New LGBTQ+ (there's almost no letters left) Genre!

[vothnthorvaldson]

I don't only read this subgenre, but that's certainly one that is of special interest to me, especially as I grew up before the Internet and with excessively little available content that would portray such subjects, let alone in a reasonably accurate way.

I don't find it easy at all to find it inside other genres tags, but not more not less than any other topics. I find the search is very bad in general. Actually, I started using Tapas only after discovering the forums. I knew the site well before, but I never managed to see how I could find the small percentage of stories than could interest me. I understand that may not the case for everyone, but in my case that's the main reason I'm happy with that new category. But it won't help with the other subjects that I'm interested in and can't find, hence my tendency to always bring up the imperfect search. If only the tags were working!

[FenneFox]

I mean, I'm perfectly fine with it, but I do have to admit it seems more like a subgenre than a main genre. Like for instance, I feel like it would usually be paired with things such as "LGBTQ+ Drama" or "LGBTQ+ Romance", with the second part of each being the main focus. However, also considering the audience for this site and how supportive they are of people who identify as such (or at least stories involving them), I'd say its inclusion does make sense (now if only they had a thriller genre, but I think the issue there is the audience is limited).

[DracoNako]

I’m pleased they branched out (wary it took this long) but until normal users get two-genre choices as well, I have to decide whether to put my new project in fantasy or in gl.... or if putting it in gl would piss people off because it’s such a slow burn. Hmmmm.

I’m excited to see what comes of it, though!

[Cavechan]

Getting rid of BL/GL categories makes no sense whatsoever. These categories are vastly different from the LGBT+ genre and have very distinctive styles. Looping them in together just doesn't work and as some say, then LGBTQ+ is just going to become flooded with BL comics.

As for the acronym thing, I'm all about retiring it because it's ridiculous and even with LGBTQIA and every letter of the alphabet, SOMEONE is going to feel excluded by it. I hope someday the GRSM (gender, romantic, sexual minorities) acronym catches on more because it is all inclusive.

[JRHoch]

As long as it isn't Gender, Romantic, Minority Sexuals because GRMS would be offensive.

[ratscout]

shrug I dunno, it just seems a little redundant to have BL and GL categories when LGBTQ already covers those. Just another reason to invent sub categories.

• LGBTQ
• Subgenre: BL

[skicoak]

What are your thoughts about the new category? I for one would like to also see a straight white male category too.

Lol! You're killing me!

I'm gonna go on a limb and suggest it DOES represent a minority of viewers on this site though. I think the last stat I saw had females slightly ahead of males in total viewship. You start breaking that down by race and sexuality, it's probable that it's maybe a 30 to 25% share of the site.

Wonder how we could reach that under-served demographic ?

[JRHoch]

I'm always looking out for you.

[TAMAnnoying]

See I don’t know if I can agree with this statement completely because- while I understand your reasoning as a fellow creator- as an audience member it wouldn’t go over very well

BL is 100% established to audience members that it’s gonna be hot boys doing hot things and maybe f***ing if your lucky (or go to the Patreon)

So removing BL and GL tags would be awful for us as creators and tapas as a hub for comics- as bl is established to be “romance but with two boys” By the populous. not only that but it’s made it’s way into being very popular and having a very large fan base- you also have multiple different BL stories within the genre itself just as the Superhero genre has really grown and aspired to be more then just by the number “get your power have adventures.” It would be honestly more far at this point for BL to be the genre and LGTB to be the sub genre in the sense of “gay boys doing gay shit but we also have transgender co stars”

At least in the eyes of most audience members-

[skicoak]

shrug I dunno, it just seems a little redundant to have BL and GL categories when LGBTQ already covers those. Just another reason to invent sub categories.

LGBTQ
Subgenre: BL

So removing BL and GL tags would be awful for us as creators and tapas as a hub for comics- as bl is established to be “romance but with two boys” By the populous. not only that but it’s made it’s way into being very popular and having a very large fan base- you also have multiple different BL stories within the genre itself just as the Superhero genre has really grown and aspired to be more then just by the number “get your power have adventures.” It would be honestly more far at this point for BL to be the genre and LGTB to be the sub genre in the sense of “gay boys doing gay shit but we also have transgender co stars”

This is where Tapas not having multiple genre tags has tramped all over anything logical.

It SHOULD be...

Romance
Sub genre: BL

[KRWright]

I think as well that this is a point where webcomics and novels are gonna diverge. I know loads of novelists who are putting their works on other platforms and not on Tapas because they didn’t want to use “BL” or because they didn’t see a place for them here. Every other major platform has an LGBTQ section and Tapas has BL because it’s an established webcomic genre but it really isn’t for novels.

Also... no one is forcing anyone to use any genres so like... if it makes a certain community happier what’s the problem?

[fnflgbtcomics]

This is really exciting to me, but it really makes me wish that us non-premium creators could have at least two categories. It would be extremely useful to us, who promote our content as LGBT+, but who have stories that focus on things other than that (but with LGBT+ mains that generally end in romance)

[unicornfield]

This is great news! I personally don't mind the BL or GL genre as well because it helps people who are specifically looking for gay romance. Keep in mind that not all LGBT+ comics are necessarily romance and not everyone who searches for LGBT+ comics wants to read romance. I hope they would add more genres in the future too, I've always wanted to see a psychological or thriller category.

[JRHoch]

I think the problem with so many genres is that the menu becomes too crowded. I think a genre/sub genre interface would be better. But that might be too much work for Tapas.

[skicoak]

But that might be too much work for Tapas.

Can I at least get an anthology category before they just throw in the towel?!?

[JRHoch]

No one reads anthologies. Not even the parents of people in the anthologies.

[skicoak]

No one reads anthologies. Not even the parents of people in the anthologies.

Hey!!! That's just because my Mom had her internet privileges revoked in prison!!

[therealbereth]

This is where Tapas not having multiple genre tags has tramped all over anything logical.

It SHOULD be...

Romance Sub genre: BL

Eeeeh, can't say I agree with that. BL does seem to have developed into its very own category. Sure, if I were to write specifically a romance btwn two men (not one intertwined with fantasy plot), I'd go for Romance -> BL, BUT I think since BL has its own tropes that deviate from "traditional" romance, it warrants a different genre altogether.

If anything, BL tropes are finding their way into "traditional" romances now. Rich CEO etc., these things were there in m/f romance (Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant been there lol), but not as a pronounced trope per se. So I think BL and GL deserve their own genre categories.

[skicoak]

BUT I think since BL has its own tropes that deviate from "traditional" romance, it warrants a different genre altogether.

Obviously, you're entitled to your own opinion, but if you're going to raise a debate for breaking the concept of genre classification...I'd like to see a stronger argument than it "has it's own tropes".

Genres are supposed to be the broad umbrellas in which we group things of similar subject matter. Sub genres composed the breadth of styles/forms that rest underneath.

In a world/system where steampunk, alien invasion, time travel and cyberpunk are still firmly filed under Science Fiction you're gonna have to make a hellava argument to explain how BL has escaped the gravitational pull of Romance.

I doubt even the paper pushers at Tapas believe that BL has reached a point it's so distinguishable artistically from Romance that it defied traditional categorization. They made a BUSINESS decision...and we're seeing the progression from that business decision.

[therealbereth]

I know what you mean, but I think that applies mostly to traditional publishing really. I'm not a big fan of its restrictions and many of its rules if I'm being honest. I know that, from an industry's standard, they make sense. But I'm also glad that we can define some things in the webspace how they apply to readers' interests—and tropes, for that matter. ^^