TIME reminds the public of Gwen Stefani's alleged racism

[uo111 5,250]

Harajuku is a geographical region and Gwen was pulling their fashion styles are inspiration. The whole idea was that the Harajuku girls were part of her imagination, so to speak.

 

So yea, getting some Harajuku girls and naming them is actually quite appropriate given the context. They weren't allowed to speak when she was with them because they were her muses, they weren't real life. The woman knew that they were playing a character, and Gwen made it pretty clear.

 

Margaret Cho's problem with the Harajuku girls is that they portray a stereotype. It does portray a stereotype, but that is literally the fashion of Harajuku teens. It's ridiculous to say that we aren't allowed to portray something as it is, just because a lot of people think that's the only way that it is.

 

The gay best friend for example, is something that could be considered prejudice (which is the word we should be using instead of racism, sidenote), but if we did consider it that way then we would never portray it. It happens all the time though. Portraying it isn't the problem, the problem is that when it's the only thing portrayed, then people start to think it's the only way it can be. So rather than not portraying the stereotypes, it would be better to portray everything else too. I definitely do think that Asians need more roles in entertainment, most specifically the music industry.

 

If she had hired black people to play the characters in a performance piece like this, it would definitely be labeled racist no matter what. But the labeling of something as racist is much different than it actually being racist, even if that labeling is being done by black people. The only reason it would automatically be considered racist is because of white and black history. Which makes sense socially speaking but if we never allow the cultures to interact, then what we are essentially doing is saying that they can't. Which should not be what we are striving for.

 

The Indian thing is quite a bit different, because they portrayed something as serious as white people slaughtering the Indian population in a light-hearted way, and took symbolic cultural elements and adopted them in a nonartistic way. That would be the equivalent of dressing up as a slave and then singing about looking hot while getting whipped.

 

This reminds me of that girl that dressed up as Crazy Eyes and received extreme backlash because she used makeup to portray the skin color of the character she was dressing up as in admiration. That's unhealthy amounts of political correctness, where acknowledging the physical difference in skin color is deemed inappropriate.

[Morphine Prince 102,435]

I'm torn on this issue. I agree with a bit of what everyone on both sides of this in this thread have said.

[craig 680]

did that awful thing that westerners do with Asians: treat them like they're cute, on the same level as children or small animals. I don't know how Asians put up with that nonsense. I'm white and have always got so annoyed when anyone called me cute or sweet or treated me like a kid just because I was quiet and looked young.

 

But that cuteness is an ideal of Japanese culture and femininity, which many J-pop performer strive for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawaii

Gwen and Gaga both admire the style in some way. Gaga's animated Asian opening act embodies it too.

 

I suppose Asian women are split on it, the some way Western women are split on Pink Princess looks.

[mirandasings 08 0]

It's not racist at all! She has donated tons to Japanese charities and loves the culture.

 

If anything, the writer of the article is racist for trying to paint Gwen Stefani as a racist just for embracing another culture.

[mister 17]

[...]I'm feeling like the Harajuku girls were Gwen's attempt to connect with Asian (particularly Japanese) markets. But the whole scheme backfired. Her work barely charted in Asia and she only had a tiny tour there and didn't sell out her venues. And with that, the Harajuki thing faded away. So, I assumed it was a bit of a marketing ploy that was let go when it wasn't successful. The way she handled this gimmick was so cringey. She just came across as a weebo the whole time and did that awful thing that westerners do with Asians: treat them like they're cute, on the same level as children or small animals. I don't know how Asians put up with that nonsense. I'm white and have always got so annoyed when anyone called me cute or sweet or treated me like a kid just because I was quiet and looked young. If an ignorant foreigner did the same thing in a different language, it would get on my last nerve. We're too quick to accuse of racism these days, but a lot of us are quite guilty of stereotyping, consciously or unconsciously. I feel that's more what Gwen was doing.

 

So very well put. Especially the part about Asians being patronized and portrayed as cute "pets" in western culture. Although it may not be intended as bad, or even be thought through, it is racist. 

  

Belittling someone's race to a gimmick is also racist, and there's just no getting around that. The Harajuku Girls might as well have been the Kongo-Bongo Girls; African jungle girls with coconut bras and bones in their noses. It is a marketing ploy constructed around an objectifying stereotype, just a more modern one than the Asian stereotype we're used to from classic era Hollywood or Disney films.

 

Even if her intentions are nice, and regardless of how much Gwen may or may not like Asian culture, the people who are offended by the Harajuku Girl sidekick act are not being dramatic or overreacting - and it isn't something to roll one's eyes about at and go: "everything today is considered racist".

 

Yes, races and cultures exist and they are something we have to deal with and acknowledge. Stereotypes and generalizations will always be around, and they will always be a part of society - that is just a fact of life. And not necessarily a bad one. Generalized stereotypes have their place in comedy, for example. But I believe it is important to strive for a culture where people are also visible as people, regardless of race, gender or s-xual orientation. Our culture and society are shaped by the stories we tell. And despite white people not making up the majority of the US or the western world - our culture's narrative is almost exclusively 'white straight male' centered and driven. I am sad to say I know too many boys who are can not identify with stories about girls, straight men that aren't able to connect with characters who happen to be gay, and white people who are unable to emphasize with someone black.

 

To everyone who likes to take the piss at feminists, activists for racism or LGBT, and even so called "social-justice-warrior" bloggers: There is a reason these movements exist. And that reason is valid. Discussing these things is important. These issues don't have to be agreed on, but they should never be rolled their eyes at!

[Jed 7,716]

So very well put. Especially the part about Asians being patronized and portrayed as cute "pets" in western culture. Although it may not be intended as bad, or even be thought through, it is racist. 

  

Belittling someone's race to a gimmick is also racist, and there's just no getting around that. The Harajuku Girls might as well have been the Kongo-Bongo Girls; African jungle girls with coconut bras and bones in their noses. It is a marketing ploy constructed around an objectifying stereotype, just a more modern one than the Asian stereotype we're used to from classic era Hollywood or Disney films.

 

Even if her intentions are nice, and regardless of how much Gwen may or may not like Asian culture, the people who are offended by the Harajuku Girl sidekick act are not being dramatic or overreacting - and it isn't something to roll one's eyes about at and go: "everything today is considered racist".

 

Yes, races and cultures exist and they are something we have to deal with and acknowledge. Stereotypes and generalizations will always be around, and they will always be a part of society - that is just a fact of life. And not necessarily a bad one. Generalized stereotypes have their place in comedy, for example. But I believe it is important to strive for a culture where people are also visible as people, regardless of race, gender or s-xual orientation. Our culture and society are shaped by the stories we tell. And despite white people not making up the majority of the US or the western world - our culture's narrative is almost exclusively 'white straight male' centered and driven. I am sad to say I know too many boys who are can not identify with stories about girls, straight men that aren't able to connect with characters who happen to be gay, and white people who are unable to emphasize with someone black.

 

To everyone who likes to take the piss at feminists, activists for racism or LGBT, and even so called "social-justice-warrior" bloggers: There is a reason these movements exist. And that reason is valid. Discussing these things is important. These issues don't have to be agreed on, but they should never be rolled their eyes at!

Thank you for putting it so well. Everything I was thinking, and much much more, was just described so beautifully in that post. I was ready to be swayed either way when I posted this thread, and instead of intelligent debate all I got was people jumping on my ass for criticizing an artist that they enjoy. I love No Doubt's music and have bought several cd's, but I could not help but be bothered by a lot of her behavior.

 

Thank you for posting this, we can all learn a lot from people like you.

[SychosSoChic 9,995]

If Japanese people were crying "Racist" and demanding an apology, I would have taken this seriously.

 

But no. It's a caucasian woman from America.

 

Gwen owes western society no apology. The day Japan/Eastern Society demands an apology from Gwen for "racism" then I'll accept that Gwen's entourage was racist.

BUT UNTIL THEN

 

Take a seat.

[Jed 7,716]

If Japanese people were crying "Racist" and demanding an apology, I would have taken this seriously.

 

But no. It's a caucasian woman from America.

 

Gwen owes western society no apology. The day Japan/Eastern Society demands an apology from Gwen for "racism" then I'll accept that Gwen's entourage was racist.

BUT UNTIL THEN

 

Take a seat.

 

 

Ok, if you want to hear another Asian person besides Margaret Cho complain here's an article from 2005 http://www.salon.com/2005/04/09/geisha_2/

 

Oh, some people are too lazy to read the whole thing? here's a good part 

 

Stefani has taken the idea of Japanese street fashion and turned these women into modern-day geisha, contractually obligated to speak only Japanese in public, even though it’s rumored they’re just plain old Americans and their English is just fine. She’s even named them “Love,†“Angel,†“Music†and “Baby†after her album and new clothing line l.a.m.b. (perhaps a mutton-themed restaurant will follow). The renaming of four adults led one poster on a message board to muse, “I didn’t think it was legal to own human pets. But I guess so if you have the money for it.â€

[7Days 7]

why 10 years late tho?

[marcwaffles 20]

If Japanese people were crying "Racist" and demanding an apology, I would have taken this seriously.

 

But no. It's a caucasian woman from America.

 

Gwen owes western society no apology. The day Japan/Eastern Society demands an apology from Gwen for "racism" then I'll accept that Gwen's entourage was racist.

BUT UNTIL THEN

 

Take a seat.

Just because a party is silent doesn't mean that everything is fine. The author, albeit a "caucasian woman from America" as you claim, recognises that there has been racial discrimination against Japanese culture and is simply calling it out. It's the same way you don't have to be raped to know that rape is wrong. 

 

I think people need to accept the fact that artists - whether you like them or not - can be problematic, and shouldn't simply dismiss anyone who raises their problematic behaviour as an issue. 

[JaggedMonster 2]

why 10 years late tho?

[high heeled fem 3]

 

Ew :ghostney: this sucks

[Pop 4,541]

 

Ew :ghostney: this sucks

 

AWFUL.

 

When they have to bow at her at 00:11, I cringed.

 

[high heeled fem 3]

AWFUL.

 

When they have to bow at her at 00:11, I cringed.

 

i know WTF :ghostney:

but also the song is just rather bad  :ghostga:

[lego 44,165]

i know WTF  :ghostney:

but also the song is just rather bad  :ghostga:

 

 

Can she just return to this?