<![CDATA[Queer representation in popular culture often operates within a tension between resistance to heteronormative norms and the market-driven commodification of queer identities. This study examined how lesbian relationships were portrayed in the manhua “Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!” by Ciwei, focusing on the functions of the narrative as queer subversion or as a commodified cultural product. Despite the growing evidence of female–female romance in yuri narratives, limited research has explored how such representations simultaneously negotiate identity and market logic. Drawing on Butler’s theory of gender performativity and Kellner’s theory of the cultural industry, this study employed a qualitative descriptive method. The data, which consisted of dialogues, narrative scenes, and visual interactions from the first ten chapters of the manhua, were analyzed through discourse and textual analysis. The findings revealed that queer subversion was the dominant representational strategy, particularly through resistance to heteronormativity, role reversal, and gender performativity, which affirmed same-sex intimacy and emotional commitment. However, the study also identified commodification strategies, mainly emotional selling points and simplification of queer identity, which framed queer intimacy as market-friendly. These findings indicated that while lesbian representation in the manhua was explicit and affirmative, it was also shaped by popular culture conventions and commercial interests. Overall, this study concluded that queer identity in “Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!” existed within a negotiated space between visibility, resistance, and commodification in contemporary popular media.]]>
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