agree, though sometimes i feel like the stories get so conservative about sexual topics that the characters feel like they are scared to even touch each other in general lol
I believe though it is primarily because of BL’s demographic,, Yaoi these days is getting more extreme in regards of its nsfw chapters, because a, sex sells and b,it is one of the few things the authors can be sure they can be somewhat better at than others. Idk if it makes much sense, but i think it’s pretty normal to choose a story — if reading specifically something that has guaranteed nsfw chapters — also partially based on the content of the r-rated scenes themselves. (Going from not wishing to maybe read something you are uncomfortable with to simply wanting to read something sexy etc etc.) The story catching your attention is just a question of taste, so it might be more risky for some authors that want to seek (maybe even a quick) success in such a wide market to fully focus on just the story when they know that readers of the genre they are writing are by every chapter more thirsty lol,,so a lot of the stories are simply build ups for a ‘good’ sex scene
Shounen ai authors can simply play in their own sandbox and focus on the story bc they know if people read their stuff, it is only because of the story
one of the best moments is when the shounen ai gets added with a yaoi tag after the major season. best of both worlds
My asexual ass absolutely prefer shounen ai (in theory). The only reason to prefer yaoi is if you goon to it (in theory)
can't be the only one who lowkey prefers shounen ai over yaoi right? not because I'm a purist or anything but they just feel so different as a genre even though the only difference is the lack of smut??