More than kilig: BL genre needs to develop further to address bigger LGBT issues
news.abs-cbn.comFeb 14 2021 04:03 PMMANILA — Due perhaps to the imposed lockdown measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the boys’ love (BL) genre enjoyed a boom in the Philippines last year.Several questions were raised such as its origins, if it falls under queer literature, and even its representation to the LGBT community.Tracing the roots of the booming genre, University of the Philippines Diliman pop culture professor Michael Andrada said BL stories were first written in Japan in the 1970s by women.
More commonly known as yaoi, it was meant to attract the female gaze and satisfy their longing for ideal male figures.“If you would really want to be strict doon sa term na boys’ love or yaoi, ano talaga ‘yan, love between two men na ang nag-create ay.
