fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2505 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2505 ⌋

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It's not uniquely Japanese at all. It's just the over-the-top surprise that happens when an anime turns out to be 100% cis people. Like yeah, no shit. I think Japan has more cross-dressing and stuff like that in their stories on average because of having a different idea of machismo and a different history with it, so that gets peoples hopes up but inevitably doesn't deliver because Japan is a country steeped in gender roles and sexism. MORE SO THAN THE US. I'm not against the disappointment, I'm against the surprise. It's willfully ignorant at a certain point and then you get to throw a big theatrical fit on you blog and have people flock to you telling you how they were totally betrayed too ;----;

In America you have a better chance, because most writers at least have had some education in a liberal environment and maybe picked something up? Fingers crossed? Your disappointment is a lot more grounded because you can at least honestly say "Hey. This show should know better. We deserve better."

But then there seems to be a large chunk of the anime/manga fandom that genuinely believe Japan cares about western fans and their support at all (PFFTTHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA) so this lack of distinguishing between the two is understandable.

Edited 2013-11-12 01:36 (UTC)

I've lived in Japan and I studied gender roles and stereotypes in Japan (with an emphasis on LGBTQ) in my final year of uni, and I can agree with this 100%. I used to watch Arashi's variety shows (C/D/G no Arashi and Arashi no Shukudai-kun in particular), and the D and G no Arashi (Document Press Arashi and ... I can't remember what the G stood for, but the premise was — essentially, if I remember correctly — supporting groups of people who were either marginalised, a minority, or involved in something that had a very small following/public awareness). They had a series of "new half" specials (new half being the term for trans* individuals, generally MtF as FtM seems to be practically unheard of in comparison) where they supported these various women with something in their lives — generally helping them ~find the courage~ to ask a cis man out on a date, by aiding them in attempting to find out whether or not the cis guy would even be accepting of them.

Heartwarmingly, it worked out on several occasions, and there was an episode where I think the ... first? couple they helped out re-appeared in the show to help out and to talk about their relationship and ...I don't recall them talking about the difficulties, but I know they were asked (essentially) "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SEX??"

In retrospect, it was actually quite ... progressive, given Japan's general attitude towards trans* individuals and issues in that it treated them as real people with real concerns. Whilst Japan does have a number of MtF celebrities and TV stars (Haruna Ai) and even an out politician (Aya Kamikawa), the general perception is that it's fine and great as long as it's restricted to entertainment and comedy, which is pretty par the course for modern Japan and its attitudes towards gender and sexuality that falls outside of the binary or whatever's considered "normal". I've noticed (or at least, I did back when I dabbled in fandom more) that this was something that a lot of western fans missed. Like, even with manga, from what I recall*, a lot of the crossdressing characters are played for laugh and that in and of itself says a lot about how Japan at large views it.

*feel free to correct me, it has been many a moon and I was never a big reader of manga!

tl;dr BLAH BLAH BLAH JAPAN IS NOT THE PERFECT HEAVENLY HAVEN WHERE EVERYONE IS ACCEPTED REGARDLESS OF RACE AND GENDER good god I hate how people actually think that it's a thing.

Edited 2013-11-12 09:49 (UTC)

To add onto crossdressing being played for laughs, it also seems to me that trans* characters, especially trans girls and trans women, are heavily fetishized.

Yeah, I'm surprised at how many people think Japan is some super awesome progressive liberal place. It's actually somewhat racist and everything you said.

It boggles the mind. Japan is pretty consevative.

[ SECRET POST #2505 ]

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