top of page

Anti-fujoshi / Anti-BL / Anti-Yaoi groups

 

[[For a comprehensive background on Anti-fans and Antis in general see the Anti-Fan Archive]]

​

LINKS:

​

What a Fujoshi is:

  • Women who were viewed as "rotten" for freely indulging in sexuality and centering queer narratives amongst male characters; Fujoshi were seen as women ruining the sanctity of heterosexual men's interests (i.e., shipping characters from popular television shows dominated by cishet men (Shonen series) etc.) The term was eventually reclaimed and is now used by female fans of BL. Nowadays, “Fujoshi is probably better translated as ‘fermentation girl’ and the reason it was termed as such has more to do with the fact that…these women would ‘ferment’ and change the ‘product to be consumed’ (anime series), so that it would be unpalatable for the (cisgender heterosexual) male viewer” (Mizoguchi, 2022).

    • Can be thought of similarly to fans of Slash Fiction

    • Fujoshi were coined as such by men for their "rotten" interests, i.e. queer relationships.

    • It was the fact that women were interested in queer relationships and sexual topics that they were seen as abnormal and unfit for marriage by traditionalists.

    • "In a country where patriarchal family values persist, fujoshi are criticized for pursuing yaoi and are described as rotten because they are attracted to fantasies of sex that is not productive of children" (Galbraith, 2011)

    • "Kirsty Kawano notes that “....by labeling themselves “fujoshi,” BL fans prevent others from sticking a different label on them. With this subversive term, they voluntarily cut themselves off from the demands of the world of men, with “rotten” making it clear that they are no longer fit for male consumption” (Kawano). By establishing themselves as abject, they take away the authority from others to label them. Furthermore, through BL they are able to claim autonomy in a male-dominated society through their consumption and enjoyment of the genre." (Tatang)

    • "One of the earliest approaches taken by researchers was to focus on the idiosyncrasies and deviance of women who like male-male romance works, rather than to consider a connection with the participating fans' own sexuality. One is probably that although establishing themselves as deviant beings called fujoshi allows fans to craft an identity that sets them apart from others, it also affords outsiders a means of justifying their repression." (Suzuki, 2013)

    • Fujoshi and fudanshi are also singular and plural. Using the terms 'Fujoshis' or 'Fudanshis' is grammatically incorrect, and often how anti-fujoshi discuss these terms.

​

​Further Reading on Fujoshi:

​

Anti-Fujoshi in Anglophone fandom:

  • Often express misogynist, femmephobic and racist ideologies.

  • Demonize Asian fans and culture as impure and sexually predatory (most often Japanese and Chinese BL & Danmei fans)

  • Most likely first began as an anti-trans movement in social media spaces (see screenshots and links below).

  • Generally, believe BL/yaoi media to be bad for the LGBTQ+ community and overall either "bad representation" or not queer in the "right" ways.

  • Assume Fujoshi and BL/yaoi fans are all heterosexual cisgender women.

  • Likely due to anti-trans groups spreading the term "fetishizing" in relation to yaoi and fujoshi without the anti-trans context, LGBTQ+ Anglophones adopted their views, often unintentionally upholding transphobic and homophobic ideologies in the process.

​

"Are women fetishizing gay men?" is one of the most commonly debated questions in relation to BL media in Anglophone spheres, and while there has been abundant scholarly research and discussion on such controversial topics for decades in Japan, Anglo ('Western') fandom is still immersed in heated debate. So heated in fact that violent threats and claims of predation have been directed towards female and male fans of BL alike. Thus, queer Asian fans who use these native terms for their queer literature and fan culture are often treated as villainous degenerates who are purposefully harming the global queer community for using their own native language.

​

Additionally, it is not uncommon for anti-fujoshi Anlgo men who enjoy BL media to express distaste, disgust, or even violence towards women who interact with BL media. Those who feel this way largely believe only queer men may enjoy such texts and any women who do are fetishists. However, this becomes extremely ironic given that the majority of BL media such men largely try to keep women out of are pieces made by women authors; they will happily consume media made by women while expressing the belief that women are ruining said media.

 

Anti-Fujoshi in Asia:

  • Generally uphold traditionalist ideas of gender and sexuality.

  • Often anti-trans, misogynist and femmephobic at it's root (See Translated 'Hompig' 2015 (original Japanese page))

  • Fear that BL confuses women about proper gender roles and causes them to reject heterosexual ideology and develop "disorders" such as "female to male transsexualism." (further reading in: 2015- Boys Love Manga & Beyond - McLelland Chapter, & (2012) Nagaike (BL Resources page)

  • Gay men in Japan who value "hard" masculinity and dislike BL largely do so because it is media associated with women and effeminate men. They blame women's interests for supposedly softening masculinity in Japan with bishounen culture in the 90s and 2000s. They may also show open distaste for effeminate, androgynous, and "cute" idol men whom they believe are emasculated and act like women. (via 'Regimes of Desire'- Baudinette)

  • Read more here about gay Asian men's attitudes of BL and Geikomi

Examples of Anti-Fujoshi / Anti-BL behavior
(WARNING: triggering topics and language below)
(any visible usernames are from accounts that are now inactive)
IMGUR Archive of screenshots

antifujoshi


Anti-trans posts about BL, Yaoi, & Fiction vs. Reality
IMGUR Archive of screenshots

The Connection of Radfem, Gender Critical, & Anti-Trans circles to Anti-BL/Anti-Fujoshi Ideology

​

Radfem circles view BL & Yaoi media as a bad influence believing it "turns women trans" due to a large number of trans men and nonbinary AFAB fans. (See Image Gallery above)

​

The term they use for this most often is "fetishize" the same way they describe trans women. Janice Raymond is known for publishing one of the most infamously transphobic modern American texts in the 1970s. It laid the foundation for exclusionist rhetoric that is still used to this day, in which she argued:

 

“the phenomenon of transsexuality was created by fetishistic males who [seek] to escape into a faux stereotypical femininity."

​

"All transsexuals rape women’s bodies by reducing the real female form to an artifact, appropriating this body for themselves. However, the transsexually constructed lesbian-feminist violates women’s sexuality and spirit, as well. Rape, although it is usually done by force, can also be accomplished by deception."

​

The above sentiment is the same expressed towards AFAB BL fans.

In 1989 Ray Blanchard in 'THE JOURNAL OF NERVOUS AND MENTAL DISEASE' published:

​

"there are only two fundamentally different types of gender identity disturbance in males: homosexual (aroused by men) and autogynephilic (aroused by the idea of being women). Autogynephilia, according to this hypothesis, may be manifested in a variety of ways, fetishistic cross-dressing being the most striking. The Cross-Gender Fetishism Scale (Blanchard, 1985a, 1988a) is a measure (for males) of the erotic arousal value of putting on women's clothes, perfume, and make-up, and shaving the legs."

 

In the present day, all of the above points are made against trans men.

 

Anti-Trans Dogwhistles:

 

An important part of being an ally is being aware of groups that express harm towards LGBTQIA+ people. Aside from being vocal, the key way these groups operate is by being covert. Because they know their beliefs aren't widely accepted, they attempt to (for lack of a better word) convert people to how they see gender and sexuality. They often use very emotional and fear-driven language to get emotional upheaval out of the people they want to sway.

 

One of these groups is 'Gender Critical's, another common one is 'Radfem's (short for Radical Feminists)

 

Common Topics Anti-trans groups may Discuss or frame in a certain way without being obvious:

  • Going 'Crypto' (Hidden) or CryptoTERFing (TERF - acronym for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist): is a self-coined phrase by members of these groups who code their language. Below are some quotes from such members:

      • "here it means someone who's secretly gender critical or a radfem, and isn't out or open about it."

      • "I am very quiet. I like to drop little bombs every once in a while to hopefully get them to start digging on their own... The key is to simply state things as fact and show zero emotion."

      • "Excellent strategy. I also find slowing down when I speak helps this"

    (Mentions of 'Peaking,' is whatever incident it took for a person to become anti-Trans (or for converting others).):

      • "Last night was amazing. Small Oscar party... A psychologist who is working with her first teen who is "transitioning" ... I told her everything: Big pharma push, Transmaxxing, grooming, and so on... She was HORRIFIED. It was the most instantaneous and strongest "peak" I have ever seen."


        "Only share basics of radfem theory that have nothing to do with trans people. If you can avoid sharing ANYTHING with the word trans in it, even better. And honestly? Also be careful with posts that criticize gender"
         

  • LGBTQ+ people are referred to as predatory, especially with the term 'grooming' or 'groomer'

  • Often referring to women as 'females' in regular conversation. 'Adult Human Female' is an anti-trans dogwhistle.

  • Fears of (trans) children mutilating their bodies 

  • LGBTQ+ mentors are framed as brainwashers and 'groomers' of children

  • An overall anti-sex view that frames fictional media as a bad influence & criminal; Express ideas that LGBTQ+ media will somehow turn children gay, etc.

  • Any mention of 'Fetish': Anti-trans groups believe Trans identity to be a mental illness and fetish. Their "official" terms are 'autogynephilia' (AGP) and 'autoandrophilia' (AAP). They will claim trans people 'fetishize' the bodies of women and men.

  • No Kink at Pride: This is once again a talking point used by trying to make gay men appear to be child groomers. Fear of children being exposed to sexuality is the center point, despite PRIDE riots being pioneered by sexual minorities (and workers) since stonewall.

  • Homophobic Straight Women: A term used by cisgender gay men who are against trans-men. They see trans men as infiltrators of their spaces who are trying to "trick" gay men into being in relationships with them.

  • TRA (Trans Rights Activists): Negative connotation and not a term used by actual trans activists

 

Common Language used in these groups that is broadly offensive:

  • Their term for trans men: TiF (Trans Identified Female)

  • Their term for trans women: TiM (Trans Identified Male)

  • LGB (Drop the T): An alliance of Largely Gay men and Lesbian women who reject and exclude identities outside of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual (although bisexuals are not largely supported by them either)

  • Clocking: The idea of being able to tell who is trans and who is not by physical appearance and behavior.

  • Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD): not an accepted clinical term "coined in 2016 to describe an alleged epidemic of youth coming out as trans 'out of the blue' due to social contagion and mental illness."

 

​

 

Relevant Articles & Books Discussing Anti-Trans History

These sources are provided for readers to have History and Context on what this section is discussing

​

  • "Inside a Cult - Gender Critical (Part One - Recruitment)" (2022)

    • Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwI6py78gsI

      • This video covers how Gender Critical ideology infiltrates online spaces and affects people. In watching this video there can be many parallels observed in the way Anti-shippers and Anti-Fujoshi behave and reason their beliefs, which (from the below screenshots and webpage links) already are shown to have clear ties to GC members & ideology. [Video Timestamps are available in the video's description.]

​​

  • ""Gender Critical" is Not Feminist & Here's Why" (2022)

    • Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-9pxzyunSM&t=516s

      • "Let's have a look at the history of White Feminism, all the way from the fight for women's suffrage, the women's liberation movements of the 60s, up until the present day & the current attacks on women's rights by the Christian Conservative & Far Right; how might the exclusionary tendencies of white feminists mirror the current push against trans rights by so-called "gender criticals"? And why do they keep falling into misogynistic, biological essentialist, sexist dichotomies in order to exclude trans women from their feminism?"

  • "The Anti-Trans Disinformation Pipeline" (2022)

    • Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cya2IyZmZOQ

      • "Looking at how The Daily Wire, Matt Walsh, Fox News, Blaire White and others create and generate disinformation campaigns and vilify transgender people as whole." Also covers the connection of Gender Critical and anti-trans groups' connections to white supremacists.

  • "Trauma as Terror; The Cult of ‘Radical’ Feminism" (2020)

    • https://web.archive.org/web/20220308105023/https://www.transiness.com/post/trauma-as-terror-the-cult-of-radical-feminism

    • "I’ve spent the last few months processing my time in the ‘radfem’ movement, or as intersectional and actually radical feminists call them, SWERFs and TERFs. My experience was mostly with the prostitution abolitionist side of the movement, but reading Amy Dyess’ story in Pink News today about her experience with the TERF cult, it hit home to me how similar my own experience was, and how insidious the tactics of these people really are. The gaslighting, the suppression of dissent, the skewed, separatist view of the world and the insistence that it is the One Right View are all hallmarks of an ideological cult. The most damaging aspect, for me, was the weaponising of trauma."

​

The Strategies of ​CryptoTERFs:

​

​

 

ANTI-TRANS PAGES THAT DISCUSS FUJOSHI, BL, AND YAOI

​

AVAILABLE ONLINE

Articles relating to the Live Journal Morality Purge of 2007

  1. McCullagh, Declan, (2007). "Mass Deletion Sparks LiveJournal Revolt" ZD NET.

  2. Wilson, Mellisa (2007). "Six Apart Deletes 500 LiveJournals, Many Fannish"

  3. Dogemperor, "WfI, dominionism, and "Christian Patriot" militias" (2007).

bottom of page