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Building intimate relations : queer male fan engagement with representation in the camp podcast 'My Dad Wrote a Porno'

Leão Silva de Aquino Alves, Lucas LU (2023) MKVM13 20231
Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
Abstract
This thesis investigates the unique queer male engagement with the podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno and its source material, the erotic novella Belinda Blinked. While gay or bisexual males are never present in the fictional story in the book series, queer male fans are amongst the most outspoken in online communities dedicated to the show. The matter of representation of queer males in media is a current one, as representation in popular media relates to higher self-acceptance within members of the community, as well as a larger acceptance of those members by the societies they are included in.
This research interviewed 12 self-identifying queer male fans about their engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno, seeking to find how their engagement... (More)
This thesis investigates the unique queer male engagement with the podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno and its source material, the erotic novella Belinda Blinked. While gay or bisexual males are never present in the fictional story in the book series, queer male fans are amongst the most outspoken in online communities dedicated to the show. The matter of representation of queer males in media is a current one, as representation in popular media relates to higher self-acceptance within members of the community, as well as a larger acceptance of those members by the societies they are included in.
This research interviewed 12 self-identifying queer male fans about their engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno, seeking to find how their engagement with the podcast is related to their feelings about the matter of representation in popular media. The research then analyzed the transcripts of those interviews using the Parameters of Engagement, which allowed for a broad overview of the most important aspects that are related to how uniquely queer male fans engage with the podcast and the source material.
This study has found that what sets My Dad Wrote a Porno apart from other popular media that includes queer male representation is that the podcast is produced by people who are open-minded and discuss sexuality freely, which gives queer men the feeling of safety in that they will not be judged for their identities. The research has also found that queer male engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno is found and sustained by the creation of a safe community between podcast hosts and fans. Additionally, queer male fan engagement seems to suggest that, in the presence of a safe space free of judgment, queer male representation can be not only unneeded, but its absence can also become an asset, as it avoids falling into the traps of stereotyping or oversexualizing gay or bisexual male characters. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Leão Silva de Aquino Alves, Lucas LU
supervisor
organization
course
MKVM13 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
fan engagement, media representation, queer male representation, gay media representation
language
English
id
9114426
date added to LUP
2023-06-15 15:37:36
date last changed
2023-06-15 15:37:36
@misc{9114426,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates the unique queer male engagement with the podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno and its source material, the erotic novella Belinda Blinked. While gay or bisexual males are never present in the fictional story in the book series, queer male fans are amongst the most outspoken in online communities dedicated to the show. The matter of representation of queer males in media is a current one, as representation in popular media relates to higher self-acceptance within members of the community, as well as a larger acceptance of those members by the societies they are included in.
This research interviewed 12 self-identifying queer male fans about their engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno, seeking to find how their engagement with the podcast is related to their feelings about the matter of representation in popular media. The research then analyzed the transcripts of those interviews using the Parameters of Engagement, which allowed for a broad overview of the most important aspects that are related to how uniquely queer male fans engage with the podcast and the source material.
This study has found that what sets My Dad Wrote a Porno apart from other popular media that includes queer male representation is that the podcast is produced by people who are open-minded and discuss sexuality freely, which gives queer men the feeling of safety in that they will not be judged for their identities. The research has also found that queer male engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno is found and sustained by the creation of a safe community between podcast hosts and fans. Additionally, queer male fan engagement seems to suggest that, in the presence of a safe space free of judgment, queer male representation can be not only unneeded, but its absence can also become an asset, as it avoids falling into the traps of stereotyping or oversexualizing gay or bisexual male characters.}},
  author       = {{Leão Silva de Aquino Alves, Lucas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Building intimate relations : queer male fan engagement with representation in the camp podcast 'My Dad Wrote a Porno'}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}