I also eat the straights: Male heterosexual fandoms writing LGBTQ+ media history in Japan

Abstract

I explore the transformative works of Inmu Fandoms, heterosexual Japanese fans of gay pornography. The aim is to understand the practices and expressions of Inmu that mobilize a wide range of gay manga, movies, and even video games to generate their own cultures, religion, language, and history. Critical insight is given regarding the stakes of this queering practice on the preservation and erasure of Japanese LGBT media history. Careful attention is paid to both textual and discursive elements to question the praxis of so-called Inmu theory and history within the spectrum of Japanese Fan Studies.