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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*
