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knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp hNHLbh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT kaztNz"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX jCrIBQ bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU kibNxt bric__lk" href="/entertament"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd kSJIRM hRWzyk">BL Drama Stars Reflect on Pri, Queerns, and the State of LGBTQ+ Rights</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB faEicy ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ ePRlMp">“Everyone n be happy their own way, their own kd of love, so if they do not hurt anyone, let’s rpect each other as we are all the same — human begs.”</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iMWgyG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd bbbwVd fNvcOK eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/k-ci-williams">K-Ci Williams</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2022-06-24T09:45:50-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd ekhvDV dQlcNj">June 24, 2022</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP dDDxdb lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz bDeLJQ"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Collage of BL drama stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN eWQmYe"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GMMTV, GagaOOLala,  Rxandy Capp, TV Thunr</span></div></div></figure></div></div><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR oEIBz persistent-asi persistent-asi--align-left" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jNgrSF sticky-box ContentHearPersistentAsi-fsnAmQ dFzKzm"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--has-background ContentHearSocialIns-jzJiyg sDfbk social-ins--share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eSsnKa"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>When Atthaphan Phunsawat, nicknamed Gun, steps onto a night shoot for the Thai BL drama <em>Not Me</em>, he fds himself filmg a sequence set at a rally for marriage equaly. He’s surround by real life members of the Thai queer muny, and his hands grasp at the edg of a giant pri flag as the crowd ffl and rais high above their heads. He locks ey wh his -star, Off Jumpol Adulktiporn, who meets him unrneath the rabow. The rally epts to chants for equal marriage, and Off tak hold of Gun’s hand midair, sg. <a href=">Pri</a> be them.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>“At first, I uldn’t picture what the fished scene would be like,” Off tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>, “but I always tst Nuchy’s visn.” He’s talkg about Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana, a director wh over a of experience who is also one of the <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">few openly trans woman directors</a> the untry. Fans noticed that Nuchy’s shot lgered on a QR the rally sequence, which n be snned through the screen, and redirects to Thailand’s <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">marriage equaly petn</a>. “That the actors and actrs the scene were real LGBTQ+ members, wh a strong sire for their rights, together wh beg unrneath a real pri flag ed a para, spired me and my emotn,” Off adds.</p><p>“Every kd of love is equal no matter who you are,” Gun says. “Love between boy and boy, girl and girl, or anyone — I feel that everythg is betiful as seen om this scene.” It’s a scene that’s emblematic of a growg movement Boys’ Love storytellg across Asia, wing the spe to reflect what queerns looks like to queer people and creasg visibily of the LGBTQIA+ muny media. BL dramas have bee a source of enjoyment or pism for some, reprentatn for others, and potentially, a force for change.</p><h2>Reprentatn as a Catalyst for a Cultural Shift</h2><p>South Korean BLs rry the same immersive flare of K-dramas that center straight upl; shows like <em>To My Star</em>, which is currently airg s send season and promis to liver another helpg of the stellar qualy that earned self a place on our <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a> list. The untry’s output is on the rise. <em>Light on Me</em> actor Lee Saeon put like this to <em>Teen Vogue</em> last year: “Even though this kd of genre isn’t that mon Korea, right now we are makg BL dramas a ltle b more than before, so I thk ’s a good thg.” Saeon’s -star Kang Yooseok distilled the romantic storyle down to s bare bon: “I try to not thk of as ‘a boy and a boy’ love,” he explaed, “I was tryg to munite the fact that a person lov a person.”</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>What we’re seeg now is a surge K-pop idols takg on BL rol. OMEGA X members Jaehan and Yechan are set to lead the adaptatn of <em>A Shoulr to Cry On</em>, DKZ’s Jaechan was superlative <em>Semantic Error</em>, and A.C.E. lear Jun starred <em>Tted Wh You</em>. “I fely don’t thk [beg LGBTQ+] is somethg that is wrong bee we are all born differently,” Jun <a href=">shared wh <em>Teen Vogue</em></a> January. “I’ve always thought que simply about this topic — what is, is.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="jb1np"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Of urse, ’s rehg to receive support om idols like Jun, who was proud to reprent his queer fans the drama, but ’s not easy for an actor to play a gay role, acrdg to the openly gay K-pop idol, Holland. “A gay man playg a gay character is not special at all, but is unual Korea,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em> via email. The artist, who starred this year’s <em>Ocean Lik Me</em>, <a href=">was attacked and lled a “dirty gay” Itaewon</a> last month. “This is obvly a hate crime,” he <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tweeted</a> at the time. “The fact that my sexualy as gay is public should never expose myself to this kd of vlence.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="9lnhyb"></div></div><p>This abhorrent asslt further highlights a need for val policy chang and better protectns for queer people, and also remds of the necsy for thoughtful and nuanced reflectns of queerns onscreen, wh the ntext of Korea. “Homosexuals are naturally livg together our liv,” Holland says. “However, the keyword of ‘homosexualy’ is not easily alt wh Korean media. Sce the importance of media is very high socially and culturally, I hope that there will be more ntent that regniz and als wh diversy. It’s not wrong, ’s different.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>Max Nattapol Diloknawar and Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanchai are actors the Thai BL <em>Manner of Death</em> (<a href=">also a Bt BL pick</a>), and when their social media go all-out rabow for Pri month, ’s backed up by genue allyship. Max rells attendg an all boys school, where senrs bullied his iend for beg gay. “He jt wanted to have love wh [another boy],” Max tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “So he got bullied, he got damaged. I n’t stand for that.” Young Max stood up for his iend and was bullied himself. Today, he is still standg up for people like his old iend through his work.</p><p>Speakg on <em>Manner of Death</em>, Tul appreciat that his character is acknowledged the seri beyond his sexualy. “People shouldn’t feel bad, jt beg themselv,” he says. “They treat Dr. Bunn as Dr. Bunn, they don’t treat Dr. Bunn as gay, and that will reflect back to the outsi world.” Both actors share their distaste for directors who believe that queer characters mt be solely flamboyant and effemate, bee they know that there is no one sgle way to exist as a queer person. “There is a variety of sexual orientatns the world and we shouldn’t judge people jt by that, we should accept dividuals as they are,” Tul says.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Manner of Death stars sus and heels" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of TV Thunr</span></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="50n5mg"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Reprentatn matters, bee “people that relate to them, [that] have the same sexual orientatn, n feel seen,” Tul not. Fans n always return to <em>Manner of Death</em> bee has “a home their heart.” Nuanced queer stori are pennt on the productn team as well as actors, Tul says. “If they unrstand the muny, and they want to get some reflectns to the work, we will have very good BL out there.”</p><p>Allyship for Max and Tul means tg themselv about the state of queer affairs, both Thailand and abroad, and enuragg their dtry-mat to be a force for change. “Come out and talk about this,” Max says, “bee a lot of people, a lot of LGBTQIA+ [people] suffer about this everyday. Jt a ltle voice of n help them.”</p><p>That’s exactly what the stars of <em>I Told Sunset About You</em> did. Speakg wh <a href="><em>Refery29</em></a> last year, PP Kr, <a href=">whose fashn knows no bounds</a>, hop that the seri n be watched by anyone, sharg that the seri “n touch the viewers’ souls, bee n be siar to [their] experienc, may also [spire] someone’s openns to new experienc.” PP’s -star Billk also shared his thoughts wh the publitn: “I thk we should not differentiate love, whether is for whom, or wrong or right,” he said. “Everyone has their rights to love anyone or anythg. As long as they do not trouble anyone, or prive others’ rights, then is their right to be able to ntue dog what they do.”</p><p>Dr. Thomas Bdette, senr lecturer Japane Studi at Macquarie Universy, outl how we engage wh BL media the Wt: “The betiful thg about Boys’ Love is that actually provis an opportuny to not jt move beyond our Wtern lens,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “But actually challenge our Wtern lens to make realize that what we may thk of as natural or as mon sense, may not necsarily be natural or mon sense.” It’s val to acknowledge this lens when we nsume this ntent.</p><p>As the thor of <a href="><em>Regim of Dire: Young Gay Men, Media, and Masculy Tokyo</em></a>, Bdette not that although BL origated Japan, had to spread to other untri and then return for to be succsful on screen, beloved shows like <em>Cherry Magic</em>, and the recent h, <em>Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kis</em>s. Another of our <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a>, <em>My Love Mix-Up!</em>, stars J-pop idols Michieda Shunse and Meguro Ren, om talent agency Johnny & Associat. “When I saw that Johnny’s idols were appearg a Boys’ Love seri, I eaked out,” he says. “I uldn’t believe . It’s such a huge watershed moment.”</p><h2>Tokenism, Visibily, and Who Gets to Tell LGBTQ+ Stori</h2><p>Not everyone volved BL dramas n afford to be so forthg about their work plac where discsn of queerns remas retrogra. Sometim promis mt be ma to simply get a script produced. There are a dozen movg piec, least of all the socpolil climate of their rpective untri. It’s not that they don’t want to share their thoughts, but perhaps the greatt impact they uld make is the seri self, the land of fictn, where ’s all left on the screen.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="ekc8hr"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The Philipp saw a surge of BLs durg the panmic, cludg <em>Gameboys</em> and <em>Hello Stranger</em>. Paolo Pangilan, star of <em>Gaya Sa Pelikula (Like the Movi)</em>, is an openly gay man who wants BL to reflect the world around . “In all spher of life — art, tn, media and polics — pecially those that are visible, what we put out there should be reflective of what is also behd the lens,” Paolo tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>Castg queer people for queer rol is important to him, but he don’t want the dtry to bee placent. “There li the danger of tokenism. Jt bee they give you one show, they give you one TV appearance, they thk they’re progrsive,” he says. “The danger of BL as a genre is stops Twter, stops , what we ll the Philipp, <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>kilig</em></a>,” he adds, attemptg to give an accurate translatn of the word English. Nothg do jtice.</p><p>He sps a story about a metaphoril room where all the big dtry players n, one that still ters to straight, cisgenred, nventnally attractive, and lighter-skned people; a room which the queer muny serve to take up space, a muny that he knows is so much broar than what is shown on screen; curly haired, button-nosed, effemate and butch and non-bary and transgenr people. “BL is important that turns the knob. But there still li a long way ahead, where you still have to ph the door open and get si and stay the ick room and let people .”</p><p>Paolo wants to challenge others his dtry: “Take on the rol, don't be aaid. Especially if you're queer, even if you're not out.” This at a time when even Wtern actors playg queer rol wish to be unlabelled, or to have not revealed their sexualy — and they shouldn’t have to. The most important role BL uld play is to give visibily, he adds, but “visibily don't always translate to actual systemic actn where you actually make opportuni for people that have lived this experience.” The rponsibily for change is shared by everyone, he says, cludg directors and actors, but also nsumers, whose viewg statistics unt.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa cMQuLa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div data-ttid="feature-large-llout" class="CalloutFeatureLargeWrapper-cGjDsT GsKaF"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Paolo var dance pos" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Stylg: Myrrh Lao To Josh Galang. Digners: <a href=">@lsw_ph</a> <a href=">@emanroza</a> <a href=">@jobdan</a>. Hair: Mycke arno. Photography: Rxandy Capp. Makp: Ian Jrigu.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Paolo’s dtry mat, Kokoy Santos and Elijah Canlas, the stars of <a href=">Filipo BL <em>Gameboys</em></a>, opened up to <a href="><em>Refery29</em></a> last year about the very rponsibily that Paolo speaks of. “[We wanted] to reprent the characters the right way,” Elijah said. “As an actor and as an ally, I take note of the and do all the preparatn need.” For Kokoy, playg the role of Gavreel was “fun and also challengg,” he said, “challengg a way that you somehow put prsure on yourself bee you wanna make sure you’re not overdog thgs, and you wanna show the genue love.”</p><p>All all, though Paolo adms there is a long way to go, he’s thankful for the love om <em>Gaya Sa Pelikula</em> fans: “To anyone who felt like they belong jt bee of BL, I jt want to say that the bt safe space you uld ever fd your liv is the one you have si your head. So keep gog at and keep nsumg media that mak you feel like you belong. I hope that <em>GSP</em> is not the last thg you fd entertament that will speak to you.”</p><h2>Stereotyp, Portrayals, and the Need for More Stori and Actual Change</h2><p>Copter Panuwat Kerdthongtavee, the star of Thailand’s BL dramas <em>2Moons</em> and <em>Gen Y</em>, hop to enlighten people their untry about the many inti the queer muny. “At prent the entertament dtry Thailand, there is a perceptn of people who are LGBT, wh whether they mt be gay or trans,” Copter tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. The actor recently me out as non-bary, and has already started thkg about what that means for their creative future. “I thk people are unaware that there are people like ,” they say. “I thought maybe I want to wre a script and direct the seri myself more than to play a role.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="kb2x"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Copter believ that reprentatn of non-bary people BLs pends on whether ’s appropriate for the story or not, somethg they speak about wh reverence. “I personally don’t want the existence of a non-bary character to be jt an accsory that nnot drive society,” they say. “If a non-bary character happens, I want to be a very important character, bee I really want to expla what we are.” If anyone has the heart to make that a realy, ’s Copter.</p><p>“I may not be able to say wh nfince that all the Thai Boys’ Love dramas help promote what the muny is tryg to mand and fight for society,” they say. “But om my perspective, I thk is at least a medium that helps mpaign for everyone to see that love regardls of our genr is normal.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>For Melv Sia and Muhan Chiu, the leads of Taiwan’s <em>Papa and Daddy</em>, there’s a broar spe of stori they n tell BL, bee same-sex marriage is legal there. Some Taiwane BLs, such as the <em>HIStory</em> anthology seri and <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a> pick, <em>We Bt Love</em>, explore the early stag of romance. “<em>Papa and Daddy</em> is the first one that's more foced on what happens after marriage when to startg and raisg a fay,” Muhan tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “Relative to the rt of Asia, Taiwan is a ltle more liberal,” he says. Their characters, Damian and Jerry, wele a son via surrogacy, and that’s a special thg.</p><p>“Seeg a fay wh two dads is a really big breakthrough for a lot of untri,” Melv says. “We want more people to be able to see stori like this and to get a better ia of what life as a gay man is actually like.” It’s all the tert of normalizg the different makps of a fay, as queer people Taiwan navigate raisg fai a post-marriage equaly world, where the next step is adoptn or surrogacy. “We’re seeg a lot of our iends or people around gog through all of this,” Muhan says.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Papa and Daddy stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GagaOOLala</span></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="mm5phc"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The upg send season will see the appearance of Damian’s son wh his ex-wife, throwg a spanner the works for the uple’s relatnship. “More and more people watchg are gog to want to see the whole story and to see happy endgs,” Melv says of the future of Taiwane BL. “Seeg two men get together and get married will be jt like a man and a woman gettg married. It’ll be creasgly mon to see.”</p><p>Unique storytellg is beg monplace BL, as productns breathe new life to age-old trop and repurpose them for the ey of today. In their <a href="><em>Fan Service</em> lumn</a>, Stch wr: “Boys' Love n serve as a blanket genre wh a wi range of topics, settgs, and character archetyp unrneath pendg on the creator.” Different narrativ ronate wh different people; some favor gr and turbulence, or a dose of realism. Some don’t always want to see the realy of life as a queer person reflected back at them, stead enjoyg more wholome tal, stori of pg and slice-of-life.</p><p>Thailand’s <a href="><em>Bad Buddy</em></a>, starrg Ohm Pawat Chtsawange and Nanon Korapat Kirdpan, has a myriad of those flavors. Agast all odds, their characters Pat and Pran fall love, overe generatnal trma and build a healthy relatnship. Ohm feels good that he was the one to brg Pat’s story to life: “It is jt another kd of love that n be happeng on this pla,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. It back to visibily. “It’s like we explore one person’s life to make unrstand them better,” Nanon says of takg on the role of Pran. He echo Ohm’s sentiments, relishg the chance to portray a love story that people might not have seen before.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Bad Buddy stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GMMTV</span></div></figure><p>The work of Aof Noppharnach Chaiwimol, the <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">“out and proud”</a> director of the seri, is proof of what n be acplished when queerns liv and breath on set. One storyle particular saw Pran’s iend Wai revealg Pat and Pran’s secret relatnship to a room full of people. It’s a hot topic wh fandom, but there’s a reason why the show never challeng his behavr. “The brief om P’Aof about the set-up world the seri was that all characters would treat and regnize Boys’ Love like is jt another mon kd of love,” Nanon says. The world which <em>Bad Buddy</em> operat do not hge on homophobia.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="q1yim"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>By fn, Wai outed them, as he exposed their relatnship whout their nsent, to people who were not prevly aware. But “every character this set up would be okay wh an LGTBQ+ love story,” Nanon adds, chalkg up Wai’s reactn to “disappotment om a iend who he giv so much tst to.” In the ntext of Aof’s ialized world, where queerns is normalized, perhaps Wai didn’t out the MLM aspect, but the relatnship between people who should be rivals. Still cross a boundary, but a somewhat different one than appears to be on the surface.</p><p>“Love n e many forms,” Ohm says, “No matter who you are.” He nam Pat and Pran, and fan-favore sapphics, Ink and Pa, as exampl of this (GLs like <em>GAP The Seri</em> are on the way, too). “Each form has s own obstacle to overe but at the end, love is still love, there is no genr barrier, no social barrier,” he adds. There’s even a rivalry between Pat and Pran’s parents, a hate which slowly thaws. “There is nothg bigger than love, only that we mt overe the obstacle together.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><em>Bad Buddy</em> ends wh a dynamic one shot scene, as Pat and Pran vie for ntrol, and the apartment door slams shut. That door will rema closed, the pair explas. “We should let all characters be there to ntue enjoyg and livg their life their own world,” Ohm says, bee the time spent peekg to Pat and Pran’s liv was already perfect. Nanon lls “the perfect endg,” acknowledgg that further episos might not be as good as what we have: “It’s better to open a new door.”</p><p>Such a door might hopefully transport to a more acceptg world, kdled part by an onslght of new BL dramas. “[Maybe BL] n be ed as a soft power for the untry to be more open to nsirg the approval of some related laws for this muny,” Nanon says. He’s thkg about the big picture, so naturally, Ohm plements him by addrsg the fer, terpersonal tails. “I wish there will be no more genr discrimatn. We should not disrpect each other, bee the end, ‘human’ is ‘human’,” he says. Ohm knows that everyone has their own value: “Everyone n be happy their own way, their own kd of love, so if they do not hurt anyone, let’s rpect each other as we are all the same — human begs.”</p><p>When Paris Jpentom, a Thai journalist wh workpotTODAY, stepped out to attend a Pri rally early June, he found himself wnsg a siar sequence to the scene om <em>Not Me</em>. He was surround by members of the LGBTQ+ muny, which he is part of, and he watched as people arrived drag and rabows, dancg beneath the giant pri flag. “It’s a day that LGBT+ people Thailand n pletely be themselv whout anybody judgg,” he says. It echo Off’s sentiments havg filmed the fictnal rally scene. “I feel that nothg has yet changed our untry so far,” Off not, “but I suppose that we are at this pot, and perhaps one day, this n help make everyone accept marriage equaly.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="twb4b"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div aria-label="social media post" class="TwterEmbedContaer-ggEzfU fHwbKp"><div class="MsageBannerWrapper-krrtvl bVKlLH ConsentBannerWrapper-bMdLtU WTFWJ" data-ttid="msage-banner"><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ MsageBannerContent-gLUJfX iUEiRd hXwkLh figzQB"><h4 class="ConsentBannerTle-lgaGAH gOfech">Twter ntent</h4><p>This ntent n also be viewed on the se <a href=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ConsentBannerLk-dJZMSz iUEiRd hXwkLh ldFMAi">origat</a> om.</p></div></div></div><p>Realy bleeds to fictn and fictn pierc realy. But Jpentom says there is still work to be done. “Some Thai BL still don’t reprent the LGBT+ muny, even if ’s Boys’ Love. Feme gays are still jt an extra or funny character,” he says. “Transgenr people are barely reprented Thai BL seri, or they’re jt funny characters too,” and that’s why stereotypg of queer people still happens. Until the media that reprents the muny chang, attus never will.</p><p>Nuanced and boundary-phg queer ntent the form of Boys’ Love dramas is, and has been, g om all over Asia. Stori where we n see male characters wholome suatns, or see MLM sex and timacy portrayed a posive light. There’s a very real fight happeng the real world, outsi of the fictn we hold ar. But ’s fortg to thk that jt as we march wh pickets and sign petns, some of the characters who fill our imagatn, onto whom we imprt our hop and dreams, might be out there their alternate worlds fightg for the same thgs we are. The right to love who we love, eely and openly, proudly.</p><p><strong>Let sli to your DMs.</strong> <a href=">Sign up for the <em>Teen Vogue</em> daily email</a>.</p><p><strong>Want more om</strong> <em><strong>Teen Vogue</strong></em><strong>? Check this out:</strong> <a href=">The Insatiable Hunger of BL Drama “KnPorsche”</a></p><figure class="CneVioEmbedFigure-kCfJjN hdJOda e-vio-embed"><div data-ttid="script-ntaer"></div></figure></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS jyGBoi"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body article__body--grid-margs"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv jfHKjr"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd dJexbZ kQQRmu">Keywords</span><a href="/tag/pri" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">Pri</span></a><a href="/tag/lgbtq" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu"> lgbtq</span></a><a href="/tag/queer" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">queer</span></a><a href="/tag/reprentatn" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">reprentatn</span></a><a href="/tag/bl-dramas" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">BL Dramas</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--TextBelowLeft"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm gOErDJ"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq huTHVP SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa jKvGim jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR iJAxgH hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff kTthaO summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eOsELH" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz cCcPgL"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="In “The Ltle Mermaid,” Prce Eric Fally Gets a Personaly" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">In “The Ltle Mermaid,” Prce Eric Fally Gets a Personaly</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">And Ariel be a more fully-formed character as a rult.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Leah Marilla Thomas</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff kTthaO summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eOsELH" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz cCcPgL"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="It's Confirmed: Lus Grabeel's HSM Character Ryan Evans Is Gay" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">It's Confirmed: Lus Grabeel's <em>HSM</em> Character Ryan Evans Is Gay</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">After YEARS of speculatn around his sexualy.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sara Delgado</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff kTthaO summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eOsELH" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz cCcPgL"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Laws Targetg Margalized Youth Hurt Their Mental Health. What Are We Dog About It?" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Inty</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Laws Targetg Margalized Youth Hurt Their Mental Health. What Are We Dog About It?</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">We n't leave LGBTQ and BIPOC young people behd the mental health crisis.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Lren Cikara</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eOsELH ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="1lw54"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff kTthaO summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eOsELH" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz cCcPgL"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="J-Pop Star Shjiro Atae Com Out as Gay" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">J-Pop Star Shjiro Atae Com Out as Gay</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">"I feared that even if I uld accept the tth, the world would never accept me as an artist."</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sara 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knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp hNHLbh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT kaztNz"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX jCrIBQ bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU kibNxt bric__lk" href="/entertament"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd kSJIRM hRWzyk">BL Drama Stars Reflect on Pri, Queerns, and the State of LGBTQ+ Rights</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB faEicy ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ ePRlMp">“Everyone n be happy their own way, their own kd of love, so if they do not hurt anyone, let’s rpect each other as we are all the same — human begs.”</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iMWgyG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd bbbwVd fNvcOK eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/k-ci-williams">K-Ci Williams</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2022-06-24T09:45:50-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd ekhvDV dQlcNj">June 24, 2022</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP dDDxdb lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ccdiSo"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Collage of BL drama stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN eWQmYe"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GMMTV, GagaOOLala,  Rxandy Capp, TV Thunr</span></div></div></figure></div></div><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR oEIBz persistent-asi persistent-asi--align-left" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jNgrSF sticky-box ContentHearPersistentAsi-fsnAmQ dFzKzm"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--has-background ContentHearSocialIns-jzJiyg sDfbk social-ins--share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eSsnKa"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>When Atthaphan Phunsawat, nicknamed Gun, steps onto a night shoot for the Thai BL drama <em>Not Me</em>, he fds himself filmg a sequence set at a rally for marriage equaly. He’s surround by real life members of the Thai queer muny, and his hands grasp at the edg of a giant pri flag as the crowd ffl and rais high above their heads. He locks ey wh his -star, Off Jumpol Adulktiporn, who meets him unrneath the rabow. The rally epts to chants for equal marriage, and Off tak hold of Gun’s hand midair, sg. <a href=">Pri</a> be them.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>“At first, I uldn’t picture what the fished scene would be like,” Off tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>, “but I always tst Nuchy’s visn.” He’s talkg about Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana, a director wh over a of experience who is also one of the <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">few openly trans woman directors</a> the untry. Fans noticed that Nuchy’s shot lgered on a QR the rally sequence, which n be snned through the screen, and redirects to Thailand’s <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">marriage equaly petn</a>. “That the actors and actrs the scene were real LGBTQ+ members, wh a strong sire for their rights, together wh beg unrneath a real pri flag ed a para, spired me and my emotn,” Off adds.</p><p>“Every kd of love is equal no matter who you are,” Gun says. “Love between boy and boy, girl and girl, or anyone — I feel that everythg is betiful as seen om this scene.” It’s a scene that’s emblematic of a growg movement Boys’ Love storytellg across Asia, wing the spe to reflect what queerns looks like to queer people and creasg visibily of the LGBTQIA+ muny media. BL dramas have bee a source of enjoyment or pism for some, reprentatn for others, and potentially, a force for change.</p><h2>Reprentatn as a Catalyst for a Cultural Shift</h2><p>South Korean BLs rry the same immersive flare of K-dramas that center straight upl; shows like <em>To My Star</em>, which is currently airg s send season and promis to liver another helpg of the stellar qualy that earned self a place on our <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a> list. The untry’s output is on the rise. <em>Light on Me</em> actor Lee Saeon put like this to <em>Teen Vogue</em> last year: “Even though this kd of genre isn’t that mon Korea, right now we are makg BL dramas a ltle b more than before, so I thk ’s a good thg.” Saeon’s -star Kang Yooseok distilled the romantic storyle down to s bare bon: “I try to not thk of as ‘a boy and a boy’ love,” he explaed, “I was tryg to munite the fact that a person lov a person.”</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>What we’re seeg now is a surge K-pop idols takg on BL rol. OMEGA X members Jaehan and Yechan are set to lead the adaptatn of <em>A Shoulr to Cry On</em>, DKZ’s Jaechan was superlative <em>Semantic Error</em>, and A.C.E. lear Jun starred <em>Tted Wh You</em>. “I fely don’t thk [beg LGBTQ+] is somethg that is wrong bee we are all born differently,” Jun <a href=">shared wh <em>Teen Vogue</em></a> January. “I’ve always thought que simply about this topic — what is, is.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="aw83z"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Of urse, ’s rehg to receive support om idols like Jun, who was proud to reprent his queer fans the drama, but ’s not easy for an actor to play a gay role, acrdg to the openly gay K-pop idol, Holland. “A gay man playg a gay character is not special at all, but is unual Korea,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em> via email. The artist, who starred this year’s <em>Ocean Lik Me</em>, <a href=">was attacked and lled a “dirty gay” Itaewon</a> last month. “This is obvly a hate crime,” he <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tweeted</a> at the time. “The fact that my sexualy as gay is public should never expose myself to this kd of vlence.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="j0pkd"></div></div><p>This abhorrent asslt further highlights a need for val policy chang and better protectns for queer people, and also remds of the necsy for thoughtful and nuanced reflectns of queerns onscreen, wh the ntext of Korea. “Homosexuals are naturally livg together our liv,” Holland says. “However, the keyword of ‘homosexualy’ is not easily alt wh Korean media. Sce the importance of media is very high socially and culturally, I hope that there will be more ntent that regniz and als wh diversy. It’s not wrong, ’s different.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>Max Nattapol Diloknawar and Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanchai are actors the Thai BL <em>Manner of Death</em> (<a href=">also a Bt BL pick</a>), and when their social media go all-out rabow for Pri month, ’s backed up by genue allyship. Max rells attendg an all boys school, where senrs bullied his iend for beg gay. “He jt wanted to have love wh [another boy],” Max tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “So he got bullied, he got damaged. I n’t stand for that.” Young Max stood up for his iend and was bullied himself. Today, he is still standg up for people like his old iend through his work.</p><p>Speakg on <em>Manner of Death</em>, Tul appreciat that his character is acknowledged the seri beyond his sexualy. “People shouldn’t feel bad, jt beg themselv,” he says. “They treat Dr. Bunn as Dr. Bunn, they don’t treat Dr. Bunn as gay, and that will reflect back to the outsi world.” Both actors share their distaste for directors who believe that queer characters mt be solely flamboyant and effemate, bee they know that there is no one sgle way to exist as a queer person. “There is a variety of sexual orientatns the world and we shouldn’t judge people jt by that, we should accept dividuals as they are,” Tul says.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Manner of Death stars sus and heels" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of TV Thunr</span></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="1phx2b"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Reprentatn matters, bee “people that relate to them, [that] have the same sexual orientatn, n feel seen,” Tul not. Fans n always return to <em>Manner of Death</em> bee has “a home their heart.” Nuanced queer stori are pennt on the productn team as well as actors, Tul says. “If they unrstand the muny, and they want to get some reflectns to the work, we will have very good BL out there.”</p><p>Allyship for Max and Tul means tg themselv about the state of queer affairs, both Thailand and abroad, and enuragg their dtry-mat to be a force for change. “Come out and talk about this,” Max says, “bee a lot of people, a lot of LGBTQIA+ [people] suffer about this everyday. Jt a ltle voice of n help them.”</p><p>That’s exactly what the stars of <em>I Told Sunset About You</em> did. Speakg wh <a href="><em>Refery29</em></a> last year, PP Kr, <a href=">whose fashn knows no bounds</a>, hop that the seri n be watched by anyone, sharg that the seri “n touch the viewers’ souls, bee n be siar to [their] experienc, may also [spire] someone’s openns to new experienc.” PP’s -star Billk also shared his thoughts wh the publitn: “I thk we should not differentiate love, whether is for whom, or wrong or right,” he said. “Everyone has their rights to love anyone or anythg. As long as they do not trouble anyone, or prive others’ rights, then is their right to be able to ntue dog what they do.”</p><p>Dr. Thomas Bdette, senr lecturer Japane Studi at Macquarie Universy, outl how we engage wh BL media the Wt: “The betiful thg about Boys’ Love is that actually provis an opportuny to not jt move beyond our Wtern lens,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “But actually challenge our Wtern lens to make realize that what we may thk of as natural or as mon sense, may not necsarily be natural or mon sense.” It’s val to acknowledge this lens when we nsume this ntent.</p><p>As the thor of <a href="><em>Regim of Dire: Young Gay Men, Media, and Masculy Tokyo</em></a>, Bdette not that although BL origated Japan, had to spread to other untri and then return for to be succsful on screen, beloved shows like <em>Cherry Magic</em>, and the recent h, <em>Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kis</em>s. Another of our <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a>, <em>My Love Mix-Up!</em>, stars J-pop idols Michieda Shunse and Meguro Ren, om talent agency Johnny & Associat. “When I saw that Johnny’s idols were appearg a Boys’ Love seri, I eaked out,” he says. “I uldn’t believe . It’s such a huge watershed moment.”</p><h2>Tokenism, Visibily, and Who Gets to Tell LGBTQ+ Stori</h2><p>Not everyone volved BL dramas n afford to be so forthg about their work plac where discsn of queerns remas retrogra. Sometim promis mt be ma to simply get a script produced. There are a dozen movg piec, least of all the socpolil climate of their rpective untri. It’s not that they don’t want to share their thoughts, but perhaps the greatt impact they uld make is the seri self, the land of fictn, where ’s all left on the screen.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="rabu1q"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The Philipp saw a surge of BLs durg the panmic, cludg <em>Gameboys</em> and <em>Hello Stranger</em>. Paolo Pangilan, star of <em>Gaya Sa Pelikula (Like the Movi)</em>, is an openly gay man who wants BL to reflect the world around . “In all spher of life — art, tn, media and polics — pecially those that are visible, what we put out there should be reflective of what is also behd the lens,” Paolo tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>Castg queer people for queer rol is important to him, but he don’t want the dtry to bee placent. “There li the danger of tokenism. Jt bee they give you one show, they give you one TV appearance, they thk they’re progrsive,” he says. “The danger of BL as a genre is stops Twter, stops , what we ll the Philipp, <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>kilig</em></a>,” he adds, attemptg to give an accurate translatn of the word English. Nothg do jtice.</p><p>He sps a story about a metaphoril room where all the big dtry players n, one that still ters to straight, cisgenred, nventnally attractive, and lighter-skned people; a room which the queer muny serve to take up space, a muny that he knows is so much broar than what is shown on screen; curly haired, button-nosed, effemate and butch and non-bary and transgenr people. “BL is important that turns the knob. But there still li a long way ahead, where you still have to ph the door open and get si and stay the ick room and let people .”</p><p>Paolo wants to challenge others his dtry: “Take on the rol, don't be aaid. Especially if you're queer, even if you're not out.” This at a time when even Wtern actors playg queer rol wish to be unlabelled, or to have not revealed their sexualy — and they shouldn’t have to. The most important role BL uld play is to give visibily, he adds, but “visibily don't always translate to actual systemic actn where you actually make opportuni for people that have lived this experience.” The rponsibily for change is shared by everyone, he says, cludg directors and actors, but also nsumers, whose viewg statistics unt.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa cMQuLa body ArticlePageBodyGridContaer-jrMoA-d xjuw body__grid-ntaer" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div data-ttid="feature-large-llout" class="CalloutFeatureLargeWrapper-cGjDsT GsKaF"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Paolo var dance pos" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Stylg: Myrrh Lao To Josh Galang. Digners: <a href=">@lsw_ph</a> <a href=">@emanroza</a> <a href=">@jobdan</a>. Hair: Mycke arno. Photography: Rxandy Capp. Makp: Ian Jrigu.</span></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Paolo’s dtry mat, Kokoy Santos and Elijah Canlas, the stars of <a href=">Filipo BL <em>Gameboys</em></a>, opened up to <a href="><em>Refery29</em></a> last year about the very rponsibily that Paolo speaks of. “[We wanted] to reprent the characters the right way,” Elijah said. “As an actor and as an ally, I take note of the and do all the preparatn need.” For Kokoy, playg the role of Gavreel was “fun and also challengg,” he said, “challengg a way that you somehow put prsure on yourself bee you wanna make sure you’re not overdog thgs, and you wanna show the genue love.”</p><p>All all, though Paolo adms there is a long way to go, he’s thankful for the love om <em>Gaya Sa Pelikula</em> fans: “To anyone who felt like they belong jt bee of BL, I jt want to say that the bt safe space you uld ever fd your liv is the one you have si your head. So keep gog at and keep nsumg media that mak you feel like you belong. I hope that <em>GSP</em> is not the last thg you fd entertament that will speak to you.”</p><h2>Stereotyp, Portrayals, and the Need for More Stori and Actual Change</h2><p>Copter Panuwat Kerdthongtavee, the star of Thailand’s BL dramas <em>2Moons</em> and <em>Gen Y</em>, hop to enlighten people their untry about the many inti the queer muny. “At prent the entertament dtry Thailand, there is a perceptn of people who are LGBT, wh whether they mt be gay or trans,” Copter tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. The actor recently me out as non-bary, and has already started thkg about what that means for their creative future. “I thk people are unaware that there are people like ,” they say. “I thought maybe I want to wre a script and direct the seri myself more than to play a role.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="uuc72"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Copter believ that reprentatn of non-bary people BLs pends on whether ’s appropriate for the story or not, somethg they speak about wh reverence. “I personally don’t want the existence of a non-bary character to be jt an accsory that nnot drive society,” they say. “If a non-bary character happens, I want to be a very important character, bee I really want to expla what we are.” If anyone has the heart to make that a realy, ’s Copter.</p><p>“I may not be able to say wh nfince that all the Thai Boys’ Love dramas help promote what the muny is tryg to mand and fight for society,” they say. “But om my perspective, I thk is at least a medium that helps mpaign for everyone to see that love regardls of our genr is normal.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>For Melv Sia and Muhan Chiu, the leads of Taiwan’s <em>Papa and Daddy</em>, there’s a broar spe of stori they n tell BL, bee same-sex marriage is legal there. Some Taiwane BLs, such as the <em>HIStory</em> anthology seri and <a href=">Bt BL Dramas of 2021</a> pick, <em>We Bt Love</em>, explore the early stag of romance. “<em>Papa and Daddy</em> is the first one that's more foced on what happens after marriage when to startg and raisg a fay,” Muhan tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. “Relative to the rt of Asia, Taiwan is a ltle more liberal,” he says. Their characters, Damian and Jerry, wele a son via surrogacy, and that’s a special thg.</p><p>“Seeg a fay wh two dads is a really big breakthrough for a lot of untri,” Melv says. “We want more people to be able to see stori like this and to get a better ia of what life as a gay man is actually like.” It’s all the tert of normalizg the different makps of a fay, as queer people Taiwan navigate raisg fai a post-marriage equaly world, where the next step is adoptn or surrogacy. “We’re seeg a lot of our iends or people around gog through all of this,” Muhan says.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Papa and Daddy stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GagaOOLala</span></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="ae7uf"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The upg send season will see the appearance of Damian’s son wh his ex-wife, throwg a spanner the works for the uple’s relatnship. “More and more people watchg are gog to want to see the whole story and to see happy endgs,” Melv says of the future of Taiwane BL. “Seeg two men get together and get married will be jt like a man and a woman gettg married. It’ll be creasgly mon to see.”</p><p>Unique storytellg is beg monplace BL, as productns breathe new life to age-old trop and repurpose them for the ey of today. In their <a href="><em>Fan Service</em> lumn</a>, Stch wr: “Boys' Love n serve as a blanket genre wh a wi range of topics, settgs, and character archetyp unrneath pendg on the creator.” Different narrativ ronate wh different people; some favor gr and turbulence, or a dose of realism. Some don’t always want to see the realy of life as a queer person reflected back at them, stead enjoyg more wholome tal, stori of pg and slice-of-life.</p><p>Thailand’s <a href="><em>Bad Buddy</em></a>, starrg Ohm Pawat Chtsawange and Nanon Korapat Kirdpan, has a myriad of those flavors. Agast all odds, their characters Pat and Pran fall love, overe generatnal trma and build a healthy relatnship. Ohm feels good that he was the one to brg Pat’s story to life: “It is jt another kd of love that n be happeng on this pla,” he tells <em>Teen Vogue</em>. It back to visibily. “It’s like we explore one person’s life to make unrstand them better,” Nanon says of takg on the role of Pran. He echo Ohm’s sentiments, relishg the chance to portray a love story that people might not have seen before.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Bad Buddy stars" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE jCUnQr ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI jqCsaX asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd fEOCQm fNaHcW ptn__cred">Courty of GMMTV</span></div></figure><p>The work of Aof Noppharnach Chaiwimol, the <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">“out and proud”</a> director of the seri, is proof of what n be acplished when queerns liv and breath on set. One storyle particular saw Pran’s iend Wai revealg Pat and Pran’s secret relatnship to a room full of people. It’s a hot topic wh fandom, but there’s a reason why the show never challeng his behavr. “The brief om P’Aof about the set-up world the seri was that all characters would treat and regnize Boys’ Love like is jt another mon kd of love,” Nanon says. The world which <em>Bad Buddy</em> operat do not hge on homophobia.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="ug0x8c"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>By fn, Wai outed them, as he exposed their relatnship whout their nsent, to people who were not prevly aware. But “every character this set up would be okay wh an LGTBQ+ love story,” Nanon adds, chalkg up Wai’s reactn to “disappotment om a iend who he giv so much tst to.” In the ntext of Aof’s ialized world, where queerns is normalized, perhaps Wai didn’t out the MLM aspect, but the relatnship between people who should be rivals. Still cross a boundary, but a somewhat different one than appears to be on the surface.</p><p>“Love n e many forms,” Ohm says, “No matter who you are.” He nam Pat and Pran, and fan-favore sapphics, Ink and Pa, as exampl of this (GLs like <em>GAP The Seri</em> are on the way, too). “Each form has s own obstacle to overe but at the end, love is still love, there is no genr barrier, no social barrier,” he adds. There’s even a rivalry between Pat and Pran’s parents, a hate which slowly thaws. “There is nothg bigger than love, only that we mt overe the obstacle together.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><em>Bad Buddy</em> ends wh a dynamic one shot scene, as Pat and Pran vie for ntrol, and the apartment door slams shut. That door will rema closed, the pair explas. “We should let all characters be there to ntue enjoyg and livg their life their own world,” Ohm says, bee the time spent peekg to Pat and Pran’s liv was already perfect. Nanon lls “the perfect endg,” acknowledgg that further episos might not be as good as what we have: “It’s better to open a new door.”</p><p>Such a door might hopefully transport to a more acceptg world, kdled part by an onslght of new BL dramas. “[Maybe BL] n be ed as a soft power for the untry to be more open to nsirg the approval of some related laws for this muny,” Nanon says. He’s thkg about the big picture, so naturally, Ohm plements him by addrsg the fer, terpersonal tails. “I wish there will be no more genr discrimatn. We should not disrpect each other, bee the end, ‘human’ is ‘human’,” he says. Ohm knows that everyone has their own value: “Everyone n be happy their own way, their own kd of love, so if they do not hurt anyone, let’s rpect each other as we are all the same — human begs.”</p><p>When Paris Jpentom, a Thai journalist wh workpotTODAY, stepped out to attend a Pri rally early June, he found himself wnsg a siar sequence to the scene om <em>Not Me</em>. He was surround by members of the LGBTQ+ muny, which he is part of, and he watched as people arrived drag and rabows, dancg beneath the giant pri flag. “It’s a day that LGBT+ people Thailand n pletely be themselv whout anybody judgg,” he says. It echo Off’s sentiments havg filmed the fictnal rally scene. “I feel that nothg has yet changed our untry so far,” Off not, “but I suppose that we are at this pot, and perhaps one day, this n help make everyone accept marriage equaly.”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="7z4ce6"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bDFJoo"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa XtZXd body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div aria-label="social media post" class="TwterEmbedContaer-ggEzfU fHwbKp"><div class="MsageBannerWrapper-krrtvl bVKlLH ConsentBannerWrapper-bMdLtU WTFWJ" data-ttid="msage-banner"><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ MsageBannerContent-gLUJfX iUEiRd hXwkLh figzQB"><h4 class="ConsentBannerTle-lgaGAH gOfech">Twter ntent</h4><p>This ntent n also be viewed on the se <a href=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ConsentBannerLk-dJZMSz iUEiRd hXwkLh ldFMAi">origat</a> om.</p></div></div></div><p>Realy bleeds to fictn and fictn pierc realy. But Jpentom says there is still work to be done. “Some Thai BL still don’t reprent the LGBT+ muny, even if ’s Boys’ Love. Feme gays are still jt an extra or funny character,” he says. “Transgenr people are barely reprented Thai BL seri, or they’re jt funny characters too,” and that’s why stereotypg of queer people still happens. Until the media that reprents the muny chang, attus never will.</p><p>Nuanced and boundary-phg queer ntent the form of Boys’ Love dramas is, and has been, g om all over Asia. Stori where we n see male characters wholome suatns, or see MLM sex and timacy portrayed a posive light. There’s a very real fight happeng the real world, outsi of the fictn we hold ar. But ’s fortg to thk that jt as we march wh pickets and sign petns, some of the characters who fill our imagatn, onto whom we imprt our hop and dreams, might be out there their alternate worlds fightg for the same thgs we are. The right to love who we love, eely and openly, proudly.</p><p><strong>Let sli to your DMs.</strong> <a href=">Sign up for the <em>Teen Vogue</em> daily email</a>.</p><p><strong>Want more om</strong> <em><strong>Teen Vogue</strong></em><strong>? Check this out:</strong> <a href=">The Insatiable Hunger of BL Drama “KnPorsche”</a></p><figure class="CneVioEmbedFigure-kCfJjN hdJOda e-vio-embed"><div data-ttid="script-ntaer"></div></figure></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS jyGBoi"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body article__body--grid-margs"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv jfHKjr"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd dJexbZ kQQRmu">Keywords</span><a href="/tag/pri" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">Pri</span></a><a href="/tag/lgbtq" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu"> lgbtq</span></a><a href="/tag/queer" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">queer</span></a><a href="/tag/reprentatn" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">reprentatn</span></a><a href="/tag/bl-dramas" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd bbbwVd CVSfo hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd iXXbhe bUkXwu">BL Dramas</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--TextBelowLeft"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm gOErDJ"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq huTHVP SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa jKvGim jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR iJAxgH hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff gtfMax summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eYriHk" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Keke Palmer Debuts Her New Hairstyle wh an Inic “Teen Vogue” Reference" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Celebry Style</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Keke Palmer Debuts Her New Hairstyle wh an Inic “Teen Vogue” Reference</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">She's got some blue gog on!</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Aiyana Ishmael </span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff gtfMax summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eYriHk" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="HSMTMTS Is Over, But Its Legacy Is Dynamic Teen Relatnships" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">HSMTMTS Is Over, But Its Legacy Is Dynamic Teen Relatnships</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">First lov, unrequed lov, iendship lov — the HSM seri lv to all.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Rehana Nurmahi</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff gtfMax summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eYriHk" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Boots Riley Got Radilized at 14 by a Group of Teen-Girl Organizers" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Polics</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Boots Riley Got Radilized at 14 by a Group of Teen-Girl Organizers</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">"There's always an openg where the management and boss don't know what to do, and we're right there right now."</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Lexi McMenam</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eYriHk ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="ysairi"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff gtfMax summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eYriHk" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Florida Stunts Will Have to Learn About Some Supposed Upsis of Slavery" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX fiYQJA bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Polics</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM hlgoFI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fOAWJi summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Florida Stunts Will Have to Learn About Some Supposed Upsis of Slavery</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd eBANPJ iponZO summary-em__k">Ron DeSantis' Board of Edutn will make public school stunts learn about the “personal benef” of beg enslaved.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dhnQGM summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH gETtIb byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd hXReUT gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Eric Lutz</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="ha51j9"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH gCgwDV"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY fwAFaH se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj kdlxBX" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image rponsive-image"><img alt="Teen Vogue" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/teen-vogue/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div><div data-ttid="SeFooterAbout" class="SeFooterAbout-lflfWa gcGXYS"><div class="SeFooterAboutText-XXKBX blTbmF">The young person’s gui to nquerg (and savg) the world. 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