tomoe_sama

don’t you think you’re overthinking it? it seems like you feel guilty about it & you should ask yourself why. if you don’t want to tell others, or it just doesn’t come up, why should you? my friends know because it’s just another interest of mine, thats it, it’s not something you have to blurt out unprecedented like a confession.

Own it girl,, reading is a hobby not a secret. Reading manga or anything adjacent (manwha, manhua, etc) is a pretty common and popular pastime hobby. I understand if you’re uncomfortable telling them you read BL but you don’t have to keep it to yourself for the rest of your life. I mean like people found out I like BL cause I had my background wallpapers set to heated rivalry LMAO and surprisingly I bonded over it with some random girl classmates ╮(￣▽￣)╭

Okay facts facts

LOL Yeah I think it’s because my closest friends are just so just not into that type of stuff at all that I feel like a big perv or something

im in the exact same situation as you, so i dont have the answer, but you are not alone in this struggle ┗( T﹏T )┛

I'm an older reader who also sometimes reads BL and Danmei novels. I, too, struggled with letting people know I was an anime nerd -- I didn't discover manga until much later. Mind you, I grew-up reading DC comics and watching Marvel cartoons, but I hesitated to tell people I enjoyed anime due to its negative personification as that "JP CP" stuff. It wasn't until I was a senior in HS that I even admitted I watched Sailor Moon to my friends. But that was the first step into breaking out of the fear and silence as they accepted me. My first year in college, I decided to put it all on the line, and be upfront about the things I liked and I ended up joining like-minded clubs and making like-mined friends. I feared I wouldn't be accepted in HS, but my biggest fear was I couldn't accept myself for liking what I liked. I had to confront that part of me. Friends are not always going to have everything in common, but true friends will still accept you for who you are and accept this as another aspect of you. Trust your friends!! Be open and true to yourself!! Take small steps, admit to reading manhwa, but keep the BL to yourself until you feel more confident that your friends and family don't treat you any differently.

As for my family, they knew about the anime, as I spent half of my paycheck when I was in HS buying anime. And through a good friend of mine (met online through fan fiction) I discovered manga. I was already a huge bibliophile, so, again, my family accepted that part of me when I started buying those too. ^_^ As for the BL part of this fandom, I only have one family member who is slightly unaware of it, but since I have my own place now, I don't hide it from them when they come over, unless it has an explicit cover. (●’◡’●)

Also don't believe that BS that once you grow up you should put away your childhood toys and likes!! My home is decorated with anime and cartoon plushies, anime/cartoon figures, manga, comics, and regular novels laying all around. Giving up the things you enjoy just turns you into a bitter adult!!

Thank you for the much needed support I’ll try to take little steps (⌒▽⌒)

So my irl friends who also read BL.. when I first met them. They first got to know tht I watch anime... Some of my Asian fujo friends they kinda showed me few of their BL reads (Not Yaoi). Then I asked them do you know the term fujoshi. And from there we both started freaking out after realising we both are fujos.. with other buddies i usually talk about cultivation manhwas webtoon etc.... When I was showing my to read list. They saw a BL comic and asked me abt it. Then I told them that I also read them lol.. My guy friends who are into action manhwas.. I shamelessly told them about the existence of BL. Anyways try to feel out the person and then slowly reveal... Example U can ask about some shounen ai mangas...then step up the game by subtly mentioning some famous yaois.

Also I get why Ur feeling hesitant... Cuz yea earlier even anime used to be like weird thing. But I think ppl have started to become open and accepting... Plus it's us gaining the courage to go out of our way to ask.. I guarantee U, once U find one person who also reads BL... It's gonna get easy to spot fujoshis

Thank you for the encouraging words