BL and Yaoi: Why is it everywhere?

[Kura]

It's what a large majority of the readers want, so the artists are providing in the hopes of making $$$

Now that's not saying that artists are making BL comics against their will (though yeah... some pretty much are) it's more like, even though it's fuled by mostly BL, these actually a demand for queer stories, so all those artists and writers that were denied entry into traditional publishing because of their queer stories are finally finding an audience, more queer creators = more queer stories.

[unknown_user]

Just kidding. Please stop complaining about BL. It feels like there's literally a thread like this every month. Heck may as well put this thread to good use. If you've got a BL comic share a link & share the love.

[Maps]

That thread is a work of art!

[GesuGesu]

It's just the age of BL, that's all. I just accept it, since I was already a fan and reader since the 2000s.

I mean, we've also had golden ages of classic horror, and the current mainstream genre is crime TV or superhero movies (thanks marvel).

[azzy-m]

I 100% agree, even if I don't really care about BL. This coming from a bisexual girl [who likes girls more than boys ahem] who once was pretty obsessed with that stuff when I was 11.

Though I think modern BL's actually gotten less harmful. Maybe it's because I stopped actively paying attention a long time ago? I dunno, but I haven't heard of a doujin or anime released recently that has those harmful stuff. The ones I can think off the top of my head were anime from the 200s/early 2010s.

[ratscout]

Probably because women are the ones who read the most webcomics, and well... Similar to how straight men like watching/reading about lesbians, I think straight women like reading/watching gay men. Because it's so popular, and that's where the money and audience is, I think a lot of people think to themselves, 'well. That person got a lot of tips and fans from doing BL. I better try that, too'. Not personally into the BL genre, myself. It's a little too sex-focused most of the time instead of story-focused for my tastes, but I have nothing against anyone who is into it.

These BL threads always get heated so fast, so I must make my departure now haha.

[joannekwan]

Simply put, it's everywhere because there's a demand for it.
While overall LGBT content is gaining traction and building an audience, BL has the advantage of being around since the 2000's with a vast percentage of its audience being straight women.

Much of it is just a straight-up escapist fantasy with the 'uke' as a thinly-veiled stand-in for a woman, hence the big draw. And since a lot of these women aren't part of the LGBT community, there never really was a demand for BL to be more honest and truthful to the real lives of gay men.
Of course BL written by LGBT creators exist and are more sensitive to the community, but those are just a bucketful in an ocean of straight-made wish-fulfillment.

Personally I'm irked 'cause I'm like, "Melissa, if you want to explore your sexuality, just write a female character! Break that societal mold! Don't put it on poor old Mel, the waif of a brunette with green eyes and freckles who stands at 5'5" and blushes every time he hears the hot guy speak at the coffee shop he's working at!"
Heckin' own your sexuality as a woman! The world needs it.

[JRHoch]

I remember having a conversation with a lesbian about why some lesbians watch gay porn and she said it's more physical than straight or lesbian porn and she gets to fantasize. Gay men never watch lesbian porn--though some do love many lesbian-themed comics and movies for the character development.

[AmazementComics]

because LGBT representation is becoming more mainstream. Tapastic just so happens to be one of those media outlets that promotes it more often than others. Some of the comics are written by women, but some i'm almost certain are written by gay men. The influx of said BL/Yaoi stories in general is unbelievable in my opinion.

[Zyephen]

It's because it appeals to female audiences in a way that most western media does not. Romance and sex between 2 guys, allows women to fantasize and objectify men, wherein, most media(especially western media) does not allow women to express this. Women are sexualized and objectified in practically everything in the west, from commercials, to comics, to movies, games, and tv. But rarely are men portrayed like this to women, and if they are, its to a much lesser degree, as it is just not really as acceptable in western culture. BL just sort of allows women to embrace their sexuality in a safe and fulfilling way.... at least that what I think.

[Eightfish]

Adding on to what everyone else is saying, I think BL stories also have the inherent drama of being "forbidden romance." When done well, coming out or persecution stories can be very powerful. And even when not, they're an easy way to add emotion to a story.

[Maps]

I sort of thought that too about the forbidden love thing. And like a femininity and masculinity thing. It's never been taboo for girls to hug, hold hands, and touch one another (and I mean this mainly platonically), but it's always been a taboo for men to do that the way women can (in Western culture anyway). I think people enjoy reading stories where that barrier is being torn down.
That said, I'd love to see GL get it's own category.

[joannekwan]

Except gay porn is far from most mainstream BL, with otters and bears with body hair that'll scare off many fujoshi. xD

[indagold]

It's cause girls don't like seeing other girls doing the dirty, makes them squicked out. Same with dudes into lesbo porn. It's not rocket science. Fujo girls probably read comics more then men too so there's a surplus.

[Eightfish]

They're probably also turned off by the horrid acting by women in porn. I feel like it's harder to tell when someone is faking when they're the opposite gender.

[indagold]

If they were they wouldn't be reading yaoi in the first place lol

[Maryedraws]

Thank you for your thoughtful response. It's interesting that you brought up how the media might be influencing people to have less desire to write good female characters. I suppose Tapas is mostly new creators finding their feet, so perhaps instead of challenging the way women are written, they feel more comfortable being influenced by their favourite male characters and writing characters like them.

I also hope to see more genuine queer stories being told, rather than the fetishisation of gay men.

[JRHoch]

True. But there is a lot of emo, eruo and twink porn that would fit the bill.

[Maryedraws]

Yes! supply and demand. I think a lot of the BL isn't written or aimed towards queer people though, and is consumed by mainly straight women. It'd be nice to see a broader range of queer stories by queer creators.

[Maryedraws]

This makes total sense. Thank your for your response. I hope that eventually it's easier for woman to explore their desires and sexuality in their art rather than creating a male character to stand in for them.