Building intimate relations : queer male fan engagement with representation in the camp podcast 'My Dad Wrote a Porno'

Sammanfattning: This thesis investigates the unique queer male engagement with the podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno and its source material, the erotic novella Belinda Blinked. While gay or bisexual males are never present in the fictional story in the book series, queer male fans are amongst the most outspoken in online communities dedicated to the show. The matter of representation of queer males in media is a current one, as representation in popular media relates to higher self-acceptance within members of the community, as well as a larger acceptance of those members by the societies they are included in. This research interviewed 12 self-identifying queer male fans about their engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno, seeking to find how their engagement with the podcast is related to their feelings about the matter of representation in popular media. The research then analyzed the transcripts of those interviews using the Parameters of Engagement, which allowed for a broad overview of the most important aspects that are related to how uniquely queer male fans engage with the podcast and the source material. This study has found that what sets My Dad Wrote a Porno apart from other popular media that includes queer male representation is that the podcast is produced by people who are open-minded and discuss sexuality freely, which gives queer men the feeling of safety in that they will not be judged for their identities. The research has also found that queer male engagement with My Dad Wrote a Porno is found and sustained by the creation of a safe community between podcast hosts and fans. Additionally, queer male fan engagement seems to suggest that, in the presence of a safe space free of judgment, queer male representation can be not only unneeded, but its absence can also become an asset, as it avoids falling into the traps of stereotyping or oversexualizing gay or bisexual male characters.