I agree with yo bro on everything he said. Although I'd like to add that there are some BL that have significance as it blends realistic hardships and struggles that gay people face in their daily lives that can shine some light on the discrimination towards them.
I was watching a show about LGBT communities around the world and they did an episode on Japan.
I found it super interesting because they were talking about the bl/fuji community and even talked to some fuji's. They did this whole interview with them and they just got silent and awkward when talking about gay people in real life. They said that they find it 'weird' that people wanted to marry someone of the same sex. Yet they didn't find it strange to be reading bl. There is this wall for some people between bl and the lgbtq+ community. I know that a lot of people get married secretly in Japan. I just hope that it won't take too long for gay marriage to be legalized there.
It will be an unpopular opinion, but have little patience for the people who promote the "uke" and "seme" stereotypes, because they do, like it or not, represent wider issues of homophobia in Asia. So one one hand, yes it's positive that LGBT stories and characters are being represented to some extent in Japan, China and S.K, but when the major representation is promoting these homophobic tropes and unrealistic plots, combined with societal prejudice and not being able to have the same rights as enjoyed elsewhere, like being able to adopt children or get married, the context of this genre at times isn't exactly always positive. There is also the issue with the objectification of people who are gay, and an another odd thing is when people either treat adult men like they are children, or give them female pronouns which comes off as a bit demeaning.
Basically, it means they are fine with LGBT people being used as entertainment, and stereotyped, but are against or uncomfortable with LGBT people having equal rights in law, and no longer being treated as this novelty or something to mock. Yet any criticism of the whole "fujoshi" thing gets shot down here.
I don't think BL is the only harmful thing, not it is the biggest. The representation of LGBT+ in Japan and in manga (in general) is not great and are most shown as comic relief in TV and series. Gengoroh Tagame have publish a manga about gay issues "My brother's husband" in a seinen magazine and it's actually a great step, but it's not sufficent. There is not enough space to talk about those things.
There's this book (you can find it on myreadingmanga) called Gay erotic manga and the men who make it. It was really interesting to read all the interviews.
I'm sure Japan will eventually make gay marriage legal.. the only problem is that it is not widely accepted. Either they despise it to the full extent, or they simply don't understand why one can fall for the same sex.
As for BL.. well, I guess, in the way I see it, based on the people on this site, will make them feel some sort of "pity" or sorrow for their hardships, while at the same they don't actually understand the LGBT+ community, seeing as BL does not accurately display the relationship between men well.
It'll create some sort of false understanding of gay relationships, if they read a lot of it they might start thinking they completely understand the LGBT+ (when really they just find it hot or whatever).
Like some people on this site have mentioned, fetishization is quite common, whether you believe that or not. Same with GL.
The matter and process in itself is quite complicated. It COULD be done with the help of BL & GL but not in the right manner/mindset.
definitely agree w/ what you've said but i also do understand that whilst many people enjoy bl (fujis) they may view at as purely fictional and have more restrictive views on the issue in real life (as rae air pointed out before) so yeah ur def right that it's gonna take lots of time before the lgbtq+ community will get full rights (asia) on things like marriage and kids and stuff
I dont see how people can read bl/yaoi and at the same time be off put by the lgbt community in real life. Like are you for real??
( The same thing can be said for reading about murder or something similar in media but there is a distinct line between that and this.)
Just something I thought about. Debate welcomed, I personally believe that while gay marriage is in the works it will take a LONG time, due to other problems Japan must fix first. It will be a big societal and political jump that I'm sure the government doesn't believe it's citizens can handle. There is a small minority of LGBT people in Japan, and their issues are being put on a backburner for a much later date. Now, how BL works into this? Tbh I feel like it has no real significance, as it is just a woman's fantasy. But any dumbass that doesn't know that, and takes BL into truth thinking that guys rape each other and fall in love every 3 seconds.....now there's the problem. Share your opinions!!