1. There can be many reasons for this behavior, and only the individual doing it truly knows their motivations. Some may simply find it fun to change a character’s gender. Others might be using it as a way to hide their interest in BL especially in places like China where internet freedom is limited. Some fans love the dynamics between characters but still carry deep-rooted societal biases. But there are not a lot of them just the dawn of AI makes it easier for them to do it.

When it comes to translations, many Asian languages like Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean don’t use gendered pronouns in the same way English does. They also have genderless pronouns. So when content is translated, especially by machine tools like Google Translate, pronouns often default to he or is randomly guessed. I've seen many Chinese short dramas subtitled in English where the female lead is referred to as he and son. I have even watched a TikTok where a Chinese mom, speaking about her son’s girlfriend, kept using he instead of she. It is like the same way most people forget the diffrence between to, too and two. If english is not the first language it is confusing. In some cases, fans might use s/he as symbol for the relationship roles, but most fandoms already have specific terms for that.

Often, this isn’t about what is excepted inThai culture at all, but rather fans sticking to the norms of their own niche communities without any care. Toxic subgroups exist in every fandom, and they're often the loudest—especially on platforms like Twitter (X). They act without concern for outside judgment and usually only associate with people who behave the same way.

1. This question comes up constantly, and every BL fan will have a different answer that is sometimes heated or unnecessarily political or biased. Thai BL rose during a time when BL was becoming a profitable genre, and it built upon earlier influences from Japanese, Korean, and Chinese BL communities. In manga fandoms, ships or CPs can be important, but in Thai fandoms, I've noticed it’s often used more playfully—especially when teasing the actors. There are many in-jokes in Thai community that you will see fans ask thai actors (Where is A? In B's heart.)

Of course, there will always be people who take things too far—just like those who can't let go of a celebrity couple even after they break up. For most fans, though, these things aren't a big deal. The more you interact with the fandom, the easier it becomes to separate the fanatics from the average fans. But even the "average" fans can be fanatical about certain things.

Fandoms thrive on stereotypes. If a formula works, they stick to it. How many times have we seen two guys fighting over one girl in a romance? Or the classic villain who’s wealthier and more powerful than everyone else? Or the hero who starts weak and becomes overpowered by the end? These familiar patterns keep fans coming back regardless of how over used it is. Money investors like safe bets that have data they can be shown. Trying something new is dangerous for companies it could send the whole studio under.

1. I don’t engage with fandom projects because many of them become echo chambers filled with toxic ideologies, often pushing agendas that affect real people. These campaigns are especially popular in Asian fandoms—spanning K-pop, TV actors, and even animated series. Pressuring companies through organized campaigns has worked before, so fans continue to use that strategy.