Mainstreaming queerness in Thai boys’ love narratives: Impact on gay identity perceptions in Bangkok’s society

IF 2.1 3区社会学 Q2 SOCIOLOGY

Sexualities Pub Date : 2024-07-30 DOI:10.1177/13634607241263194

Ekathep Michaels, Eakachat Joneurairatana, Veerawat Sirivesmas

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The intricate interplay between media representation and experiences of minority groups in Southeast Asia necessitates a comprehensive analysis of popular culture’s impact on marginalized communities. This mixed-method study investigates the portrayal of homosexual male characters in contemporary Thai Boy’s Love (BL) series and its connection to the authentic experiences of gay men in Bangkok. Through interviews with the casting team and producers of a prominent BL series, the research aims to elucidate the creative process underpinning these portrayals. The study further examines the perceptions and identity development of gay men as depicted in BL narratives, and how heterosexual women viewers interpret this representation. A questionnaire involving 330 participants of diverse orientations indicates that 78.6% of gay men consider BL narratives to be misrepresentative, while 69% of heterosexual women perceive them as accurate, raising concerns about the influence of media representations on identity formation within the gay community. Moreover, the marked disparities in beliefs regarding whether gay individuals aspire to the appearance portrayed by BL characters (with 98.3% of heterosexuals, 60% of bisexuals, and 100% of lesbians concurring, in contrast to 71.8% of gay respondents dissenting) emphasize the significance of diverse and accurate representation in shaping identities and self-perception.

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泰国男孩爱情叙事中的同性恋主流化：对曼谷社会同性恋身份观念的影响

在东南亚，媒体的表现形式与少数群体的经历之间存在着错综复杂的相互作用，因此有必要对流行文化对边缘化群体的影响进行全面分析。本混合方法研究调查了当代泰国《男儿本色》（BL）系列中对同性恋男性角色的描绘及其与曼谷男同性恋真实经历之间的联系。通过对一部著名的《BL》系列剧的选角团队和制片人进行访谈，本研究旨在阐明这些描绘所依据的创作过程。研究进一步探讨了《基本法》叙事中描述的男同性恋者的看法和身份发展，以及异性恋女性观众如何解读这种表现形式。一份有 330 名不同倾向的参与者参与的调查问卷显示，78.6% 的男同性恋者认为《基本法》叙事歪曲事实，而 69% 的异性恋女性则认为《基本法》叙事准确无误，这引起了人们对媒体表述对同性恋群体身份形成的影响的关注。此外，对于同性恋者是否向往基本法人物所描绘的外表，他们的看法存在明显差异（98.3%的异性恋者、60%的双性恋者和 100%的女同性恋者表示赞同，而 71.8%的同性恋受访者表示反对），这突出表明了多样化和准确的表述对于塑造身份和自我认知的重要意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Sexualities SOCIOLOGY-

CiteScore

4.20

自引率

6.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Consistently one of the world"s leading journals in the exploration of human sexualities within a truly interdisciplinary context, Sexualities publishes peer-reviewed, scholarly articles that exemplify the very best of current research. It is published six times a year and aims to present cutting-edge debate and review for an international readership of scholars, lecturers, postgraduate students and advanced undergraduates. Sexualities publishes work of an analytic and ethnographic nature which describes, analyses, theorizes and provides a critique on the changing nature of the social organization of human sexual experience in the late modern world.