The Boys Love genre is now a massive entertainment industry mostly happening in Asia (mostly tv and internet series).

I don't watch this stuff myself as the target audience (which is very surprising to many) is WOMEN, not gay men.

Keep in mind this is a very commercial FORMULA kind of genre that is completely different than shows and movies made to attract a LGBTQ audience.

The basic formula, somewhat bizarrely, is that two STRAIGHT boys fall for each other.

I'm sure there are better and worse examples of this genre but the sheer volume of the production of BL series is remarkable. Again, makes sense. Gay men are a small minority. Women are often the majority.

I opened this discussion for entertainment and discussion purposes.

Some background:

www.kbizoom.com/why-women-like-boylove/

Why Do So Many Women Enjoy Boylove Stories? - KbizoOm

Boylove (BL), also known as Boys’ Love or yaoi in Japanese, is a genre that focuses on romantic relationships between male characters. Interestingly, despite its male-centric narrative, the majority of both the creators and consumers of this genre are heterosexual women.

Originating in Japan in the 1970s, BL has since expanded across Asia including China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia and evolved into a massive entertainment industry. Today, it encompasses a wide range of formats: manga, novels, films, dramas, fan fiction, and merchandise.

Escaping Gender Norms and Exploring Desire

One central question continues to intrigue cultural analysts and psychologists alike: Why do women love watching men fall in love with each other?

Several studies suggest that boylove offers a gender-neutral emotional space that allows women to explore sexuality and emotional intensity without being confined by traditional roles. In an article published by Savvy Tokyo in 2022, BL was described as an imaginative space where women could detach from the heteronormative expectations often placed on them in real life. When women are not participants in the romantic narrative, they are free to appreciate the story without internalizing roles of submission or dependence.

The term chosen for this kind of relationship could be misinterpreted..... Why not ML?

Just now, simon43 said:

The term chosen for this kind of relationship could be misinterpreted..... Why not ML?

I get what you're saying.

But it is not about male love.

That could be any age.

It's specifically about straight boys romantically loving other straight boys.

I don't see how you leave boys out of a genre like that unless you're censoring yourself.

Perhaps as it started and became a huge industry in Asia the naming developed as it did.

There is a lot of strange to westerners stuff in Asia. Especially Japan,

I recall hearing about a huge genre of comic books in Japan which is basically male gay porn but primarily for a female audience.

My 15 year old granddaughter is a huge fan of this genre.

It's worth pointing out that the Boys Love genre is most definitely not explicit or pornographic.

Rather, it's romantic. Same type of concept as soap operas or Latin American telenovelas.

As far as the attraction to women as a generality, they're interested in the emotional and romantic, appreciate the visuals of cute boys, and with this genre you get two. Compare to how much straight men like lesbian porn.

I didn't know before but wondered if this genre was catching on outside of Asia.

A quick look says no. So it's definitely an Asian things.

Thailand appears to be leading country.

Another surprise for me.

While the USA is not a producer of BL series, apparently it's the LEADING audience for it!

www.dearstraightpeople.com/2024/04/18/usa-bl-dramas-gagaoolala/

USA Leads Global Audience for BL Dramas: GagaOOLala and TV Tokyo Forge Historic Partnership – Dear Straight People

USA Leads Global Audience for BL Dramas: GagaOOLala and TV Tokyo Forge Historic Partnership

Boys Love dramas are on the brink of conquering global audiences, with the United States leading the charge.

"One central question continues to intrigue cultural analysts and psychologists alike: Why do women love watching men fall in love with each other?"

Maybe the simple answer is the same as 'Why do men love watching lesbians'?

47 minutes ago, saakura said:

"One central question continues to intrigue cultural analysts and psychologists alike: Why do women love watching men fall in love with each other?"

Maybe the simple answer is the same as 'Why do men love watching lesbians'?

Yeah I mentioned that before.

But here's the big diff.

Straight men love to watch lesbian porn.

BL genre is most certainly not porn. It's romantic love stories as opposed to sex stuff.