Boy’s love drama exposure and attitudes toward same-sex relationships: Applying a moderated mediation model in the Chinese context

Abstract The booming queer pop culture of boy’s love (BL) dramas in China has been met with broad sociocultural concerns because of its pro-gay nature. The cultivation hypothesis posits that frequent exposure to specific media is related to the corresponding views and behaviors among their audiences. This study aimed to extend the genre-specific cultivation literature by examining the relationship between exposure to BL drama and attitudes toward same-sex relationships. This study also aimed to increase the explanatory power of cultivation hypothesis regarding active spectatorship by incorporating two new constructs of fandom studies. A moderated mediation model was examined using a convenience sample. The results indicated that (a) exposure to BL drama was positively associated with attitudes toward same-sex relationships, (b) fandom engagement mediated the link between exposure to BL dramas and attitudes toward same-sex relationships, and (c) in viewers who were “solo” fans, the moderated path was stronger between exposure to BL drama and fandom engagement, whereas in viewers who were “couple” fans, the moderated path was stronger between fandom engagement and attitudes toward same-sex relationships. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of genre-specific cultivation by active spectatorship in the context of China.