As a long time BL fan, I can tell you that for most of the fans of BL shows, they simply watch BL to fetishise queer relationships. It was never about representation of the LGBT+ community for them - it was all about seeing ‘hot, attractive men’ engage in sexual activities + https://twitter.com/davidarcdelf/status/1300273714844622848

Unfortunately, that’s why GB isn’t so popular. I’m glad we can confidently say our fandom doesn’t have anyone who fetishises queers, because we’re all intellects, but it’s not true for many other fandoms like 2g. That’s why rampant toxic tropes exist, and TTTS crazy stans.

For them it’s about seeing their fantasy play out. They don’t care if the queers are engaging in borderline non-con, they don’t care if we’re depicted unhealthily. That’s why people refuse to appreciate GB - because they completely reject this by blurring the lines between +

queer content and BL shows. For GB, the genre BL doesn’t sit quite right because it is an accurate depiction of a healthy queer relationship - wherein struggles of being in the community are acknowledge but the relationships are depicted in the same way het relationships are.

Thing is, most BL shows are high budget yet poorly executed and have no plot. However, they get away with it and blow up by hiring visually appealing men and putting them into situations where the fans feel their fantasy is being played out onscreen. It’s sick but the reality.

You know what would be fun? Discussing this topic in depth with GB fans and exploring the toxic tropes in common BL. Ah, I love analysing all these things and examining the history of BL and it’s influences. Would write an article, tbh