Anti-Fujoshi
| Synonyms: | Anti-Fujo |
| See also: | Fujoshi, Anti-Shipper, Fiction vs. Reality Discussion, Masculinity in Fanworks, Slash vs. Gay |
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Anti-Fujoshi is a self-identifying label used on social media hubs for fanworks fandom such as DeviantArt, Twitter and Tumblr by fans who dislike Fujoshi. The term is only common in western fandom spaces, though the concept itself is present both in western and Southeast Asian fan spaces. In some circles, the term anti-yaoi is more common. Because Fujoshis are mainly the fans creating yaoi, anti-yaoi can be considered synonymous with anti-fujoshi
The subjects of portrayals of masculinity in fanworks, slash vs gay, fetishization and height rule are often brought up by anti-fujoshi as reasons why the term should be abandoned and shamed.
History
In Japanese-speaking Fandom
TBA
In English-speaking Fandom
Anti-Fujoshi have existed since the early 2000s. It's equivalent to "anti-yaoi," though it is worth noting that Fujoshi means BL fan and Yaoi is only a genre of BL. The yaoi paddle tormented cosplayers at conventions for years until they were banned, and part of this infamy was due to its popularity with fujoshi. Flames were common from anti-fujoshi on fanworks featuring Male same-sex couples as a form of anti-ship. Although the term hadn't yet been invented per say, there were still a sizable amount of fans who were proud to be against fujoshi. Many works by anti-fujoshi can be seen on DeviantArt.
In the transition from DeviantArt to Tumblr, many abandoned the label for several reasons. One was the larger acceptance of Male same-sex couples in fanworks amongst fans, leaving little reason to announce oneself as choosing a side when the barriers were disappearing year after year. Another was the larger acceptance of social justice in once Fujoshi-filled fandoms around 2012-2013, leaving the label an odd one out. The acceptance of social justice allowed many fans to publicly say they were LGBT when it was far riskier before, and since the label obfuscated one's sexuality and relationship to it, the label had negative connotations to some LGBT fans who saw it as a way non-LGBT fans could invade safe spaces and cause trouble. This is to say nothing of the image yaoi paddles and their ilk gave the image of fujoshi, as well as overall misogyny in fandom.
Around 2015, arising around the same time as anti-shipping, the term "anti-fujoshi" was likely coined, though the practice of shaming fujoshi wasn't particularity common until the 2020s. Without many self-described Fujoshi left in English-speaking fandom spaces, misconceptions began to spread along with legitimate grievances. Although often disliked tropes such as seme, uke and yaoi as a whole originated from BL/Yaoi fandom and Fujoshi, the claim Japanese fans dislike the term when used by westerns to describe themselves is inaccurate, as seen in Academia which studies Fujoshi from anthropological perspectives seen on Fujoshi's article. This is a claim said by some Anti-Fujoshi due to Fannish Drift.
Some attribute the anti-fujoshi / yaoi sentiment to racism, such as in this tumblr post Why do you guys just decide that any Japanese term for things is the ‘bad evil sexual term’.
Subjects of Discussion
Rise in Anti-Fujoshi at the same time as Danmei's Rise
Some claim the rise of Anti-Fujoshi in the 2020s on Twitter was out of reaction to Danmei's rise in popularity, specifically MDZS. MZDS brought the genre into mainstream western social media discussion, bringing along self-described Fujoshi and their culture, creating a cultural clash.
Reclamation of Yaoi
In the early 2020s on Tumblr, the term yaoi in particular came back into mainstream English-speaking fandom usage with memes such as such as ...pass the yaoi!!! and old man yaoi. However, these memes were not made for or by self-proclaimed fujoshi, and some claim its a reclamation of those terms from fujoshi. However, most who meme are neutral on the subject.