Here's an article from the english version of the Mainichi Daily News about Japanese yaoi fangirls (fujoshi). The article really scratches the surface of a lot of the questions I have about fandom, male homoeroticism, and Japan.
Why do girls like t3h gay? Are these the same reasons why boys like t3h lesbos? Why is a derivative work (something based off an already established series) more popular than something that is original or a relationship that has already been established in canon? What drives a yaoi fangirl to slash together two non-canonically gay characters? Why are so many self-described "yaoi fangirls" also self-described lesbians (at least in American fandom)? What social changes lie at the heart of the fascination with homoeroticism? Are they different in America and Japan? Does yaoi/BL in Japan promote the idea of homosexuality being "okay?" Is it furthering the visibility and acceptableness of homosexuality in Japan? Are the depictions of love and relationships in BL/yaoi an expression of the Japanese women's ideal? Are the BL depictions of love and relationships influencing Japanese womens' expectations for their own, real life relationships? Are these same fujoshi the "parasite singles" who refuse to date, marry, and bear children (thereby contributing to the Aged Society Problem/Koureika syakaimondai in Japan)?
DISCUSS
Leave a comment