Dangerous pleasures : queering "women" in Chinese nisu fan culture

Abstract

In the Chinese online sphere, the prevailing conception of “nisu” pertains to female fans who view male idols as endearing young girls and indulge in fantasies of having them as romantic partners. However, referring to males using feminine terms contradicts traditional Chinese cultural norms, leading to substantial controversies within fandoms regarding the term “nisu.” Despite these disputes, “nisu” has gained remarkable popularity and has proliferated extensively across diverse fandoms. By situating activities and texts related to nisu bots within the broader sociocultural milieu, this thesis explores how nisu fans’ perceptions of gender and sexuality have evolved within transnational and cross-historical contexts. Specifically, it examines the representations and receptions of male effeminacy, considering their implications on nisu culture. Furthermore, the thesis argues that nisu culture, in conjunction with contemporary Chinese national sissyphobia, collectively embodies the dual facets of a “postcolonial modernity,” offering insights into gender-related anxieties of the period. Amidst the diverse range of responses, fan writing serves as a transhistorical method that allows for the reinterpretation and reshaping of this reality into a utopian landscape. Focusing on the fan culture context in which nisu emerged, this thesis zooms in on specific nisu bots as sources of contention and marginalized data collections. It critically examines the experiences of these bots from 2018 to 2021 and analyzes the artistic contributions found within them. In contrast to centralized fandoms that are intertwined with state and market power dynamics, nisu bots exemplify an alternative trajectory within globally and locally networked participatory cyberculture. By utilizing bot infrastructure, the evolution of nisu culture highlights the flexible nature of fan identities as well as minority identities. Drawing upon a comparative and reparative approach, this thesis extensively explores nisu culture through the analysis of various sources such as writings, online discussions, interviews, and citations from previous research. It delves deeper into understanding the participants, the nisu mechanism, and the motivating desires that drive this cultural phenomenon. Within the nisu community, many fans navigate between embracing and transcending the traditional “sex/body” dichotomy, demonstrating a fluid understanding of their own gender positions as they engage with nisu. By critically examining nisu through the lens of transgenderism and within the context of capitalism, this thesis reflects on the ambivalence and transgressive potentials that fandoms offer as unique “middle grounds.”