#upon anyone because like. i've seen many people just approach translations (even those that are good) as this thing you can just

[talkingbl]

BL Elitists & Snobbery in Fandom

Disclaimer: My favorite BLs of all time err on the "mature" side, harassing actors is bad, fanservice can be bad, shipping can be toxic, and I too am critical of certain aspects of fandom. Nobody's perfect but let's all try to at least be nice and better than we were yesterday.

Since the premiere of KinnPorsche, there's been an uptick in elitism in the BL fandom. Fans of shows such as KinnPorsche, Bad Buddy, Semantic Error, and other BLs with "mature" themes, BLs produced in East Asia, and/or BLs which cast seasoned actors, increasingly bad-mouth fans of shows like Cutie Pie and others which either exist as pure fluff or take a more trope-y approach to BL storytelling. As a watcher of your ITSAYs and Tonhon Chonlatee's alike, it's a strange sight.

I was already burnt out by all the pandering straights who only enjoy the finest of Taiwanese and Korean BLs and scold the fan service-laden Thai BLs. But it has reached a new level that's, quite frankly, exhausting. It's like, we get it, you want to see the gritty realism of a gay relationship in modern East Asia, you want the glossy production and the seasoned actors in Japan--and the "no-nonsense anti-shipping/fan service" culture in Korean fandoms.... At least that's what you say. But all I see is a need to feel superior and a clear xenophobia that just goes unaddressed. Let's talk about this in parts.

1. Stanning a "mature" BL doesn't make you a better person. Also, saying you have superior taste for stanning ITSAY and Gameboys because "it's LGBT, not BL" is not helpful to anyone.

Let's start here. I will die on the hill that BL is part of LGBT media. I get that people traditionally associate the former with fantastical depictions of gay relationships but I posit this: if Twilight can be classified as a heterosexual romance, with all its blatantly unrealistic and even toxic elements, why can't Dark Blue Kiss or Fish Upon the Sky be LGBT romances? Why must all gay media be about the struggle of being gay? Why can't LGBT-identifying people have a break from the overwhelmingly rough reality we face? It's like saying POC should be limited to films about facing structural racism and borderline modern-day caste systems. As if we can't enjoy an escape from reality like Aladdin or Black Panther or whatever it is that allows us to have all the things western white people have in their media. For some of us, BLs and GLs, however unrealistic they can get, is a fantasy we enjoy. Let those who want it, have it.

2. Trashing Thai BLs just seems like xenophobia at best and color/racial superiority complexes at worst.

Honestly, when people brag about how "Korea is coming for the BL industry" and how superior Korean BLs are, despite how homophobic, boring, and straight up scarce many Korean BLs and BL actors are, it gives "Kpop rappers are better than American rappers" vibes. Like, I have seen people PRAISE Korean and Japanese live-action BLs as superior to anything out of Thailand (and claim ITSAY to be an exception--of course) when the reality of it is is that Thailand is just far more prolific and has been in the live-action game since day 1. Now, I'm not gonna lie, Korea has it's foot on the Yaoi manhwa genre's neck, but that hasn't translated very well into live-action. Moreover, when asked why they prefer Korean BLs overall, these stans can never give a rational answer. But common themes I've noticed include how attracted they are to the MCs, how ~realistic they are (AN: they're not, see: Color Rush, Cherry Blossoms After Winter, and other big names out of Korea), or just how they're "refreshing" as compared with Thai BLs because they're ~above fan service and things like that.

But increasingly, I'm finding that the biggest KBL stans are also kpop stans who just prefer the Korean idol look where everybody is limited to some variation of pale skin, small faces, and eurocentric features. And before anyone tries to come for me, just look at kpop idols, watch documentaries about the toxic single beauty standard and culture, or just talk to your Korean friends (like I do!) The beauty standard is highly specific and everyone must conform to it lest they be ostracized for being "too dark", "looking SEA" (which, why is this an insult?), or "looking poor/old". I'm not saying this to demonize anybody's type, but it feels strange (again, borderline xenophobic) when people who have definitely fetishized that standard reject excellent media on the basis of it. These same people seem to exclusively enjoy BLs from Northeast Asia and/or the white west and wouldn't even give Thai, Filipino, or Black LGBT stories a chance. Again, to each their own but it's the false sense of superiority for me.

As for criticizing the fan service culture, these same fans try to justify their clearly baseless attacks on non-East Asian/white media by saying that, for example, the Thai industry is toxic. But the reality is, Japanese and Korean media practically invented OTT gay fanservice between the straights. Just look at the way kpop and jpop idols are with each other. And while it isn't as OTT with BL actors as it is with the idols, that's likely largely because of how much of a niche BL is in those places compared to the pop idols. There's also something to be said for the fact that LGBTQ+ people, while definitely still discriminated against, are much more visible in places like Thailand. I may be going out on a limb here but I propose that if live-action BLs were as popular in Korea and Japan as they are in Thailand, we'd see a hell of a lot more OTT fan service. And with the recent success of Semantic Error, I can definitely see it happening. You already see it with Taiwanese BLs (MaxHao (however real or not real), anyone?)

3. Letting us know that you're ~not like the other girls, and "don't fetishize gay relationships" is not only blatantly false but also mischaracterizes a lot of the situation.

Now the elephant in the room are those who still enjoy Thai BLs but are so loud about preferring the 1000 Stars' and Bad Buddy's because "there's no seme-uke dynamic and I like that because it makes the characters more real" or "the actors are really good friends behind the scenes and I stan the friendship, not the possible romantic relationship" or, even worse, the "it's none of my business what the actors do outside of the show and I don't ship real people, so I'm better than everyone else who does because that shows my allyship and how I don't even see sexuality." It's giving ACAB, BLM, yet screaming over Black voices vibes.

Now, I never want to trash true allies and I totally agree that it's important not to blur fiction and reality and that we need at least some realistic depictions of gay relationships. But when the hets start going on and on about it whilst at the same time only enjoying BL like it's a dirty secret and assuming actors are straight (but criticizing any notion that an actor may not be), and going on about how everything is fan service so they're just ~above it all anyway...it gives overcompensating for what you know to probably be a fetish within yourself. It gives "I enjoy looking at two hot guys I wish I could fuck go at it and don't want to stop, so I'll pretend like I'm down for the cause, when in reality, I am very much just like the other girls" (girls used gender-neutrally here lol). I don't know, it just seems so fake to me.

And while I'm not saying I prefer delusional, toxic, shippers, there's something to be said for not pretending to be better when, in fact, you aren't. Why can't you consume BL the same way you consume straight romances (or even GLs)? Why does it have to be some activist political thing when you do it? Like, obviously don't fetishize MLM relationships but, speaking as a minority in many senses of the word, the way to normalize non-traditional relationships isn't to constantly make a big deal out of how you think they should operate in media when the reality is, as long as no one is being harmed, diverse representation is the easiest and best way to present any group of individuals. Like, not all Asians know martial arts and are super smart, not all Black people are artistically and athletically gifted, not all white people are wealthy and powerful. Likewise, not all LGBTQ+ people live the same lifestyle. Some are heteronormative. Some are femme in femme/femme relationships. Some have a lot of sex, some don't have sex at all. Why can't we show all these perspectives and allow people to like what they like, again, and I stress, as long as no one is being harmed?

Like, yes, we should definitely not encourage delusional waanjais who give Gulf porn art of him and Mew, but, there's a happy medium where we can do away with harmful representations and actions toward marginalized groups but also celebrate their diversity and people's love of their stories. I just don't see why elitists have to act like they're above everyone else when they are really all in the same boat.

That said, I will still (playfully, of course) roast anyone who actually enjoys boring ass Check Out, because that shit is just horrible lmao. But the difference here is roasting someone's taste in media vs. acting like you're doing the community a favor by uplifting strong masc/masc, non-heteronormative, non fs-driven relationships. Like what you like, roast what you want to roast, just don't be pretentious about it as if you're taking some sort of political stance on it.

I understand I too may fall victim to shaming certain behaviors, but the key is in noticing you're doing it and reeling yourself in. Life is about happy mediums, not extremes.

Anyway, that's just my take.

#thai bl boys love #korean bl japanese bl yaoi #kinnporsche bad buddy semantic error #cutie pie i told sunset about you tonhon chonlatee #check out 1000 stars itsay a tale of a thousand stars color rush cherry blossoms after winter dark blue kiss fish upon the sky