Queer Specificity in Thai BL
A lot of Thai BLs exist in a utopian world without homophobia. Almost everyone is gay or bi/pan, no one has to come out, and there are no negative repercussions to being queer. While there’s something pleasantly escapist about this BL bubble, these shows also tend to lack queer specificity - there are also no gay bars, no effeminate men or butch women, no rainbows, no pride parades, and definitely no hookup apps or circuit parties. I understand that this has a lot to do with the origins of the genre (and the Sao Y target audience), but I also really enjoy series that blend in more authentic queer representation.
I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite moments of queer specificity in Thai BLs. This list focuses on the fun, messy, and political parts of queer culture. I’ll save the moments that deal with homophobia for a different day.
Love of Silom:
The series that inspired this list. A delightfully gay show. See my Love of Silom love letter.
Not Me:
This iconic scene (and the queer activist rally leading up to it). Nuchy will always come through with some queer specificity.
Burnout Syndrome:
Speaking of Nuchy+OffGun, Burnout Syndrome gave us this messy gay boy/competent lesbian best friend duo (We're assuming Ing is a lesbian, right?)
And Jira’s cunty little outfits
And some queer slang
Cooking Crush:
Cooking Crush (another OffGun series) was filmed in 2023 and includes a scene where one of the characters encourages his friend to hire a male sex worker to figure if he's into men. He then launches into a sex workers's rights/sex-work-is-work monologue. One of the four essential issues of Thailand’s 2023 Beyond Gender pride platform was Sex Worker’s Rights.
A Dog and a Plane :
This gym moment (although I don't understand why Toto acted like he'd never been hit on before)
Your Dear Daddy:
Flying to Chiang Rai for what I assume is actually some big 🍆, despite the username. Why is this app so pink, though?
Secret Crush on You:
This show is bonkers and this group of friends is gay gay gay.
Moonlight Chicken:
“I don't have a wife. I’m sure you know my preference”
Be My Favorite:
I think this is the only gay bar I’ve ever seen in a Thai BL (unless you count Love in the Moonlight, mentioned below). If there are other examples, please enlighten me in the comments.
Love in the Moonlight:
A 1960s gay speakeasy!
Boys in Love:
The two gay teachers comparing their own teenage years to their students.
Gelboys:
It's hard to know where to start-
The fashion?
The design aesthetics?
The Blackpink obsession?
Literally everything about Bua and Baabin?
Only Friends:
This is the series that feels like the closest mirror to my own queer friend groups when I was in my 20s. I saved it for last because there is so much to include:
The love of my life, Jennie Pahan, as Yo
Ray trying to figure out if Sand is into men
Boston’s unapologetic love of sex and disinterest in monogamy
Being in unrequited love with your best friend
And lesbians in Wednesday cosplay!
