Woman-oriented male/male content has been the subject of study for decades. Women’s interest in media such as boys’ love, slash fanfiction, and male/male pornography have a long history. A newer genre of male/male content, woman authors and readers also dominate male/male romance novels (MMRNs). Using feminist literary criticism, reader response theory, sexual script theory, and queer theory, I explore women’s interest in creating and consuming male/male sexual and romantic content. Data from a qualitative content analysis of 50 MMRNs and 48 semistructured interviews with woman and woman-presenting MMRN readers and authors provides an in-depth exploration into the genre and the women behind it. Through this analysis, I investigate women’s motivation for reading and writing MMRNs, as well as how the novels impact them. Qualitative analysis of the novel content and interviews reveal the interplay between readers, authors, and text and how the themes of MMRNs relate to and reflect sociopolitical issues. Furthermore, an examination of the erotic scenes in MMRNs reveals sexual scripts around consent, kink, and sexual practices among the characters. These sexual scripts mirror and disrupt sexual scripts and experiences of MMRN readers and authors. This nuanced analysis of the MMRN genre in conjunction with interviews of MMRN readers and authors demonstrates a complex understanding of a genre that has been diminished for its romantic focus, its spotlight of male/male relationships, and large woman fanbase.
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Sedgwick (1997) proposed the idea of queer reading—a joining of literary criticism and queer theory in which the reader evaluates the queer world and self through queer centered readings. [...] As women read and write MMRNs, they understand pieces of their queer selves and they push back against heteronormative and patriarchal thinking. (14)
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while a high percentage of MMRN readers identified as heterosexual (37.1%), the community of MMRN readers was diverse in age and sexual identities. (18)
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MMRNs open the door for many participants who want a love story free of (or scarce on) gender differences, misogyny, stereotypes of women’s experiences, and toxic masculinity. Though they can distance themselves from depictions of female protagonists and comparing their own experiences, they are still closely interacting with the text. (40)
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MMRN readers and authors are utilizing MMRNs to promote healing of past traumas and current struggles, as well as explore their own queerness. (41)
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“Own voices” authorship was a common topic in interviews and MMRN readers and authors had many opinions. Own voices is a complicated topic. (53)
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Many participants referenced a retreat from toxic masculinity as a motivation for reading MMRNs, while others discussed the advantage of gaining a perspective outside their own. In this section, I further the conversation by investigating how mental health, disability, diversity, and masculinities are being portrayed in MMRNs. Participants provide opinions of how these portrayals have shifted over time, how they mirror or differ from our current society, and what future changes readers and authors would like to see in the genre. (73)
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As illustrated in Table 2, of the 50 MMRNs analyzed, 78% (n = 39) featured at least one main character either diagnosed with anxiety or describing symptoms of anxiety and 44% (n = 22) were either diagnosed with depression or described symptoms of depression. Thirty-six percent (n = 18) of MMRNs featured at least one main character with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or describing symptoms of PTSD, 14% (n = 7) experienced past mental/emotional abuse (e.g., gaslighting, conditional love), 4% (n = 2) experienced past physical abuse, 24% (n = 12) featured main characters who had experienced more than one type of abuse (physical, mental/emotional, or sexual abuse). (77)
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In addition to mental health themes (e.g., anxiety, depression, and past trauma), six MMRNs (12%) featured a main character who had been in a previous toxic relationship or been a victim of intimate partner violence. Fifty-four percent (n = 27) of MMRNs analyzed featured at least one main character who had lost a family member to death and 28% (n = 14) were estranged from at least one member of their family. 8% (n = 4) had a main character who experienced sexual assault or attempted sexual assault in the novel, and 38% (n = 19) included at least one main character who was physically assaulted (e.g., punched, slapped, shot, etc.). Finally, 8% (n = 4) of MMRNs contain a main character who was kidnapped. (79-80)
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In my analysis I found that 8% (n = 4) of MMRNs featured a main character with a physical disability. Two MMRNs (4%) had a main protagonist who was an amputee and had lost a leg (Mayne, 2021; Rose, 2022a). A third book contained a character that had movement limitations on one side of his body because of a childhood accident (Cooper, 2022). Finally, another novel had a main character who had ADHD and Type 1 diabetes (Rose, 2022b). (81)
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Within MMRNs, which are typically self-published, there is still a lack of racial diversity. Some participants noting that the stories are consistently built around a White couple. This merits the conversation around what groups or populations, outside of the ones someone belongs to, can be written. For instance, a woman, queer or not, can feel comfortable writing a story about queer men, but a White woman is not given the same allowance to write about queer men of color. Participants discussed what changes they have seen in diverse representation in MMRNs, how MMRNs are still struggling with diversity, and how power and privilege play into who is allowed to write a character’s story. (86)
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Though I found only 1 of the 101 main characters identified as a transgender man, there were many other representations of diverse gender identity and expressions. For example, transgender or nonbinary side characters were featured in 6% of the novels and 22% of novels portrayed a main or side character who expressed themselves by wearing make-up, heels, crop tops, or nail polish. This data suggests a readiness to accept and represent diverse expressions of masculinity. The lack of transgender main characters can be a result of a persistence of cisnormativity or a further demonstration of the power rules that have been put in place by MMRN readers and authors. That is, it is acceptable for a woman to write the story of a queer cisgender man, but as there was reluctance to write about queer men of color or queer disabled men, there may be hesitancy to write the experience of a transgender man. (92)
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I found that 27% of main characters were athletes for high school (2%), college (15%), or professional, active (4%) or retired (6%) depending on their age. Many other careers that characters had also required some level of physicality and strength, for instance, manual labor (14%) and military (active or retired)/mercenary/assassin (16%). Not only do these jobs require strength and musculature, but they are also typically masculine careers (Table 5). (95)
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My analysis showed that all 50 novels depicted a main character being vulnerable with their partner and practicing open communication. In addition to allowing themselves to be vulnerable, characters also regularly cried or teared up. Out of 50 novels, 46% depicted both main characters crying, 42% depicted one main character crying, and only 12% did not portray either character cry. (99)
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Generally, studies on consent in the romance genre spotlight heterosexual sexual relationships and sexual scripts (Hernandez, 2024; Ménard & Cabrera, 2011; Speese, 2024). In this chapter, I use a combined framework of RRT, queer theory, and sexual script theory to explore how women readers and authors interpret and portray sexual consent among male characters. Through interviews with readers and authors as well as my QCA of the 50 novels, I highlight sexual scripts of desirable consent and the meaning that readers and authors apply to them. For instance, several participants included sexual health discussions as an extension of consent.
For readers and authors of MMRNs, there was a common expectation that if characters were having sex, they were doing so responsibly. Meaning, they had asked for consent and used a condom or had a discussion of health status prior to sexual activity. To align with this inclusion, I have included condom usage and discussions of STD/STI status in MMRNs in this chapter as well. This chapter also considers how gender and heteronormative sexual scripts impact the use of verbal and nonverbal consent. In addition to different forms of enthusiastic and informed consent, participants also discussed the presence of dubious consent (dubcon) in MMRNs. Throughout this chapter, MMRN readers and authors paint a picture of how consent is written in MMRNs, how they interpret these portrayals, and how they would like to see consent depicted. (117)
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Though masculinity is present in MMRNs, it is seen as an attractive, healthier, more fluid form of masculinity. Author Cecilia enjoys playing with masculinity and consent when writing her M/M relationships:
I think it hits a little bit different to have this uber masculine character being the one who’s stopping things out of respect for his partner. It just hits a different way for me. … And especially right now I’m working on a [dragon] shifter romance … them actually being animals in some aspect, but still being like, “No, I need consent, we need to stop,” is very powerful. (Cecilia, White, queer, asexual, pansexual, 25–34)
Cecilia touches not only on the importance of a masculine person requesting consent and being willing to stop sexual contact but also references the opinion that men’s sexual needs are ingrained and animalistic. She uses her writing to draw attention to both these ideas, showing that masculinity can be maintained alongside sexual relationships that are consensual and caring. (130)
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For many participants, their desire for detailed or vague preparation centered around the ideas of pleasure (e.g., making sure the partner is stretched and lubed) and cleanliness (e.g., depicting douching and showering or not acknowledging the messiness to keep the fantasy in place). (150)
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This section demonstrates how readers and authors respond, mentally and viscerally, to various kinks they have encountered in the MMRN genre. I will note that though there were varying opinions on kink in MMRNs, many participants were clear that their views were based on the content of romance novels, not on the lived experiences of the kink community. (156)
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The queering of this genre may not appear radical, but it has created a safety net in which to invoke critical thinking and dispel heteronormative ideas on a level that is digestible and enjoyable. Seeking escape or asylum from the burdensome, at times painful, heteronormative, hegemonic ideals, MMRN readers and authors created and engaged with a space that is in motion. (182)
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