Toward a trans* theorization of Chinese danmei

Danmei , the Chinese iteration of Japanese Boys Love (BL), is a genre of male–male romance that has surged in popularity since the 1990s. Building on existing scholarship on BL and danmei , and drawing on theoretical insights from transgender studies, queer theory, and fan studies, this article revisits three central questions about danmei : Who are its fans? What narratives and worlds does it construct? Why has it sparked such intense controversy and, ultimately, a nationwide ban? I approach these questions through a trans* lens, highlighting three understudied dimensions of danmei culture: the complex and fluid gender and sexual identities of its fans; the A/B/O subgenre, which destabilizes binaries and normative embodiments; and the cross-pollination between danmei and other queer subcultures, particularly the rise of danmei -derived nisu fandom, which challenges homophobia, transphobia, and sissyphobia in Chinese society. I argue that the defining characteristic of danmei lies in its “trans-” quality – a prefix denoting movement through, across, and beyond – reflecting an impulse to dismantle boundaries and norms while opening new possibilities for becoming. By employing trans* as an analytical framework, I aim to illuminate the imaginative world of danmei and underscore its role in reshaping discourses surrounding sex, gender, and sexuality in contemporary China.