bl is often with smut while shonen ai is usually without smut
BL (boys love) is the acronym for the translation of shounen ai
But in general speech BL engulfs Yaoi and shounen ai
Yaoi being a more pornographic genra lacks the representation for stories with significant plot
Shounen ai being romance/plot driven is the gay equivalent of shojo so often stops at kissing
But we all know there are stories that don't fit in those categories so the big label was needed (it used to be yaoi but since that stuff is/was pejorative in japan AND still has a heavy pornographic intonation, it felt wrong to use that label) so BL was an easy no brainer name for all stories about two dudes
Boy's Love = yaoi or shounen-ai, basically any story that has to do with gay men.
Yaoi = BL stories that contain smut/sex scenes.
Shounen-ai = boys love without any smutty scenes
Y'all I kinda just started reading bl stuff but I'm getting a lil confused? What's the difference between a bl and shounen ai ??