SEXTANT: masculinities, sexualities & decolonialities

ABSTRACT

This paper will examine the Japanese genre BL/yaoi and its straight-identifying male audience. Since BL/yaoi is mainly written by and for women, most research is focused on women, leaving its male audience – specifically its heterosexual male audience – neglected. This paper will therefore focus on its straight-identifying male audience. To begin, the paper presents the relevant terminology and briefly examines BL/yaoi’s history. Following this, I investigate potential reasons why heterosexual men engage with BL/yaoi content, which display gay relationships that are often sexual in nature. I also explore how identifying as a straight fudanshi can be perceived as problematic, while also challenging hegemonic masculinity and gender and sexual norms. Lastly, I explore the yaoi ronsō and how this debate brings up some concerns and criticism about BL/yaoi. This debate shows both sides of the argument and their reasons for liking or disliking BL/yaoi.

KEY WOrDS

Boys’ love; Yaoi; Sexuality; Japan

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.