Globalized Fandom: the Ou Mei Tong Ren Culture in China

This paper discusses the fandom culture of "ou mei tong ren" in China. "Ou mei" refers to "Western," and "tong ren" are the fan community that create derivative works based on an original text. Although "ou mei tong ren" culture is similar to "slash" fandom in the West, it is originated from Japanese Boys' Love and Dojin culture. This paper examines the globalized history of "ou mei tong ren" fandom. Furthermore, it associates the "ou mei tong ren" fandom with the recent gender studies and the changing discourse of feminism in China, and the government’s attitude towards this subculture community.