Yaoi is a term used to describe comics, artwork, and anime related to male-male romantic relationships within popular Japanese media. There are several synonyms for yaoi, including Shounen Ai, which denotes "boy love," and BL - which stands for "boys love." Additionally, some people may use the term "slash" to refer to male-male romance in fanfiction and fanart. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they each have slightly different connotations within the broader genre of male-male fiction. While yaoi specifically refers to Japanese media, Shounen Ai and BL have more international connotations and are often used to refer to non-Japanese media with similar themes.