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My Brother's Husband (5)

 This. This is what representation looks like, not yaoi. This is not a romanticized work, although the bara men are very obviously the author's forte. This is fictional, yes, but one of the most wholesome representations of the gay community. I'm actually really glad Yaichi was homophobic at the beginning because a lot of the plot was centered around changing his ideals and considering the view of those around him. Lot's of great character development! I'm also so glad he included Kana because I read somewhere that said this really well- children learn discrimination from the adults around them. It's a thing they are taught and not something that they inherently believe unless told differently. So I'm genuinely so glad Kana was there to be an unbiased character who steers Yaichi in the better direction to understanding people who are not like him. Mike is just a big lovely man... I love how human he is. "He's not a thing," like Yaichi mentioned in the manga, "He's a person who is introduced." We need more of that.... I'm so tired of the gay representation being more akin to a romanticization or fetishization and have lost of lot the humanity they could have if they either researched it more and talked to actual gay people and their experiences, or just making the characters more interesting instead of stereotypes with 'uke' and 'seme' thing. This manga tackled the subject unbelievably well when the characters talked about how there wasn't a husband and wife in a gay marriage, they are both men, and vice versa with women. They're still people just like straight couples, and I cannot wrap my head around homophobia at all except people just fear things that aren't familiar to them instead of trying to progress and learn about the subject. The ending part where the kid comes to talk to Mike about being gay killed me. It was so sweet, and I really hope that other kids out there questioning their sexuality (WHICH THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO) have someone they can talk to if they can't talk to their parents. I was very fortunate coming out to my mom, but she doesn't believe bisexuality exists and that I was "going through a phase", so there's still a lot that can improve. I know some people aren't as fortunate.

Anyway, I would also call this literary because I felt like I was reading a novel while reading this, which I guess is why it was turned into a movie as well. It works to help people learn about the gay experience in a positive light, and even how to bring up the subject with children as well. I think this was only the first volume, and I'm definitely going to read the rest because it was so pure! I could feel the subtle horny energy, but it was just kind of comical.

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