NEGOTIATING SEXUALITIES: ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE AS THE GATEWAY TO LGBTQ+ ACCEPTANCE

The development of technology now has brought a lot of space for people to express their thoughts. Today, social media is a major platform for sharing ideas and facilitating the exchange of thoughts among people. In recent years, Alternative Universe has become a part of fan fiction that has attracted many young people. As a popular culture, Alternative Universe can generate interaction among fans in online communities, especially on the X platform. By using the netnography research method, this paper will explore and look deeper into the production and dissemination of homosexual AU until readers accept them. This paper will also try to explore why many readers are interested in reading and accepting homosexuals in fiction but not in the reality. The findings of this study show that the majority of homosexual AU readers are female. For them, AU is a medium that serves to express feelings related to objectification that is often experienced, as well as a space to explore their sexuality. In a fictionalized context, readers can create and consume narratives that challenge social norms such as gender stereotypes and taboo sexual relationships. The findings of this study are expected to provide greater insight into how social media and popular culture can influence young people's views on sensitive issues such as homosexuality.