GL and BL Stories and Why I Prefer Them More
The world is a vast place to look for love. That’s what books and movies made it seem like. The guy falls for the girl and the princesses find their princes.
I’ve also been fond of all those romantic cliché scenes of meeting the person you’ll soon fall in love with, confess and live happily ever after.
But after being open to GL (Girl’s Love) and BL (Boy’s Love) stories, I found them much more interesting than the typical straight couple love stories.
What are GL and BL stories?
GL (Girl’s Love) stories basically mean that the main couple of the story is two girls. As for BL (Boy’s Love) stories, it’s about the two boys being in love.
These types of stories became widespread in mangas and manhwas which it has a different type of relationship from the usual straight couples.
What makes them different from the conventional straight couple stories?
More than the gender itself, it becomes much more interesting and sometimes unpredictable. With the number of straight couples’ stories I have grown into, some of those stories became way too predictable midway.
What makes BL or GL stories different? The twists and turns of it all. Here are some of the reasons I prefer them more:
It’s more frustrating.
When you get to read or watch stories of the typical girl–boy relationship, some conflicts can already be seen in other stories as well. One of them is either dying, one caught up with another person, being in a bet, or creating a petty misunderstanding. Either you’re left with “Well, it is what it is.” or “She should have left him after what he did but okay, I guess.”
GL and BL stories may also happen to be like that too. But being part of the LGBTQ+, it’s never as easy to fall in love as they make it seem to be. Some make it very frustrating and amusing at the same time, getting you hooked on their next move.
Complicated and somewhat relatable situations.
There are just so many conflicts in these stories that make so much sense and are even relatable to some.
For one, they would be identifying if the other is straight or not. Some internal conflicts can occur on whether the character should go for it or keep it to themselves. (Rejection leaves a huge mark!)
Also, when the two main characters are just too dense. I mean, it’s okay to take their time to acknowledge their feelings and sexuality but please just say that you like them! Their silence just complicates the possible relationship that they may have. But then again, coming to terms with your feelings can be very difficult if you put yourself in the character’s shoes, especially since there are so many things to consider.
It also gets more frustrating when there’s a push-and-pull moment just because people around them are very much against with these types of relationships. One moment they’re ready to fight for their love and show it to the world, then pull back when presented with an inconvenience. Just like Saving Face (2004) where she needs to choose whether to face her mother about her sexuality or save herself from being shamed by her family. Some scenes make me want to scream at both of them. Really.
These things happen in real life, too, for someone in the LGBTQ+ community, closeted or not. It’s reassuring, honestly. Seeing those stories and thinking, “I feel like that too.”
It’s deeper than it looks.
It’s more than just unboxing the problems of their feelings. You can see in some BL/ GL stories how and why they can’t be together due to many factors that they need to address first. So, they get to tackle the discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, how it affects their decisions, and how they overcome it.
It makes you more aware of how LGBTQ+ people feels. You’ll see and know love through their eyes.
More than the feelings are the possible outcomes.
“JUST TELL THEM WHAT YOU FEEL!” It feels so easy to say that while getting into the story. But it’s more than just addressing it.
“What if they’re straight? It might offend them.”, “What would my friends think if they knew I like someone of the same sex?” “What would other people say?”, “I might just be confused”, “It’s probably not that serious”. These are just some of the things (probably) in their minds.
Either way, the outcomes of every action they make just make you tune in.
The reality in movies seems blurry
With the number of coming-of-age films, it seems that they can introduce people to the reality of same-sex romance. Some may still be lacking in presenting the reality about it. Regardless, it’s still great to see that the media is being open to these things, especially in a conservative country.
Personally, I think it’s good to see these types of stories. The one where you also get to see love through the lens of the LGBTQ+ people.
