Abstract
ABSTRACT The heteronormative love triangle and female rivalry, with men positioned as the object of rivalry between women, have been among the most popular tropes on contemporary Chinese television. Against this backdrop, I examine an online space for baihe (Chinese girls’ love) fandom on the Chinese video hosting site Bilibili dedicated to the queer pairing of two originally straight female characters, Lin Youyou, the xiaosan or mistress, and Gu Jia, the wife, from the popular 2020 Chinese TV show Nothing But Thirty. In contrast with their fierce enmity on the show, in the fanmade videos, these characters are close friends, lovers, and feminist symbols of the opposition to heteropatriarchy. By tracing the gendered and sexual complexities of the fan-queered storylines, I demonstrate how baihe fans cultivate a counter-hegemonic space for feminist perspectives, affective connections, and queer desires in the authoritarian Chinese context.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call