Trigger Warning: This article discusses homophobic and transgender comments from the author of You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale.
The author of You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale has been accused of making discriminatory comments towards the LGBTQ+ community.
In a message on Plurk, a popular social network and microblogging service in Taiwan, Hei Dan Bai announced that their danmei novel You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale has been issued by Seven Seas Entertainment. Official release in English. The Plurk post has since been deleted due to the author’s past homophobic and transgender comments coming to light. Seven Seas has not announced an official license for the novel. The publishing company also does not comment on author’s discriminatory comments.
In a Twitter thread, the gently shared screenshots were indescribable about the anti-transgender and anti-gay rhetoric the author made to help “spread awareness.” Twitter users urged readers and fans to “DO NOT search for the author. Do not attempt to make malicious or malicious attacks of any kind against the author. We do not accept hostility of any kind.”
Danmei fans are horrified by the author’s rhetoric
Fans have expressed horror, dismay and shock at the comments. Many have noted the terrible irony of a quirky and sublime author who writes danmei, a genre that focuses on romantic relationships between men. One Twitter user wrote, “God, this is really a case of a woman fetishizing gay men and profiting from them while at the same time being discriminating against wtf.” Another wrote, “It’s disappointing to see an author profit from danmei when they are so hostile towards the community. Just big red flags when it comes to rhetoric.” Many others stated they would not buy the book if it were to be released internationally.
You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale follows Wu Xingzi, a thirty-nine-year-old bachelor who works as an advisor to a magistrate in Qingcheng Country. Nearing his 40th birthday, Wu Xingzi decides to commit suicide because everything in his life seems hopeless: he is gay, he has almost no money in his retirement, he’s not particularly memorable in terms of looks. However, one thing he refuses to do is die a virgin. Educating himself, he joined Peng Society for Gentlemen, the historic version of a dating site, paying a monthly fee of 50 cents and hoping to succeed on his first try.
There is currently no announcement regarding the official licensing of You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale.
Source: Twitter, Plurk