(no subject)
14 Mar 2005 02:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mayoraaseiMost people probably won't even be bothered to read this...
Someone's rant on homophobia
Personally, I'm usually against most yaoi pairings. That's because I simply don't see how they are homosexual at all. I've read justifications on how they ARE gay, and often times they seem just far-fetched, unconvincing excuses that result from people reading too much into things.
(Stuff like: OMG!!! Look at how close Kurama's hand is to Hiei's in this picture!!!!)
I think the whole "you're homophobic because you're American, Japs don't have problems with things like that" is a misconception. It's because of the western way of thinking that there are so many weird homosexual pairings.
In Asian philosophy, friendship is one of the most important things for a "true man" to uphold. People are often measured by how loyal they are to their friends - and this relationship was quite sometimes regarded as more important than your marriage. Which means, a lot of the really close bonds between two male characters are really just an embodiment of these values. This would particularly be the case in action-type shounen, where strong interdependency are forged between team members, and they go to extraordinary lengths to protect each other. It's not your average idea of "romantic love", nor does it necessarily entail anything sexual.
In western society, especially that of today, guys aren't expected to be intimate or open with each other. I'd even dare say that there never was, in western society, such a deeply rooted philosophy concerning friendship as a measure of manhood. I think that's part of the reason why a lot of American fans look at two very close male characters and squeal "oooooh, they must be gay!!!111"
So, Kurama and Hiei aren't gay. They are two comrades that, in a world where they can trust very few people, have found that they could depend on and trust each other. Inuyasha isn't gay, because, heck, he's obsessively in love with TWO women. And just because a guy has long hair does not mean he is gay.
And I fail to see how Fruits Basket contain so many homosexual themes, considering that Akito is female (oh, I'm sure everyone here got spoiled to that already). There never was Ayame x Shigure x Hatori (in any combination), because the whole "Aya, I won't let you sleep tonight~" was an outright joke, and you'd be an idiot if you didn't see that. BESIDES the fact that Shigure is sexually harrassing half a dozen women. Hatsuharu and Yuki I can understand, but I don't think it could ever be counted as more than an emotional attachment, what with Haru running after Rin all the time now.
I also think there's a vast difference between a transvestite and a homosexual.
Gah, sorry for clogging up everyone's pages with such a long rant >.< *Hands out daisies to everyone who bothered to read it all*
Someone's rant on homophobia
Personally, I'm usually against most yaoi pairings. That's because I simply don't see how they are homosexual at all. I've read justifications on how they ARE gay, and often times they seem just far-fetched, unconvincing excuses that result from people reading too much into things.
(Stuff like: OMG!!! Look at how close Kurama's hand is to Hiei's in this picture!!!!)
I think the whole "you're homophobic because you're American, Japs don't have problems with things like that" is a misconception. It's because of the western way of thinking that there are so many weird homosexual pairings.
In Asian philosophy, friendship is one of the most important things for a "true man" to uphold. People are often measured by how loyal they are to their friends - and this relationship was quite sometimes regarded as more important than your marriage. Which means, a lot of the really close bonds between two male characters are really just an embodiment of these values. This would particularly be the case in action-type shounen, where strong interdependency are forged between team members, and they go to extraordinary lengths to protect each other. It's not your average idea of "romantic love", nor does it necessarily entail anything sexual.
In western society, especially that of today, guys aren't expected to be intimate or open with each other. I'd even dare say that there never was, in western society, such a deeply rooted philosophy concerning friendship as a measure of manhood. I think that's part of the reason why a lot of American fans look at two very close male characters and squeal "oooooh, they must be gay!!!111"
So, Kurama and Hiei aren't gay. They are two comrades that, in a world where they can trust very few people, have found that they could depend on and trust each other. Inuyasha isn't gay, because, heck, he's obsessively in love with TWO women. And just because a guy has long hair does not mean he is gay.
And I fail to see how Fruits Basket contain so many homosexual themes, considering that Akito is female (oh, I'm sure everyone here got spoiled to that already). There never was Ayame x Shigure x Hatori (in any combination), because the whole "Aya, I won't let you sleep tonight~" was an outright joke, and you'd be an idiot if you didn't see that. BESIDES the fact that Shigure is sexually harrassing half a dozen women. Hatsuharu and Yuki I can understand, but I don't think it could ever be counted as more than an emotional attachment, what with Haru running after Rin all the time now.
I also think there's a vast difference between a transvestite and a homosexual.
Gah, sorry for clogging up everyone's pages with such a long rant >.< *Hands out daisies to everyone who bothered to read it all*
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no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 07:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 09:04 am (UTC)Because there's this manga (it's comedy) where the main character (a girl) had a crush on a guy, whom she later found out was a girl. But she still insisted she liked the girl, who happened to be very manly and all that. Does that make her homosexual? Hmm. I don't think it did, but then a lot of people would consider that it did.
I think generally, it means having a sexual preference for the same sex.
In (Asian ~~;) pop culture, sometimes you get celebrities who are very like the other gender, and people of their gender would like them without being homosexual? It's because they sort of see them as the other gender?
Err.. That's not making sense even to me.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 09:17 am (UTC)mmm, by what you said it means, I also don't think she was homosexual (unless a crush implies sexual feelings towards a person, which I don't think it does), especially since she didn't know that girl was a girl, and had a preference for males. (ok, I guess the last bit is an assumption)
eep, pop culture rarely seems to make sense anyway :D
no subject
Date: 2005-03-15 11:46 pm (UTC)Because those who are emotionally or financially attracted to someone of the same sex tends to only like that one, or few people. It's more a "I like this person...he's the same sex as me", rather than "I like anyone the same sex as me as long as they're hot".
Which brings me back to my fanfic rant, just because a guy is emotionally attracted to another guy, it doesn't need to result in sexual gratification!! ARGH!!! Do all you fangirls make out with your girl friends just because you find them dependable/trustworthy/precious to you??
Surely guys aren't the sex-addicted morons that can't express their feelings any other way except through romping each other every half a page. Correct me if I'm wrong.
And "love" is meant to be a word that have multiple degrees of meaning. Stop using it as though it's only there for the sake of "making love".
no subject
Date: 2005-03-17 01:32 am (UTC)yeah that.
Surely guys aren't the sex-addicted morons that can't express their feelings any other way except through romping each other every half a page. Correct me if I'm wrong.
and that. but the stereotype is strong eh?
no subject
Date: 2005-03-17 08:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-15 11:48 pm (UTC)It's rather cute, actually. Apparently the mangaka got quite a few mail saying "I'm feeling the same thing towards my senpai, what should I do"...
I don't think she enjoyed being a counsellor to that sort of thing...LOL
no subject
Date: 2005-03-17 07:41 am (UTC)"I don't think she enjoyed being a counsellor to that sort of thing...LOL"
O.o oh dear!
no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 08:29 am (UTC)And it's not just in Asian philosophy but the same in ancient Greek, the bonds between males were very strong and probably some to the point of homosexuality. But the point is, just cos two guys are really good friends that doesn't equal OMGTEHGAY! Which is why I don't go near Naruto fandom, slashing those boys is just a ... scary idea.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 09:00 am (UTC)Haha...I can imagine the Naruto fandom *shivers* Only recently started reading, didn't like it all that much. It was all very typically shounen, and I thought "bleh". LOL
How are you liking Sydney? ^^
no subject
Date: 2005-03-16 11:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-17 10:38 am (UTC)jung ah got scarred in kino today
by "that" section LOL~~
actually some of them aint that bad = =
and the guys are cute LOL
but im not about to bring that to the front counter |||||||