Gwen Stefani: ‘I’m Japanese‘

[Space Cowboy 11,670]

 

[LaLuna 12,732]

She could've just said she was a fan of Japanese culture, that would've been fine, but no, she had to say 'I'm Japanese' 

[butthole 9,810]

it's just such a bonkers thing to say, regardless of her intention. and the fact that she reiterated it... so it wasn't just a slip of tongue or a misunderstanding.

even her explanation has me like 

it's giving kate hudson in glass onion lol

and I've been a lifelong fan of gwen. I bought lamb at the record store the day it was released.

[JohnnyVersace 8,809]

She really could have worded that differently, especially since she does have a connection to Japan through her dad. 

But like come ON girl you CANNOT say "I'm Japanese" 

 

[monstertoronto 8,784]

7 hours ago, BUtterfield 8 said:

Stefani said she was introduced to Japanese culture by her father, who worked at Yahama for 18 years and frequently traveled between California and Japan.

“That was my Japanese influence,” Stefani said. “And that was a culture that was so rich with tradition, yet so futuristic [with] so much attention to art and detail and discipline and it was fascinating to me.”

Stefani traveled to the Harajuku district as an adult. She told Allure, “I said, ‘My God, I’m Japanese and I didn’t know it.’ I am, you know.” 

Declaring herself a “super fan” of Japanese culture, Stefani defended herself against the backlash she’s faced over her Harajuku era. “If [people are] going to criticize me for being a fan of something beautiful and sharing that, then I just think that doesn’t feel right,” she said. “I think it was a beautiful time of creativity…a time of the ping-pong match between Harajuku culture and American culture. [It] should be okay to be inspired by other cultures because if we’re not allowed then that’s dividing people, right?” 

As reported by Allure: “During our interview, Stefani asserted twice that she was Japanese and once that she was ‘a little bit of an Orange County girl, a little bit of a Japanese girl, a little bit of an English girl.’ (A representative for Stefani reached out the next day, indicating that I had misunderstood what Stefani was trying to convey. Allure later asked Stefani’s team for an on-the-record comment or clarification of these remarks and they declined to provide a statement or participate in a follow-up interview.)

Stefani concluded by telling Allure that she identifies not just with Japanese culture but also with Hispanic and Latinx cultures because of her upbringing in Anaheim, California. “The music, the way the girls wore their makeup, the clothes they wore, that was my identity,” she said. “Even though I’m an Italian American — Irish or whatever mutt that I am — that’s who I became because those were my people, right?” 

 

Not this 

[TheOriginalOne 9,648]

She’s serving: 

 

[Versace 7,900]

C’mon now you know she meant it in an endearing way. Stop getting offended over something that doesn’t concern you. 

[Mister G 10,135]

I have no doubt she has lost her damn mind to say some craziness like this.

[butthole 9,810]

36 minutes ago, Versace said:

C’mon now you know she meant it in an endearing way. Stop getting offended over something that doesn’t concern you. 

who here is offended? regardless of how you want to cut it, this was a strange thing to say. that's what everyone is pointing out. if you wanna talk about her past we can though.

[Togekiss 2,354]

Honestly this has gotten me thinking more about the underlying cultural ties between Japan and Western countries in general.

As some have pointed out, this has a lot to do with the cultural exchange between the US and Japan in general, which is pretty insane when you think about the relatively recent history of WW2. I mean Japan was an axis power just like Germany and Italy and despite the lack of common “western” culture, there have been such strong ties established between the US and Japan, economically and culturally.

It’s a mutual exchange, and to claim that one side is “appropriating” while the other is not is… kind of patronizing.

[dit 45,719]

I get what she is saying and she is right in that it should not be an issue to be inspired by a culture. I even think wearing clothes from another culture should not be frowned upon or villinized like it has been this past like decade. Especially if you are not wearing it to mock that culture or on halloween. I HATE when ppl wear clothes of other cultures on halloween as if it is a costume. If you wear it casually or on your day to day or at an event I think it should not be an issue imo. 

That said, her Harajuku thingy was problematic and she needs to accept and acknowledge it. This is in part why it is being persistently mentioned because she never truly said she regretted it or anything and even sticks by it whole heartedly. It will continue to haunt her until she OWNS IT. The problematic thing about her harajuku era was the 4 japanese girls used as accessories and forced to play the submissive asian stereotype during interviews and stuff with them literally posing as if they were lanterns of couches or mannequins. THAT was clearly wrong. She used people of a foreing culture as accessories and used them as a srtereotype and she needs to at least acknowledge THAT part. The outfits and stuff I agree with her. She slayed the japanese street fashion and it was clearly out of appreciation. 

[Bonkers 28,343]

I really find it obnoxious when people try to take ownership of things they did not do.

White nationalism:  when white people want to take credit for things they didn't do or earn because of their race.

Cultural appropriation is basically the same thing.  People can be inspired by whatever cultures they want because nobody owns the contributions made by any culture.  

[RAMROD 105,079]

That is unfortunate take, Gwen

Growing up with Japanese influence will not make you a Japanese. This kind of take on such subject is so white, I can't even.

[Killa 15,947]

As an american im europpean

 

[SlowLoris 973]

People mad over this are the ones who've only had political training online.

I guess it's wrong now to identify with even imperial countries 🙄

Yah, it's not like Japanese people are an oppressed minority.  Y'all are flipping out, calling it gross, but she never said anything racial or heinous for that matter.  She's literally just talking about the culture.  Albeit she could have been more choosey with her words, but people lose their minds over nothing.