I think that part of the reason Yaoi is so appealing to women is because women can really identify straight up with any one of the characters. The readers don't have to identify with the "girl" in the comic because there simply isn't a girl. Thus, readers aren't relegated to the "traditional roles". The reader becomes an equal partner in the imagined relationship because male/male relationships are simply more egalitarian--free of the baggage of oppression and subjugation of the more traditional male/female relationship.(God I sound smart right now.)Also, readers can switch who they identify with freely because they are not bound to the "chick" in the comic only to what is actually going on (which is usually silly and unrealistic but oh so hot hot hot
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I think we just turned this into our own mini-conference.
BTW was looking through old comics...particularly Vertigo's Enigma, there are some very similar boy/boy situations there. It is the first comic I ever collected. YES, I am a geek. I do think you have a point with the dark/brooding thing. I'm not fly on the fragile girls.
I still think that the leaving out of any actual sex..."the cone of light??" is a bit problematic, although I guess the appeal of yaoi isn't one of actual, real, physical sex, but an idealized partnership of equals (although at least in gravitiation our little pink bunny boy is female identifying himself through cross dressing), spiritual sex ??
Re: Smart bunnyerraticrabbitApril 16 2005, 12:41:41 UTC
We need to teach a boy's love class, girl style!!!
Now--not all yaoi leaves out the sex. Some of it is really "hard core" but, and unfortunately, we probably won't see that shit translated--unless, of course, we learn Japanese.
I think that you need to come to the Comicon in August. I am going to try to not leave for Japan until after the thing. Monica Friedman will be there!!!
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BTW was looking through old comics...particularly Vertigo's Enigma, there are some very similar boy/boy situations there. It is the first comic I ever collected. YES, I am a geek. I do think you have a point with the dark/brooding thing. I'm not fly on the fragile girls.
I still think that the leaving out of any actual sex..."the cone of light??" is a bit problematic, although I guess the appeal of yaoi isn't one of actual, real, physical sex, but an idealized partnership of equals (although at least in gravitiation our little pink bunny boy is female identifying himself through cross dressing), spiritual sex ??
All of this is thinky.
Reply
Now--not all yaoi leaves out the sex. Some of it is really "hard core" but, and unfortunately, we probably won't see that shit translated--unless, of course, we learn Japanese.
I think that you need to come to the Comicon in August. I am going to try to not leave for Japan until after the thing. Monica Friedman will be there!!!
Reply
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