional characters who represent a minority group, rather than

just fantasy material. This may have been partly influenced by the progress in lesbian and gay

rights political movements around the world at the time. For example, Netherlands was the first

country to legalize same sex marriage in 2000, followed by Belgium in 2003, and Canada in 2005

(Masci et. al., 2019). There are more stories depicting BL character’s coming out experience with

realistic reactions from family members in the context of Japanese culture. Often times, family and

friends learn to accept the protagonists’ gay relationship. Stories acknowledge the existence of

homophobia as a problem in society through scenarios depicting discrimination and illustrating the

various ways homosexual people navigate their lives in a heteronormative culture. This is not to

say that all BL stories are accurate portrayals, since there remain fantastical elements like

essentialized characteristics of aggressive top/passive bottom roles or every straight character

falling in love with another man (Mizoguchi, 2008). However, there have also been changes in the

seme/uke trope, towards positions with active decision making. Ukes are more frequently

characterized as proactive, and top/bottom roles during sex are more likely determined by factors

of preference and pleasure (Mizoguchi, 2008). Traditional BL formulas do coexist with author’s

activist imaginations. Still, many BL authors are giving serious thought to homosexual individual’s

struggles in contemporary times. Authors are creating feasible scenarios where gay characters can

live happier lives in an imagined society that is more progressive than reality. Another noticeable

trend in the BL genre is the increased production of narratives that scrutinize and problematize the

existing gender system and heterosexuality broadly, including marriage, reproduction, and

traditional notions of family (Mizoguchi, 2010). Sex Pistols by Tarako Kotobuki (2004)

exemplifies a world where reproductive technologies allow characters to birth babies regardless of
15
gender. The manga series provides representation for same sex male couples and same sex female

couples and motivates fan discussions about concepts of family, reproduction, and romantic

relationships.

Seme and uke dynamics based on physical characteristics continue to persist in the BL

genre but with a growing number of exceptions. There are a variety of different types of seme and

uke characters, each having gender traits that shift according to the character they are paired with.

Practices of pairing shows the flexibility of gender, allowing the imagining of possibilities outside

the norm or an alternative future for the norm itself (Butler, 2004). For example, a Philippines

based study showed how BL fans viewed androgynous male characters and same sex male

relationships not only as different forms of masculinity but also of different forms of intimate

relationships (Fermin, 2022). In China, pairing two masculine top characters together, a genre

called “hugongwen,” builds on the concept of alternative masculinity as queer resistance and offers

a form of equality in relationships (Lin, 2022).

A recent comedic Japanese BL manga series, Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni

Naritakunai Otoko by Konkichi (2018), presents a deconstructive parody of common BL

conventions (see Figure 2). The story follows a nameless background character as he criticizes

nonsensical tropes in the BL world he lives in. Many fans can relate to the protagonist’s feelings as

he ridicules typical BL manga plots. Its success among readers led to a Japanese live action

adaptation in 2021. These new ventures in BL practices show that the genre is a medium of change.

Given this history of the ways BL has evolved over the years, I chose to examine how

discourse reflects new developments. What conversations are taking place among the BL fandom

today? To answer these questions, I look to online communities, home to countless BL fans.

16
Figure 2. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko (A World Where

Everything Definitely Becomes BL vs. The Man Who Definitely Doesn't Want to be in a

BL) (p. 1-2), © Konkichi/Shodensha (2018). On the right page, the main character realizes

he lives in a BL world. On the left, he points out the strangely high percentage of handsome

men in his school, the blurry and plain faces of girls, and how dirty talk about girls

somehow shift into ‘what kind of men you would have sex with.’ Translation by Jessica

Lin.

17
 Section 2: Method and Methodology

Site of Study

The BL fan community, r/boyslove, located on the popular social media website Reddit,

will be the main site of study. Reddit has become a significant data source for researchers from a

range of disciplines, as it allows convenient access to hard-to-reach populations, the most

prominent data sources being political and mental health communities (Proferes et. al., 2021). As a

platform that functions via anonymity, it gathers users and creates communities through shared

interests rather than real-world connections. These communities are called “subreddits” and can be

created by any user and are moderated by its own members.1 The configuration of reddit allows

people to publish candid stories and opinions, partly due to the fact that moderators are everyday

people and not a corporate entity (De Choudhry & De, 2014). Additionally, unlike other platforms

that require a name or birthday, creating a reddit user account only requires an email, username,

and password. The large degree of anonymity of reddit has been shown to increase user’s

willingness to divulge personal stories and speak freely on sensitive topics such as gender and

sexuality (Ammari et. al., 2019). Furthermore, the 10,000 character limit for comments and 40,000

character limit for posts provide users plenty of room to communicate their opinions and rationale

in comparison to many other social media platforms with shorter limits, giving more context to

readers. Reddit’s simple point voting system divides powers equally among everyone, each

“upvote” adding a point and “downvote” subtracting a point. This system pushes posts or

comments that the public believes to be the most significant to the forefront, making popular posts

easily identifiable. For these reasons, I chose to focus on the subreddit, r/boyslove, a community

dedicated to discussion of any BL related topics.

1
This is unlike other social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram which are monitored by a singular
corporation but rather, each subreddit has their own volunteer moderators who enforce community guidelines.
18
Data Collection

At the time of data extraction, the r/boyslove subreddit had 35,700 members. Following

Caplan and Purser’s (2017) methodological guidelines for Reddit qualitative data analysis, I chose

specific criteria for extraction. I opted for a central post with at least a hundred comments that

would address my research question. Threads within r/boyslove were categorized using “Flairs,” a

tagging system to provide context to posts. Some flairs include “BL Haul”, “Fanwork”,

“Help:Identify”, “Off Topic”, “Meme” ,“Discussion”, and regional flairs (i.e., Thai BL) for

location specific BL content. I filtered using the “Discussion” flair, as this tag was intended for

posts looking for open-ended responses and fostered the most dialogue between members. I then

sorted by “Top” posts within the past year. The top four posts were limited to questions pertaining

to member’s favorite BL live-action drama series or favorite pairings in those series. For data

collection, I chose the fifth most upvoted post, as it was not constrained to live-action media and

contained enough text to be viable. This post was titled, “In this designated BL fan space, we

shouldn’t have to be constantly defending our enjoyment of BL” and was published on November

15, 2021. The thread matched my search criteria as a relevant discussion thread, with over 100

comments, that is representative of r/boyslove community sentiments. I analyzed the contents of

this central post to answer my research question: What are the shared experiences and

conversations of the current BL fandom?

Data Analysis

My qualitative framework favors an experiential analysis in order to draw on participant’s

voices and perspectives. Theoretically, I follow a relativist, constructionist approach to examine the

realities articulated in individual’s responses. This framework does not focus on individual

psyches, but rather, attempts to understand the socio-cultural conditions driving people’s sense-
19
making, with the understanding that there is no one objective reality.

I saved the entire webpage containing the initial post and all the comments (n = 178) using

MAXQDA’s web collector function and imported the file into MAXQDA (v.20.4) to facilitate data

analysis. Within this thread, I identified 55 unique users who responded in the comments section

(Table 1).

Following Braun and Clarke (2006) on thematic analysis, I began with in-depth

familiarization of the data. After an initial readthrough, I conducted a more in-depth review while

documenting notes and ideas within MAXQDA (v.20.4). After familiarization with the content, I

used an inductive approach in the initial coding, noting interesting patterns and possible themes

during the coding process. Codes were reviewed and categorized into initial themes. After further

developing and reviewing themes, I refined the relevance of those themes by comparing them to

the data set as a whole and renamed when appropriate (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Braun & Clarke,

2019). Guided by reflexive thematic analysis, my analytical process took on an organic approach

within an interpretivist paradigm (Braun & Clarke, 2019).

20
Table 1

Descriptives of data.

Members of r/boyslove at time of data collection 35,700

Original post date 11/15/2021

Data collection date 03/10/2022

Total comments (including initial poster) 178

Total word count (including initial poster) 16,523

Total number of upvotes on original post 193

Total number of upvotes on top 10 comments 306

21
 Section 3: Results

The following themes were generated: (1) Don’t Yuck my Yum (2) Fantasy vs. Reality, (3)

Progressiveness in the BL space (see Figure 3). These themes highlight the ongoing conversations

and concerns among BL fans.

Respect others’
opinions and Fiction is just fiction
preferences

Don’t Yuck my Yum Fantasy vs. Reality

Experiences of
Fiction transfers into
harassment through
Progressiveness in reality
moral policing
the BL Space

BL media has made Social awareness of Fandom has diversified

progress gender and sexuality

Figure 3. Thematic map depicting three main themes.

22
Don’t Yuck my Yum

As a central statement of the initial post, as well as the top comment in the thread, “Don’t

Yuck my Yum” summarizes fan’s sentiments against those who bash others for their media and

trope preferences. Members shared instances where they encountered animosity for expressing

their enjoyment of certain narratives. Complaints include, “I have been told I should go to prison

for enjoying the pseudo-incest in Friend Forever.” And “I’ve had someone tell me that maybe I

should be raped so that I would stop glorifying it in these shows.” Fans of Chinese BL would

receive comments like, “it is censored, it isn’t BL, China sucks and I will never give any of their

shows a try.” Members have been unproductively criticized for enjoying “immoral” tropes such as

incest, non-consensual sex, age gaps and obsessive love. Chinese BL works, which has become

popularized among western media in recent years, have been condemned for being regressive and

homophobic due to its prominent level of censorship. Fans adept at reading homoerotic subtext find

no problems seeing the romantic relationship between male leads, while others who only see

homosociality in male relationships argue that Chinese BL should not even be considered BL. The

original poster rants:

…I am sick of it! Guys, this is supposed to be the space where we can enjoy this

genre without judgement, especially from other fans. You are allowed to have

different opinions, but why do we constantly have to be knocking down what other

people enjoy watching? (r/boyslove, 2021)

As the genre of BL overall has generally been looked down upon and shamed by society since its

origins, many fujin (“rotten person,” a gender-neutral alternative to fujoshi/fudanshi) share similar

feelings of shame in some way. It is often a genre labeled and acknowledged by fans as a guilty

pleasure. Consumers and creators of BL have been and still are targets of harassment and

cyberbullying, due to societal misogyny and homophobia. Even within the BL fan space, people
23
experience criticisms for enjoying the “wrong” type of BL.

You can barely say you like a show or an actor anymore without someone coming in

and telling you that there is something wrong in the show and so you shouldn’t

enjoy it… “well, you can like it, but at the end of the day in the grand scheme of the

world that makes you a fetishist and so your opinions don’t really mean much.” Or

“you are probably a straight woman, you aren’t a gay man enough to contribute to

this conversation on the ethics of this scene.” Or “oh, you can’t like that actor

anymore, because one time, four years ago, he said a joke that was off-color…” And

on and on. (r/boyslove, 2021)

The user expresses frustration over other users’ excessive political and moral policing of BL media.

Many fujin enjoy the emotional and dramatic elements of BL that are often connected to taboo

tropes like non-consensual sex or abusive relationships. Posters suggest the rise of “woke” culture

has resulted in an increase in the number of morality policing comments in the community forums.

Woke culture is a modern equivalent to being “politically correct.” To be ‘woke’ is to be mindful

of sexism, racism, homophobia, and general insensitivity towards others, but the label of “woke”

has developed to have a negative connotation, referring to social justice warriors who condemn

others ‘problematic’ behaviors in order to achieve a sense of moral superiority. The r/boyslove

community exhibits more liberal leaning ideologies in alignment with what is considered “woke.”

As a disclaimer, the original poster states that they are not against liberal ideologies promoting

human rights. They clarify that their issue lies in the oversaturation of BL communities with real-

world moral discourse when fans are trying to indulge in escapism.

A differing response expresses that they do not see the disparaging, toxic posts that others

have referred to, “This is a pretty laid back place. I do notice sometimes people come in here to

vent about bad experiences they’ve had outside of this subreddit. The ‘my friend thinks I’m trash
24
for liking this’ thing for instance comes up.” While they highlight the existence of posts from BL

fans that have experienced backlash from outsiders, they personally have not encountered many

toxic posts from within the fan community and therefore do not associate intolerance with the

r/boyslove subreddit. Within the “Don’t Yuck my Yum” discourse, 38 comments emphasized

agreement to the original poster’s sentiment of not disparaging other fans’ for their proclivities,

which contrasts the absence of counterclaims. The topmost upvoted responses within this thread,

with 75 upvotes, further emphasize community agreement towards this belief.

Overall, the majority of commenters agree that no one should be shamed or insulted for

their preferences, especially within a fan space that should be tolerant. They believe there should be

room to discuss BL content as entertainment and as real-world related issues such as

discrimination, but respectfully.

Fantasy vs. Reality

Numerous responders including the original poster, emphasized the separation between

fiction and reality. One side wishes to enjoy the BL genre with its immoral plotlines and dramatic

elements as pure fantasy, while others argue that BL’s toxic tropes are harmful and linked to real-

world consequences.

One user supports the perspective of BL as fantasy material and highlights the significance

of the fictional aspect in their personal life towards recovering from trauma.

Something can be hugely problematic and we can still love it. I read a ton of non-

con and rape stories because, as a rape survivor, they help me process my stuff. I

love Tharntype. Because I love the idea of a fairytale ending to something that starts

with non-con. In real life I didn’t get that (and I wish I could have sent the man to

jail.) But in a fantasy world?? Give me ALL the comfort after the hurt. I love it.”
25
 (r/boyslove, 2021)

Tharntype is a highly popular 2019 Thai BL drama series based on the web novel with the same

title. The series involves scenarios of non-consent and dubious consent within its first three

episodes. Tharntype echoes a common trope of BL, in which stories beginning with non-

consensual elements develop into mutual love by the end. The user emphasizes the function of such

narratives as fantasies with fairytale happy endings as a way to cope with their personal struggles

in reality. BL for many fans continues to act as a safe space to process difficult emotions from a

distance. BL as fantasy is malleable and offers alternative narratives that some consumers say can

produce therapeutic effects. Other users express that they would respond differently to those

problematic scenarios if it occurred in real life.

We all know it’s not okay IRL! We know that!! Most of us are adults! But I don’t

watch BL to have all my morals confirmed, I watch it to be entertained and

TharnType entertains the sh*t out of me! (r/boyslove, 2021)

Users reason that they have the common sense to differentiate fiction and reality, to

separate what they view on screen from their actions in real life. They argue that audiences

should have the social awareness and ethical intelligence to enjoy fictional narratives for the

thrills and recognize that problematic behaviors should not be replicated in the real world.

Others argue that realities follow fiction, voicing their concerns for young audiences who

may be more impressionable. Several commentors reference skewed gay representation within BL

narratives. A user states, “You know, either the dominant, borderline rapist top or the submissive,

pitiful bottom. It’s also quite possible they’ll carry that idea with them into real life.” They refer to

the possible transference of BL’s pervasive trope of seme/uke roles onto real life gay couples.

Responses point out the very real influences that BL media has on the perception of LGBT

individuals and not always in a positive light due to misrepresentation and reinforcement of
26
stereotypes.

Because BL as a genre is a representation of gay men and a lot of the times it

reinforces negative stereotypes that will affect real people irl [in real life]. This

might be a “fun get-away from the real world” for you, but for someone else it’s

representation, whether they like it or not. (r/boyslove, 2021)

Users explain that popular fiction media consumed globally definitely has an impact on

reality and the lives of young LGBT youth. They elaborate that often times, BL is the only

way LGBT youth see representation, and they may internalize problematic tropes involving

romanticized rape or harmful stereotypes. Ultimately, perspectives are mixed and

conflicting.

Progressiveness in the BL Space

There are recurring comments that took note of the positive changes and progress in BL media for

the better. Written with strong conviction and at length, users point out how there is an increase in

“healthy” BL media and LGBT friendly stories:

I was so relieved when I entered this subreddit a few months ago and I found the

amount of healthy media in BL that wasn’t there when I started watching BL.

(r/boyslove, 2021)

I've really enjoyed seeing BL become increasingly overtly merged with LGBTQ+

storytelling! And I think it was the natural thing to happen – why have two

LGBTQ+/female friendly storytelling mediums doing almost if not quite the same

thing, when you can just merge them – leaving room for all kinds of stories.

(r/boyslove, 2021)

27
By “healthy” they are referring to media that has accurate representation of gay men in healthy,

consensual relationships and without forms of abuse. Members show excitement when BL

narratives contain pairings that do not follow traditional seme/uke characteristics. They appreciate

the growth in overt gender and sexual minority representations in new BL media, not just limited to

gay men. In discussing a merge between BL and LGBT storytelling, the user shows understanding

of the differences between the two genres as well as the history of change within BL. There is an

awareness of BL’s origins as a “female friendly” mode of storytelling, stemming from shoujo

manga that explored gender and sexuality. The r/boyslove community exhibit an overall liberal

stance on gender and sexuality issues. Members show support for LGBT rights and are generally

mindful of heterosexism. Therefore, they praise new BL media that provide more accurate

representations of gay men. Fans commend BL actors for speaking up for the LGBT community, to

eliminate prejudice against same-sex relationships and to spread awareness as influencers. They

additionally welcome the growing diversity in the fan space:

BL fandom is so much more interesting and welcoming now than it used to be.

There’s a healthy mix of variations in age, gender, sexuality and life experience that

makes discussing BL so much more rewarding nowadays. (r/boyslove, 2021)

While anonymity on reddit promotes more candid and authentic sharing of experience and

opinions on stigmatized issues such as sexuality, it also acts as a significant limitation in methods.

Lack of user’s demographic profile make it impossible to conduct intersectional analysis. However,

some users may share their age, gender or sexuality in post. Within this thread, several users

prefaced their response with a disclosure of their gender and sexual orientation. These users

included gay men, lesbian women, bisexual men, a pansexual trans man, an asexual agender person

and a queer fan. This wide range of identities within only one thread, demonstrates the surge in

diversity among BL fans. When one user voiced their opinion that men should stay away from
28
female spaces, she was met with substantial opposition and downvotes. For this community, the

assumption that BL is a heterosexual, female only space has become outdated.

29
 Section 4: Discussion

Reflexive thematic analysis with a relativist constructionist approach was conducted from

my position as a long time BL fan and situated in a queer, feminist perspective. From r/boyslove, I

generated three themes that highlighted major discourses occurring among the BL fan community.

The first theme, ‘Don’t yuck my yum’ showed the enduring sense of shame in loving BL

media as a result of societies’ intolerances. I believe misogyny and homophobia to be underlying

factors behind people’s distaste for BL and its fandom. BL fans and creators have been

continuously attacked, especially when reading male-male romance into popular mainstream

media, similar to “shipping”1 in slash fictions in the U.S. Critics who target fujin for reading

homoerotic subtext into popular mainstream media, are at the same time privileging

heterosexual/normative readings as the only “correct” and “normal’ way to view fictional

relationships. On online platforms where people can post artworks or events like Comiccon where

people can sell and distribute art, BL is often pushed to the side, sending the message that it is a

genre that should stay out of the mainstream. People argue that BL is discriminatory towards gay

men, while there exists a much larger market with problematic portrayals of women. When

mainstream anime and manga is criticized for oversexualizing and demeaning women, male

creators simply dismiss concerns by citing freedom of speech and expression. On the other hand,

BL is easily targeted likely due to it being a genre associated with women. Decades of research

have shown that women’s participation is correlated to devaluation.2 There has been a constant

trend of shaming femininized interests. Female stereotyped fandoms (i.e., Boybands) tend to be

belittled, while male stereotyped fandoms (i.e., Football) are often celebrated (Mendelsohn, 2020).

Fields dominated by women, like teaching and care work are undervalued and underpaid/unpaid

1
Shipping is defined as the act of pairing two individuals (often characters in pop culture) in a romantic relationship.
2
See “Twenty years of gender equality research: A scoping review based on a new semantic indicator” (Belingheri,
Chiarello, Cholladon & Rovelli, 2021)
30
(Shaw et. al., 2016). Jobs are assigned lower pay and status as it becomes increasingly associated

with women (Block et. al., 2018; Magnusson, 2009). BL reception, as a genre linked to women,

follows the devaluation theory based on sexism that sees less value in women produced work.

Subreddit members have cited their encounters with disparaging comments, containing

assumptions on their identity as straight women, along with assumptions that they fetishize gay

men. Such insinuations were used as grounds to invalidate their opinions. Many BL fans hide their

hobby from family and friends in fear of such criticism, finding comfort only in online fan spaces.

Fujin are aware of their socially subordinate status as members of this community. Amongst fans

sharing the same interests, r/boyslove members agreed that no one should be shamed in this virtual

safe space; differentiating shaming people from giving productive critique.

Theme two, Fantasy vs. Reality demonstrates the productive critique of BL media that is

possible without use of shame. Fans debated the various functions of BL as fantasy and its effects

in the real world. Many users expressed their use of BL as pure fiction and escapism. This aligns

with feminist studies on BL that recognize the genre as a safe space for women to escape the

damages inflicted by patriarchy. Some may argue that escapist fantasies as temporary relief is

insufficient and ultimately, real social change is necessary in order to eliminate that need for

escapism. However, I believe fantasy in itself should be seen as fulfilling and pleasurable, and

recognized as a necessary element of our psychical reality, regardless of political utility. Many

feminist and queer readings struggle with suspending political impulses to see fantasy as it is, “a

pleasurable suspension of the opposition between the realist and the escapist” (Chou, 2018, p. 35).

Many other reddit responses focused on the common BL critique regarding representation

for gay men, a topic that has continues from the events of yaoi ronsou. It is important to remember

that not all BL stories are intended to be about gay men. The majority of narratives simply portray

idealized, romantic love between two boys or men. The ambiguous nature of many BL narratives
31
allows for different interpretations based on the imagination of the readership (Welker, 2006).

Stories of two men’s romantic or sexual relationship does not automatically equate to a gay

identity. There exists a range of sexual orientations (i.e., bisexual, heterosexual, pansexual, queer)

and the audience is free to interpret the relationship to their heart’s desires. Additionally, fictional

worlds are not necessarily a mere reflection of society. Fictional worlds are capable of imagining

and opening up unseen possibilities and different modes of life. While there are gay identified

characters in BL media, in many stories it is rare for characters to overtly identify as a gay man. A

more flexible reading of BL media may be more productive and inclusive. However, society at

large does associate depictions of homosexuality to gay men and therefore any media portrayal

may affect the real lives of gay men, BL or not. Members of r/boyslove agree that BL can influence

realities of gay men by propagating certain images or stereotypes. The frequent conversations and

attention to such concerns highlight the community’s awareness that BL’s genre characteristics that

are meant for dramatic purposes do not and should not be applied to real life. There is an

abundance of people speaking up and critiquing problematic story trends (i.e., homophobia, gender

normativity, rape), using it as an opportunity to spread awareness and educate younger or newer

fans.

Although the mixture of problematic BL tropes and activist thoughts is complex, I think the

activist power of representation in BL work does not disappear. As a queer person, discovering BL

had given me hope and made it easier to imagine that fantasy world of acceptance in the near

future. Some Fudanshis have recounted their first experiences discovering BL and expressed

feelings of affirmation and validation simply seeing the possibility of happy male-male couples, at

a time period when representation was limited to gay pornography magazines and comedic

caricatures. Even gay-targeted content by gay creators such as geikomi (gay comics) do not offer

perfect representation for every individual. Some gay fudanshi have voiced that they found the
32
feminine masculinities depicted by BL characters more relatable than geikomi, that portrayed heavy

set, muscular, strong men with facial hair. The discourses that assume a singular, “correct”

definition of representation of identities is exactly what queer theory aims to destabilize.

Developments in fandom highlight the progressiveness and diversification of the BL

fandom as well as BL media itself. At its origins, BL was a deliberate attempt to empower girls’

agency and queer norms around female sexuality (Mizoguchi, 2008; Saito, 2011). The genre’s

circumvention of gender and sexual norms attracted a wide spectrum of audiences outside of the

targeted demographics. The lines of BL and LGBT media have blurred and merged as r/boyslove

community members have pointed out. I believe the yaoi ronsou was a critical event that allowed

BL to take strides in progress. Controversies and criticisms push BL fans and creators to

acknowledge political and moral concerns around the genre, which can explain the expansion of

content and increased genre breaking ventures that are not constrained by tropes. In a reciprocal

relationship, the progressive diversification of BL media in turn attracts even wider audiences of

fans, who often contribute to the genre as creators. While r/boyslove promote discussion of all

media forms of BL, the rapid rise in popularity of Thai live action dramas and Chinese danmei is

clearly evident. Thailand’s BL productions seem to have the most regional and global outreach and

influence, winning more acceptance with LGBT individuals. More live action BL dramas have

been providing sensitive portrayals of diverse relationships, an approach that has been well

received by LGBT communities. The subreddit expresses a welcoming attitude towards the influx

of LGBT fans and creators, showing tolerance and respect to fellow BL fans.

The r/boyslove community exemplifies a group that has taken their individual BL derived

consciousness of social issues concerning gender and sexual minorities and become political

advocates for LGBT rights. In another instance, BL fans from Taiwan actively involved themselves

33
in the recent successful movement to make Taiwan the first Asian country to legalize same sex

marriage (Wang, 2022). Around the world, BL fans act as sociopolitical forces, engaging in local

politics or online political critique, enabling the liberation of gender and sexual expression. BL has

become a “transnational, transcultural” media genre with progressive potential for good through its

subversion of gender and sexual norms, and accumulated support for the LGBT community

(Welker, 2022, p. 4). Regardless of critiques relating to misogyny, homophobia, and the shameful

nature of indulging in BL, the genre’s “queer transfigurations” across and between various

countries has resulted in fandom expansion and new BL productions merging with LGBT

narratives, inspiring and provoking political and social change (Welker, 2022). The current study

demonstrates how fans’ personal ventures into BL can develop into social awareness of gender and

sexuality through critical consumption of media and participating in public discourse with other

fellow fans on online platforms, encouraging social change that respects transgressive expressions

of gender and sexuality.

34
 Bibliography

Ammari, T., Schoenebeck, S., & Romero, D. (2019). Self-declared throwaway accounts on Reddit:

How platform affordances and shared norms enable parenting disclosure and

support. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 3, 1-30.

Block, K., Croft, A., & Schmader, T. (2018). Worth less?: Why men (and women) devalue care-

oriented careers. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1353.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01353

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in

psychology, 3(2), 77-101.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative research in

sport, exercise and health, 11(4), 589-597.

Brenner, R. E., & Wildsmith, S. (2011). Love through a different lens: Japanese homoerotic manga

through the eyes of American gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other sexualities

readers. In Perper, T. & Corgnog, M. (Eds.), Mangatopia: Essays on manga and anime in

the modern world, 89-118.

Butler, J. (2004). Undoing gender. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203499627

Caplan, M. A., & Purser, G. (2019). Qualitative inquiry using social media: A field-tested example.

Qualitative Social Work, 18(3), 417–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325017725802

Chang, J., & Tian, H. (2021). Girl power in boy love: Yaoi, online female counterculture, and

digital feminism in China. Feminist Media Studies, 21:4, 604-620,

DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2020.1803942

Chou, Jui-an (2018). Between boys: Fantasy of male homosexuality in boys’ love, Mary

Renault, and Marguerite Yourcenar. Duke University.

De Choudhury, M., & De, S. (2014). Mental health discourse on reddit: Self-disclosure, social
35
 support, and anonymity. Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and

Social Media, 8(1), 71-80. Retrieved from

https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14526

Fermin, T. (2022). BL coupling in a different light: Filipino fans envisioning an alternative

model of intimacy. In J. Welker (Eds.), Queer transfigurations: Boys love media in Asia

(Ser. Asia Pop!). University of Hawaii Press.

Frenkel-Brunswick, E. (1948). Intolerance of ambiguity as an emotional and perceptual personality

variable. Journal of Personality, 18, 108–123. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1949.tb01236.x

Fujimoto, Y. (2015). The evolution of BL as “playing with gender”: Viewing the genesis and

development of BL from a contemporary perspective. In McLelland, M., Nagaike, K.,

Suganuma, K., & Welker, J. (Eds.), Boys love manga and beyond: History, culture, and

community in Japan (pp. 76-92). University Press of Mississippi.

Galbraith, P.W. (2011) Fujoshi: Fantasy play and transgressive intimacy among “rotten girls” in

contemporary Japan. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 37(1), 219–240.

https://doi.org/10.1086/660182

Hitoshi, I. (2015). Representational appropriation and the autonomy of desire in yaoi/BL.

In McLelland, M., Nagaike, K., Suganuma, K., & Welker, J. (Eds.), Boys Love Manga and

Beyond. University Press of Mississippi.

https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781628461190.003.0011

Konkichi. (2018). Zettai bl ni naru sekai vs zettai bl ni naritakunai otoko. Shodensha.

Kotobuki, T. (2004). Sex pistols. Libre Shuppan.

Kwon, J. (2021). The past, present, and future of Boys love (BL) cultures in East Asia.

Transnational Convergence of East Asian Pop Culture.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003126850
36
Lin, X. (2022). Breaking the structural silence: The sociological function of BL novels in

contemporary China. In J. Welker (Eds.), Queer transfigurations: Boys love media in Asia

(Ser. Asia Pop!). University of Hawaii Press.

Lunsing. (2006). Yaoi ronso: Discussing depictions of male homosexuality in Japanese girls’

comics, gay comics and gay pornography. Intersections (Perth, W.A.), 12, 34

Masci, D., Sciupac, E. P., & Lipka, M. (2019). Same-sex marriage around the world. Pew

Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/fact-sheet/gay-marriage-around-the-world/

Magnusson, C. (2009). Gender, occupational prestige, and wages: A test of devaluation theory.

European Sociological Review, 25(1), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcn035

Maybury-Lewis, D., & Almagor, U. (Eds.) (1989). The attraction of opposites: Thought and

society in the dualistic mode. University of Michigan Press.

McLelland, M. (2006). Why are Japanese girls’ comics full of boys bonking?. Refractory: A

journal of entertainment media, 10(4), 1-14.

McLelland, M. & Welker, J. (2015). ‘An introduction to “Boys love” in Japan’. In McLelland, M.,

Nagaike, K., Suganuma, K., & Welker, J. (Eds.), Boys love manga and beyond (pp.3-20).

University Press of Mississippi.

Mendelsohn, K. (2020). Gender in fandom. Applied Psychology OPUS,

wp.nyu.edu/steinhardt-appsych_opus/gender-in-fandom/.

Meyer, U. (2010). Hidden in straight sight: Trans*gressing gender and sexuality via BL. In

McLelland, M., Nagaike, K., Suganuma, K., & Welker, J. (Eds.), Boys’

love manga: Essays on the sexual ambiguity and cross-cultural fandom of the genre (pp.

232-256). McFarland & Company.

Mizoguchi, A. (2003). Male-male romance by and for women in Japan: A history and the
37
 subgenres of "yaoi" fictions. U.S. Japan Women's Journal, (25), 49-75.

Mizoguchi, A. (2008). Reading and living yaoi: Male-male fantasy narratives as women’s

sexual subculture in Japan. New York: University of Rochester.

Mizoguchi, A. (2010). Theorizing comics/manga genre as a productive forum: Yaoi and

beyond. In J. Berndt (Eds.), Comics worlds and the world of comics: Towards scholarship

on a global scale (pp. 145-170). Kyoto Seika University.

Nagaike, K. (2015). Do heterosexual men dream of homosexual men? BL fudanshi and

discourse on male feminization. In McLelland, M., Nagaike, K., Suganuma, K., & Welker,

J. (Eds.), Boys love manga and beyond (p. 189–199). University Press of Mississippi.

Otomo, R. (2015). Politics Of Utopia: Fantasy, Pornography, and Boys Love. In McLelland, M.,

Nagaike, K., Suganuma, K., & Welker, J. (Eds.), Boys love manga and beyond (p. 141–

152). University Press of Mississippi,

doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781628461190.003.0007

Pagliassotti, Dru. (2008) ‘Reading Boys’ Love in the West, Participations, Special Edition 5.2

Proferes, N., Jones, N., Gilbert, S., Fiesler, C., & Zimmer, M. (2021). Studying reddit: A

systematic overview of disciplines, approaches, methods, and ethics. Social Media +

Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211019004

Duggan, L. (2003). The twilight of equality? : Neoliberalism, cultural politics, and the attack on

democracy. Beacon Press.

r/boyslove. (2021, November 11). In this designated BL fan space, we shouldn’t have to be

constantly defending our enjoyment of BL. Retrieved March 21, 2022 from

https://www.reddit.com/r/boyslove/comments/qufal4/in_this_designated_bl_fan_space_we

_shouldnt_have/

Saito, K. (2011). Desire in subtext: Gender, fandom, and women's male-male homoerotic parodies
38
 in contemporary Japan. Mechademia, 6(1), 171-191.

Sedgwick, E., (1990). Epistemology of the closet. University of California Press.

Shaw, E., Hegewisch, A., Williams-Baron, E., & Gault, B. (2016). Undervalued and underpaid in

America: women in low-wage, female-dominated jobs. The Institute for Women’s Policy

Research. https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/D508-Undervalued-and-

Underpaid.pdf

Takemiya, K. (1976). Kaze to ki no uta (The song of wind and trees). Hakusensha Bunko.

Ueno, C. (1998). Hatsujou souchi: eros no shinario (The erotic device: The scenario of Eros).

Chikuma Shobou.

Wang, P. (2022). Repression or revolution? On the Taiwanese BL fan community’s reactions to

the same-sex marriage legalization movement. in queer transfigurations: boys love media

in Asia (Ser. Asia Pop!). University of Hawaii Press.

Wei, W. (2022). Straight men, gay buddies: The chinese bl boom and its impact on male

homosociality. In Queer transfigurations: Boys love media in Asia (Ser. Asia Pop!).

University of Hawaii Press.

Welker, J. (2006). Beautiful, borrowed, and bent: “Boys’ love” as girls’ love in Shojo

manga. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 31(3), 841-870.

Welker, J. (2022). Introduction: Boys love (BL) media and its Asian transfigurations. In Queer

transfigurations: Boys love media in Asia (Ser. Asia Pop!). University of Hawaii Press.

Wood, A. (2006). “Straight” women, queer texts: Boy-love manga and the rise of a global

counter public. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 34(1/2), 394–414.

Yano Research Institute. (2017). Otaku market in Japan: Key research findings 2017 (Market of

Cool Japan/Otaku 2017). Yano Research Institute Ltd.

https://www.yanoresearch.com/press/pdf/1773.pdf
39
Zsila, Á., & Demetrovics, Z. (2017). Redrawing the boundaries of gender and sexuality: A

psychological reconceptualization of the boys’ love phenomenon. Intensities: The Journal

of Cult Media, 9, 34-49.

Zsila, Á., Pagliassotti, D., Urbán, R., Orosz, G., Király, O., & Demetrovics, Z. (2018). Loving the

love of boys: Motives for consuming yaoi media. PloS One, 13(6).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198895

40