SIGNATURE WORK
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2022

This essay deals with the contradiction between the commercial success of BL cultural products in China and the state’s political restrictions on queer communities. Previous studies have mainly discussed the two separately. Some discuss the development process of BL culture in China. Under the influence of the Internet and globalization, the Japanese BL subculture has been introduced into China and developed into its own characteristics. Some studies explore the cultural environment in which this new cultural phenomenon exists from the theoretical perspective of cultural identity. It also extends to analyze the expression and practice of young women’s (BL culture’s main creators and followers) own discourse. Other previous studies have looked at the Chinese LGBT community. For example, the historic studies; college students’ attitudes and acceptance of sexual minorities; studies that focus on “marriage of convenience”. My research fills in the gaps in these studies, mainly by connecting the two. It shows the paradoxical relationship between cultural prosperity and political limitations. This paper analyzes the possibility of the existence of BL culture and queer community in China from another perspective. I mainly use the method of argument in my research. I selected the most representative commercial work Word of Honor for analysis. Its achievements are selected as evidence to prove that BL culture has achieved great gains and achievements in the economy. Finally, I will demonstrate the contradictory reality of Chinese society. I chose recent social events related to homosexuality and the LGBTQ community in China to demonstrate the political contradictions. If the advancement of LGBTQ rights only stays in commercial activities and cannot be promoted to that of social acceptance and legal rights and other equalitarian measures, its progress will ultimately result in regression.