documenting the BL fan experience
I was maybe 12 and was beginning to question my identity (sexuality and gender), and it was the first time I related to something and felt like I “belonged”, like something clicked and I realized I was different. Since BL is “common” in Japan I…
Gei comi is a bit heavier and with more sex than BL, less bishounen, but I like it. It feels too real sometimes. I don’t always want to relate to stuff, sometimes I just want to vibe. — 23, He/Him, Japan
I’m a bi man, and I use Fudanshi. People like to use my mlm identity in discourse, as long as I agree with them (otherwise I don’t count). I like m|m representation in BL, it’s fictional, it’s for fun! It doesn’t need to be 1:1 with my experiences.
— 23, He/Him, Japan
I think piracy has a part in making BL popular outside of Japan, but I prefer when people support the official manga. — 23, He/Him, Japan
