I've lost count of how many yaoi/shounen-ai series I've read where a straight(?!?!) guy declares his love for another dude with the whole "I'm not gay but I like you" line or something similar. (Can someone say bi-erasure? lol)

Anyways, it annoys me to no end but since it's so prevalent in BL, oftentimes I'll read a series with this trope because the plot and characters are otherwise awesome.

I was just wondering what other people's opinions about the whole "straight" guy in a same-sex relationship trope. Do you dislike it? Or are you a fan? Do you think it's a reflection of how Japan views homosexuality in real life?

I've seen this a lot in the series I read as well. I don't think I would say that I'm a fan, exactly. I would lean more towards my being a fan of series and authors who just happen to use this.

And on whether or not this is how Japan views homosexuality in real life, I don't think I know enough about Japanese culture and life in Japan to have a very concrete opinion. Anything I might think with my limited knowledge could very well be the complete opposite of how it really is there.

Because it sounds romantic, is the reason why the trope is overused in BL imo. Especially to remember the target market of BL are females. Since I once read an article about how nobody 100% of a sexual orientation, I don't have a problem with it. Understanding there are demisexuals too. Not a fan or anything but not hating it also. Plus I thought it's cute, especially if I remember the other famous and overused trope in BL.

[img]https://images2.imgbox.com/0c/59/lpnszjWa_o.jpg[/img]
I love my uke to be manlier than his seme
Only compromising when the story is good or the uke is voiced by OnoYu, Kuma-chan, TaruTaru, Okitsun and or Nontan in the drama cd.

Well, I do know that in Japan, they don't care if you're gay or not as long as you eventually "grow out of it, get married, produce heirs, and become a "proper" member of society." That's a theme which I've noticed in slightly less unrealistic BL, and someone I know who worked in Japan for a long time said that that's the prevalent train of thought there. And if you refuse to "grow up" in that fashion then you're ostracised. That's not to say non-heterosexual people aren't ostracised on principle, because they are, but they also have a way out, if they want to take it, and lots of them do. (It's kind of the same in my country, actually. Okay, no, homosexuality is actually illegal here, but the "get married and have children to prove you're over it" ultimatum still stands)

But as for why BL mangaka use that trope, I think it's nothing so complex: they want to create the impression that these guys (and especially the seme, who from what I've seen is the one who's most frequently portrayed as not only straight, but an A-class chick magnet/womaniser) are still romantically/sexually available for the female reader. It's only in this one instance, as some kind of fluke that can be hand-waved as "love is blind" that they've fallen for another guy. I know that western women (or even myself, though I'm not from the west) don't usually see it in this way, but Japanese teenage girls/young women seem to be quite different, and they are the target audience (not to mention the writers!) And really, it's not like the "I'm straight but I like you" trope isn't seen in western M/M as well, especially slash fiction.

Re: my personal opinion - I don't mind it, but it can become pretty annoying sometimes, especially when the so-called straight guy is overly insistent about it. I don't think they'll ever get around to the concept of bisexuality, either. Just look at 50 x 50! I love that manga, but would it have killed them to have considered themselves bi or at least bi-curious? Geez...