vinster13 3,523 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Is love angel music baby cultural appropriation? What do we think? Trying to settle a debate with my boyfriend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoeslay 4,014 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I can't speak on all of it cuz I'm not Japanese and I know to some degree Japanese culture has different viewpoints on what is considered appropriation or not (i.e. you shouldn't appropriate traditional garments but streetwear trends and fashion styles like decora and harajuku are more shareable...i think - someone correct me if I'm wrong 💕) but as a latinx person....yeah her dressing up as a chola was not cute none of her business Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill 25,280 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 My stance on this is that it is wrong, but given the fact the video wasn't released today, we shouldn't hold it to today's standards. We can only hope Gwen understands how doing things like that can be offensive or damaging. This was an official message from the Office of the First Lady. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG666 1,516 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 No. She was inspired by Japanese culture, specifically Harajuku, and made music and had aesthetics in that era that reflected this. However... there are some undertones of racism in the way they did PR for the era. For example, having the two Japanese girls with her at all times. They signed NDA contracts that wouldn't allow them to speak which reinforces racist stereotypes that Asian women are submissive, complacent and objects. As a rich white woman, this made Gwen look bad. I honestly don't think there were bad intentions but looking back, it just has racist undertones in how they handled some aspects in this era. Otherwise, no, this album is not cultural appropriation in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serial Chiller 8,044 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 ****ing huge yes. I love many songs on that album. But you really can’t overlook the fact that she basically had “prop Japanese characters” with little rhyme or reason with respect to Japanese culture. It’s not paying tribute. They literally serve as an aesthetic piece because it’s hip or exotic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PropaGaga 2,948 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 L.A.M.B. is an iconic pop era, but it was absolutely filled with appropriation (which is something Gwen has done since the 90s, but I digress). She was widely criticized at the time and still is. There was never any malice from her end – she constantly referred to the Harajuku Girls as a girl group because she was uncomfortable being solo, but that doesn't mean it can't be appropriation or have racist connotations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlipAway 880 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 You should ask that Japanese people and I assume there are none on GGD Any other opinion doesn’t matter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulture Kiari 3,433 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Tbh, I always thought it was, even when it came out. But it was a well put out era, so I stayed quiet. My mom didn't tho. And when she dressed in a Virgin Guadalupe unbuttoned shirt, she was pissed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAMROD 95,560 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Japanese are not that kind of people, they embraced and appreciative for foreign people wearing their culture. They actually gonna help you to wear it correctly if you wear the traditional true kimonos. "Cultural appropriation" itself are phenomenon only happen in USA anyway. (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ✧*:・゚ unknown.. despair.. a lost (*´艸`*) ♡♡♡ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatica Island 8,491 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Japanese people view this stuff differently than Americans, they even let people who are not Japanese wear kimonos in Japan for festivals, they love sharing their culture with others, obviously if Gwen was being purposefully racist and not respecting the culture, then it would be a different story. So no, it's not cultural appropriation in my opinion. Any/All Pronouns, Genderfluid🏳⚧ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatica Island 8,491 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 2 minutes ago, RAMROD said: Japanese are not that kind of people, they embraced and appreciative for foreign people wearing their culture. They actually gonna help you to wear it correctly if you wear the traditional true kimonos. "Cultural appropriation" itself are phenomenon only happen in USA anyway. You said it better than I did Any/All Pronouns, Genderfluid🏳⚧ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadikaado 4,302 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 This discussion reminds me of some Katy Perry's performance wearing a kimono when white people accused her of cultural apropriation and japanese people from Japan (descendents living in the USA are not japanese) thought it was awesome. If Gwen Stefani were doing Geisha bullsh1t or stuff like that I would think different, but she basically was expressing love for japanese fashion. You can't culturally apropriate a product that they sell to anyone. She didn't mess with anything forbiden for gaijin or religious. Fashion is fashion anywhere in the world. Are people gonna forbid non-japanese from eating sushi because it's "cultural apropriation"? I often think americans love feeling this shame, because they feel like mighty colonizers "uh, I can't do this because I am apropriating their culture" like americans are superior to everyone and everyone else's culture is exotic, weak and anything is a disrespect. It's very narcisitic actually thinking you are that superior. I live in Brazil, home of the biggest japanese colony in the world, older folks from Japan used to think of themselves as japaneses while japanese thought of the people who emigrated as traitors. I am not japanese descendent, but I have lots of them since I am a huge otaku and this type of thing is totally ok. Someday some stupid american is going to say that cosplaying anime/manga characters is cultural apropriation. I am authistic, so don't be offended if I make a mess sometimes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
River 89,584 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I think Hello Kitty felt more racist but in general, new age fashion is for everybody, Gwen brought the Harajuku to the mainstream, something that many white artists didn't care or dare to do. Je ne parle pas français but I can padam if you like Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimisaMonster 31,073 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Towards Mariah Carey...yes Stream my new single, 💜"Heartbeat"💜, on Spotify! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessyTop 12,756 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 8 minutes ago, VenusHooker said: I am also Latino (Mexican) and I did find it cute, as did most Latinos in the comments of the Luxurious video Same, as a Mexican it was a celebration of our culture. I loved it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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