FOR THE LOVE OF BL
Reviews & Recs

Greetings! I'm Sy, a queer poc woman proudly embracing the world of BL as a certified Fujoshi. My journey into this captivating realm began when I tumbled down the rabbit hole of romance manga and anime, stumbling upon the seemingly simple yet intricately woven storylines of BL. My fascination led me to wonder about the authors, the predominantly female demographic, and the overall allure of BL, especially considering my background in media studies.

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Reading romance manga as well as watching romance anime at a time of my life when I experienced great loss and I just needed happy endings. However, my journey into romance manga and anime revealed certain aspects that began to irk me. While I appreciate a slow burn in a school setting, the prolonged romantic pursuits in adult relationships started testing my patience. The added layer of complexity in BL, where homosexuality is often portrayed as a forbidden love due to societal norms, provides a unique perspective and a serious set of challenges. Issues like being a virgin at 30, fear of dating a best friend with a history of dating women, or reluctance to express affection due to societal judgment add depth to the slow burn.

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More than from an analytical sense on a personal level I find the stories to be and thralling compelling and beautiful. Being in queer spaces - I have seen many of these stories play out in my life with some of the people I hold most dear. I have held back from falling in love with a woman because I was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle a life that would be "abnormal" to what she grew up seeing. In that too - the risk of me getting hurt felt too great, another theme I resonate with when reading BL. If you're thinking, why not GL/Yuri - stay tuned. 

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TLDR: 

 

I will always acknowledge and explore some consistent issues within the BL genre (posts to come). Real-life challenges faced by queer individuals, particularly in Japan where many BL stories unfold, are often used as plot elements. The lack of full recognition of gay marriage and the difficulty in starting a family for queer couples are harsh realities. Additionally, the presence of harmful tropes like possession and sexual assault is a concern. Just a note: I will never post content that glorifies these tropes - and will always include trigger warnings. 

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However, as a student of media, all content to me are artifacts that reflect society and I recognize the potential of BL shaping societal perspectives and influencing policies for queer individuals. Additionally, beyond its focus on same-sex relationships, BL delves into desire and challenges societal norms, resonating strongly with a female audience. Women can identify with wanting and desiring things society discourages or deems taboo, making BL a powerful vehicle for exploring these themes.

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OK enough of being brainy - I will definitely be posting my analytical thoughts as well as my reviews HOWEVER I will separate these out because I know a number of you are just here for the reviews! I just wanted to give you this introduction to understand my perspective thus far and have and how that perspective informs my reviews moving forward. There are some really amazing stories that I can’t wait to share with you or at least share my thoughts with you I also welcome anyone to share thoughts as well I Love talking about this topic, and I hope you enjoy!