The mixed messages of BL

[Zugaikotsu]

I'm sure those iissues and tropes are also so strong because they sell well. People like edgy (toxic) romance in general. And in BL it seems more forgivable because well, "they are both men, so isnt abusive". Of course I dont agree with this but in these several years working in this field I've heard this many many times.

[domisotto]

The market for abusive FM romance is huge as well. At least the underage, rape and abandonment pregnancy stories are not as common in BL thanks goodness.

[Sadistic_Senpai]

Eh? Let me clear one thing:
Yaoi: mxm story/work which involve mature content
Shounen-ai: mxm, which doesn't have any explicit content.

Yaoi and shounen-ai, both are Japanese terms. BL term has vast usage/implications, it may contain explicit or non-explicit, Manhua, manhwa, manga, or dramas, etc, This term is used to refer to mxm work in general.

And I find some people here are really sensitive. It's just a work of fiction, let the author explore and transcends the level some of you guys find uncomfortable and toxic or whatever. I think you guys haven't read novels like flesh cartel, schadenfreude by 19, etc., that you're overreacting and being extra sensitive.

It's good to stop judging readers and authors who read and write/create fictions which are uncomfortable for you. Everyone has their own preferences and tastes.

[scribesunlimited]

Is there any kind of rule concerning BL comics that contain underage characters? Those aren't allowed, are they? I saw something the other day, I can't remember what it was though, that had the main characters in their early teens and it looked to be a romance story. I don't know if it was labeled mature or not. I THOUGHT it might have been.

[domisotto]

I don’t know about Tapas, but on Wattpad the age of consent is 17, so any explicit romance should be between characters 17+ no matter what gender the lovers are. I just follow this rule for everything romantic.

[scribesunlimited]

Well, they didn't seem 17 to me. This certainly seemed early teens. I suppose they could look young but not be.

The dream for us all.

[domisotto]

Oh, if the age is not stated, and it’s like anime, I would never even try to call it. They can be in their 40ies, for all I know. In anime age or gender is like in the eye of the beholder...

[scribesunlimited]

I wish I could remember what it was called. It was some kind of summer beach story. I just remember looking at the cover, thinking it was interesting, and then suddenly I see two kids hanging out under a tree. I understand age is in our eyes, but I would think a BL comic maybe should clarify ages, or create references for the characters to ease minds. shrugs

[joannekwan]

The only rule is against visual explicit/uncensored depictions of sex, underaged or not (of course if the characters were minors, that's a different problem altogether).

A BL story doesn't always involve sex. Romance doesn't always involve sex.

If it's just a non-explicit BL about some teens falling in love, it's not against any rules.

[scribesunlimited]

That's a good enough answer for me, thanks.

[WoollyPAR]

I mean, it's just a different kind of story. I'm fine if it's in a story, I just won't pick a story because it's BL. I personally don't think it needs to be its own genre tho, it's just romance but between two boys. I think of it as more of a tag for a story than a genre.

That's just me tho, I probably don't know what I'm talking about