Fictosexuality

Last updated
Fictosexuality
DefinitionAttraction to fictional characters
Parent category Asexuality
Other terms
Associated terms

Fictosexuality is sexual attraction towards fictional characters. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Romantic attraction towards fictional characters is called fictoromantic. [4] [6]

Contents

The term fictosexuality describes the desire to engage in sexual or romantic relationships with a fictional character, [1] or the experience of desire for fictional sexual material distinct from desire for flesh-and-blood people. [1] [7] The asexual community has used the term to describe people who experience sexual attraction exclusively to fictional characters and not to real people, [1] [4] [5] although not all people who use the term to describe themselves also consider themselves asexual.[ citation needed ]

Terms in different languages

In Chinese, the term zhǐxìngliàn (simplified Chinese :纸性恋; traditional Chinese :紙性戀; lit.'paper sexuality') specifically refers to sexual attraction towards two-dimensional characters only. [3]

In Japanese, fikutosekushuaru (フィクトセクシュアル), a English loanword, is associated with nijikon, which is typically used to describe a sexual attraction towards two-dimensional anime, manga, and light novel characters, as opposed to attraction towards flesh-and-blood humans. [8] [9] However, the term fikutosekushuaru is distinct from nijikon and specifically pertains to a sexual identity. [1] [7]

Research

Relationship with fictional characters

Fictosexuality and fictromance are occasionally regarded as a form of parasocial relationship in media studies and game studies. [10] [11] However, Xiwen Liao points out that research on parasocial relationships often centers on unidirectional attachment from the audience to the character, thereby overlooking the intricate and diverse relationships between fictosexuals or fictromantics, and fictional characters. [3]

Some researchers have considered relationships with fictosexuals or fictoromantics and fictional characters as "animating relationship" in sociology and anthropology. [8] [3] Drawing on Teri Silvio's concept of "animation" and ontological anthropology, they argue that a character's interiority or personality is constituted through the relationships between the objects comprising the character and people. [2] [3]

Queer studies

Several asexual studies and introductory books on sexual minorities refer to fictosexuality. [5] [12] [13] [14] As part of studies on fictosexuality, researches on individuals who are exclusively sexually attracted to two-dimensional characters has been conducted. [9] These researchers have noted that such sexuality, akin to asexuality, forces us to reconsider dominant ideas about sexuality. [9] [15]

Queer theoretical research has also been conducted. In her analysis of the concept of "animation" and Hiroki Azuma's interpretation of Jacques Derrida, sociologist and queer theorist Yuu Matsuura argues that sexual attraction to fictional characters subverts established norms in a different manner from Judith Butler's performativity. [8] The subversion is "transforming the method of perception or the way of desire through animation constructing the beings of a category that did not exist before." [16] Matsuura also posits a theory that human-oriented sexualism is linked to heteronormativity and gender binarism. [2] [7] [8]

Through interviews conducted with fictosexual individuals, Matsuura discovered that they face the same forms of oppression due to compulsory sexuality as asexual individuals do. [9] Furthermore, it was also observed that sexual desire does not always entail a desire for sexual intercourse. [9] Just as not all allosexuals desire sexual contact, some fictosexual individuals do not desire interactive relationships with fictional characters. [1] [9] Matsuura's research indicates that these individuals are rendered invisible under amatonormativity. [1] Interview surveys indicate that the practices of fictosexual individuals present some possibilities to challenge compulsory sexuality and human-oriented sexualism. [3] [9]

Criticism, discrimination, and stigmatization

According to Matsuura, fictosexuals have been marginalized or concealed in societies that adhere to the norm of sexual attraction to human beings. They are occasionally stigmatized or pathologized. Fictosexuals also face prejudice from the LGBT community. Fictosexuality is often thought of as a preference and excluded from the LGBT community. [1]

Additionally, the sexual attraction towards fictional characters can be misrepresented as a mere inclination towards a human depicted in a particular style, whereas actually the attraction is directed towards a non-human entity. [8] [7] Some researchers and activists argue that considering the attraction to fictional underage characters as equivalent to a desire for a human child reflects a human-oriented sexualist biased view. [8] [lower-alpha 1]

Community and activism

Online communities and forums about fictosexuality exist. [1] [3] Taiwan Entrepot of Fictosexuality, a fictosexual activist organization, has been established in Taiwan, aligning with feminist bookstores and LGBTQ activists. [3] [7] Some activists have labeled the sexuality only attracted to manga/anime fictional characters as a "third sexual orientation," and Miles argues that "it is the criticism of non-real-world sex, sex outside a flesh-and-blood relationship, which drives much contemporary anti-pornography criticism and activism". [15] Criticism of human-oriented sexualism rebuts the assumption that ACG pornography sexualizes real women and promotes pedophilia, [1] [8] while simultaneously denouncing rape culture. [1] This critique is oriented towards solidarity with the feminist and LGBTQ movements. [2] [3] [7] [15]

Japanese school administrator Akihiko Kondo, who identifies as a fictosexual, [17] [18] symbolically married Hatsune Miku in 2018, attracting media attention. [19] In June 2023, he founded the General Incorporated Association of Fictosexuality, [20] [21] to provide comfort to fictosexuals, hold meetings with people that have similar views, and improve the understanding of the subject by the public. [22] As such, sources have identified him as someone who fights for the rights and acceptance of fictosexuals; [22] [23] Izumi Tsuji, secretary of the Japan Youth Study Group at Chuo University, where he is a sociology of culture professor, described Kondo as "a pioneer for the fictosexual movement". [23]

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ Yuu Matsuura criticizes the "asymmetry wherein hentai content is subject to unilateral problematizing, while human-oriented sexuality is presumed as self-evident" and presents an ethical question, "Why is the issue that hentai content purportedly causes not labeled as the 'human-oriented sexuality issues'?" [8]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asexuality</span> Lack of sexual attraction to others

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 Matsuura, Yuu (2024). Tsuji, Yosuke; Sakamaki, Shitone (eds.). "素肉は肉より出でて、しかし肉には非らず──ヒューマノジェンダリズム批判序説" [Mock Meat, That Imitates Meat but Is Not Meat—An Introduction to Criticism of Humano-Genderism]. Ghost in the Shell Official Global Site. Ghost in the Shell M.M.A. - Messed Mesh Ambitions_. Kodansha.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Liao, Xiwen (2024). "紙性戀處境及其悖論: 情動、想像與賦生關係" [On Fictosexual Position and its Paradox: Affacts, Imaginary, and Animating Relationships]. In 劉定綱; 李衣雲 (eds.). 故事與另外的世界：台灣ACG研究學會年會論文集 (in Chinese). Vol. 1. 奇異果文創事業有限公司. ISBN   9786269807680.
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  5. 1 2 3 Daigle-Orians, Cody (21 February 2023). I Am Ace: Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Life. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN   978-1839972621.
  6. ↑ Rendle, Samantha (2023). Hopeless aromantic: an affirmative guide to aromanticism. London ; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN   978-1-83997-367-3.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Matsuura, Yuu (2023). "Basic Terms of Fictosexuality Studies". Research Map. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Matsuura, Yuu (2022). アニメーション的な誤配としての多重見当識：非対人性愛的な「二次元」へのセクシュアリティに関する理論的考察 [Multiple Orientations as Animating Misdelivery: Theoretical Considerations on Sexuality Attracted to Nijigen (Two-Dimensional) Objects]. Gender Studies (Thesis) (in Japanese). Institute for Gender Studies, Ochanomizu University. pp. 139–157. doi:10.24567/0002000551.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Matsuura, Yuu (2021). 二次元の性的表現による「現実性愛」の相対化の可能性――現実の他者へ性的に惹かれない「オタク」「腐女子」の語りを事例として [The Possibility of Relativization of Compulsory Sexuality by Nonrealistic Sexual Fantasy: Based on the Narration of "Otaku" and "Fujoshi" Who Do Not Experience Sexual or Romantic Attraction to Real People]. Japan Sociologist (in Japanese) (5): 116–136. ISBN   9784788517073.
  10. ↑ Blom, Joleen (2022). Grabarczyk, Pawel (ed.). "Game Character". Encyclopedia of Ludic Terms.
  11. ↑ Bruno, Luca (2023-12-23). "To (Sub)Serve Man. Role Language and Intimate Scripts in Kioku no Dizorubu". LEA - Lingue e Letterature d'Oriente e d'Occidente. 12: 99–116. doi:10.36253/lea-1824-484x-14474. ISSN   1824-484X.
  12. ↑ Yule, Morag A.; Brotto, Lori A.; Gorzalka, Boris B. (2017). "Sexual Fantasy and Masturbation Among Asexual Individuals: An In-Depth Exploration" (PDF). Archives of Sexual Behavior. 46 (1): 311–328. doi:10.1007/s10508-016-0870-8. PMID   27882477. S2CID   254264133.
  13. ↑ Matsuura, Yuu (2020). アセクシュアル研究におけるセクシュアルノーマティヴィティ概念の理論的意義と日本社会への適用可能性 [The Concept of Compulsory Sexuality: Theoretical Meaning and Applicability to Japanese Society]. Journal of Sociological Society of West Japan (in Japanese). 18: 89–101. doi:10.32197/sswj.18.0_89.
  14. ↑ Palettalk (2021). マンガでわかるLGBTQ+[Comic Book for Learning LGBTQ+] (in Japanese). Kodansha Ltd. p. 35. ISBN   9784065224922.
  15. 1 2 3 Miles, Elizabeth (2020). "Porn as Practice, Porn as Access: Pornography Consumption and a ʻThird Sexual Orientationʼ in Japan". Porn Studies. 7 (3): 269–278. doi:10.1080/23268743.2020.1726205.
  16. ↑ Matsuura, Yuu (2022). メタファーとしての美少女：アニメーション的な誤配によるジェンダー・トラブル [Bishōjo as Metaphor: Gender Trouble by Animating Misdelivery]. La revue de la pensée d'aujourd'hui (in Japanese). 50 (11): 63–75. ISBN   9784791714353.
  17. ↑ Dooley, Ben; Ueno, Hisako (April 24, 2022). "This Man Married a Fictional Character. He'd Like You to Hear Him Out". The New York Times . Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  18. ↑ Kazuyuki, Ito (May 18, 2023). "Man finds bliss after 'marrying' virtual idol Hatsune Miku". The Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  19. ↑ Katashibu, Yohei (2018-11-21). "批判もあったが「勇気付けられた」 初音ミクさんとの"本気の挙式"を終えて" [Despite Criticism, "It Gave Me Courage" - Ending the "Serious Wedding" with Hatsune Miku]. ITmedia (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  20. ↑ Kondo, Akihiko [@akihikokondosk] (June 29, 2023). "I founded the general incorporated association of fictosexuality. This is an organization whose main purpose is to promote understanding of fictosexuality, which is a sexual orientation that is attracted to fictional characters such as manga, anime, and games. I will do my best" (Tweet). Retrieved 2024-04-08– via Twitter.
  21. ↑ "Man, married to virtual pop star for 4 years, starts Association of Fictosexuality". Yahoo News. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  22. 1 2 Obuno, Yuka (2023-07-01). "Tokyo man 'married' to virtual singer Hatsune Miku fights for acceptance of 'fictosexuals'". The Mainichi . Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  23. 1 2 Ryall, Julian (2023-09-15). "Japan: Man married to fictional character fights for rights". Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 2024-04-06.
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