The World of Yaoi: The Internet, Censorship and the Global ‘Boys‘ Love’ Fandom

Abstract

As Arjun Appadurai has noted, the ease of information sharing enabled by the development of new media, most prominently the internet, has resulted in the proliferation of 'communities of imagination and interest' among people who are otherwise geographically 'diasporic'. 1 Mathews, too, notes that individuals are now able to choose 'information and identities from the global supermarket' on a scale not seen before. 2 One result has been a proliferation of subcultures and an increase in diversity, what Giddens refers to as 'lifestyle sectors'. 3 Many of these communities are now truly global and involve participation from people of diverse backgrounds from many parts of the globe. However, alongside the creative and enabling effects of increased interpersonal and inter-cultural communication, there is also a dark side-an increase in criminal and harmful activity conducted online.

Counterpublic but obedient: a case of Taiwan’s BL fandom

“…With regard to fu-ling, among 24 users who answered the questions "when did you start to participate in BL practices" and "how long have you been participating in BL practices," 20 users started before the age of 18 and seven users started when they were still in primary school. The result corresponds to the general image that the majority of BL fans are young women and girls (Chang H.-M. 2006;McLelland 2000McLelland , 2005McLelland and Yoo 2007;Mizoguchi 2008;Lunsing 2006;Pagliassotti 2008). Although, from the contents of the debate, it seems that BL board users were mainly heterosexual young women, I would not wish to make such a claim without any evidence.…”

“…Indeed, many women who consume BL texts do so because they are dissatisfied with mainstream heterosexual love stories (Azuma 2010;Chang Y.-H. 2007;Kee 2008;Liu 2014;Martin 2012;McLelland 2005;Welker 2006;Wood 2006). However, we should not jump to the conclusion and equate their fondness for BL practices and texts with a motivated rebellion against patriarchal society.…”

“…Mark McLelland (2005) is another pioneer to apply Warner's concept of the counterpublic to analyze slash fandom (a form of male-male erotic narratives found mostly in Western societies and in textual format). The main characteristic of slash fans, as summarized by McLelland (2005, 71), is "active, enthusiastic, partisan, participatory engagement with the text."…”

Boys' Love anime and queer desires in convergence culture: transnational fandom, censorship and resistance

“…Recent legal developments and censorship efforts in Japan (McLelland 2011), Australia (McLelland 2005;Eiland 2009), China (Liu 2009), Canada (Eiland 2009;Stiffler 2010;Romano 2012;R v. Matheson) and the USA (Eiland 2009;U.S. v. Handley), to name but a few, demonstrate growing barriers and real risks for fans who continue to circulate and share Boys' Love media in queer resistance to such hostile regimes.…”

Sociological Perspectives on Japanese Manga in America

“…Mark McLelland (, ) was the first to provide qualitative and richly descriptive accounts of the creative and queer practices of English‐speaking yaoi fans. Accounts following a similar pattern with specific focus on Americans by Andrea Wood (), Dru Pagliassotti (), and Aleardo Zanghellini () soon followed.…”