Is it ok to watch a media that promote homosexuality?

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'Going to hell' in Buddhism is not like in Christianity, it is not a judgement. Ksitigharba went to hell, and is a bodhisattva.

You should read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_sexual_orientation

Stigma, and denying or silencing issues around sexuality, cause huge amounts of suffering, prevent reporting and accountability, and make many people's traumas more difficult to recover from.

Buddhist monastic sanghas, as described in the Wikipedia article, had specific issues in terms of maintaining the reputation of the sangha, given monks relied on alms from the community to be able to practice. It is clear though that sexual misconduct in Buddhism is about harms, and in modern times we understand h*m*sexual relationships can be conducted without harms, and that many of the historical associations with harms were actually a result of social stigma, and of having been pushed to the edges of society and lacking social support and protections. Gay marriage must be seen as a positive, making lasting commitments to mutual support and family life. Issues around rape and sexual exploitation among boy bands, are absolutely sexual misconduct, in Buddhism and wider society, but must be separated from h*m*sexuality more generally. The studio system in Korea, is far more the problem in that regard, than sexuality.

I found this article on the emergence of Yaoi manga very interesting: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35714067 Yaoi as an overwhelmingly female-led genre, in terms of both writers and readers, is a fascinating example of women getting to explore their own sexuality in their own way, where sexual awkwardness, discomfort with sex acts, and with sexual persona and societies views, can be explored through the alternate gender. The origin of the word yaoi comes from a (self-deprecating & somewhat ironic) portmanteau of "no climax, no point, no meaning", which highlights how it is (primarily) about romance and flirting, rather than being p**n.

Such gender and sexuality exploration, where hard boundaries are not so enforced (ie, 'you are this or that category even by one experience' or even just curiosity, making it more difficult for people to explore and understand themselves), is as I understand it part of the global rise of Kpop, and especially part of it's appeal among teenage girls. Eg BTS the first Kpop band to be nominated for the Grammies https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/42565/1/bts-gender-fluidity-teen-angst-column

Androgeny and gender-nonconformity has commonly been a feature of music and musicians where the fan base is primarily female, which can be linked to the easing of pressure on girls to conform to gender roles and express gendered behaviours. This has generally helped support social progress and freedom of expression for all. Sexuality is a powerful factor, in the lives of individuals and in society and culture; I suggest that a measure of playfulness and humour about it, can help release the grip it can take on our minds.

Celebrities are like the devas: not in the best realm for awakening, which is to be an ordinary human. Because devas are likely to be distracted or self-satisfied in ways that don't help with spiritual practice. Monks are not allowed music, or to watch theatre, but they dedicate themselves full time to Buddhist practice, and that is not the only way to benefit from Buddhism. As a lay person, some ways of following celebrities can be unhealthy, taking on bad influences or attitudes, using them as a distraction, or feeling bad by comparing yourself. But there can absolutely be positive influences, though they are probably much less common. Taylor Swift is I think a great example of someone using their influence positively.

I have to say, the Kpop industry sounds INTENSELY exploitative of young people, I don't know how that can be changed by fans, but I hope it will be. Singers getting to speak out, and supporting independent singers who've left the big labels, may be part of it.

Upvote:1

Buddhism deals with suffering and how to become permanently free from it.

Superficial and conceptual things like sexuality are useless in that regard, hence the focus merely on ultimate reality.

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