How is everyone this weekend?
Got lectured on Japanese culture (and attitudes on race and queerness therein) by... someone who isn't Japanese. I kept trying to explain that (1) yes OF COURSE I respect cultural differences, but (2) I
know for a fact that Japanese culture is not actually monolithic about these things and that there are Japanese people who have extremely varied opinions on these subjects,
some of whom I've talked to personally, and (3) I'm not actually trying to impose my own values on anyone I meet in Japan; I absolutely don't have the standing to activist here even if I wanted to and I'm happy being an advocate within my own Western culture where there's plenty of work to do, but that also doesn't mean I'm going to be okay with someone telling me Japanese people are racist or homophobic and wait it's okay because "it's their cultural norms!!" and anyway it's not really racism because "they don't think of it that way!!!" and OH BY THE WAY THE PERSON LECTURING ME IS NOT ACTUALLY JAPANESE.
*headwall*
Meanwhile the Japanese people I've actually talked to about sensitive topics like race and nuclear weapons have had deeply complex understandings and opinions, you know, LIKE LOTS OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE DO.
For bonus points, got told "I know you're very sensitive about this stuff but..." NO, WRONG, I am not nearly sensitive enough. I am a not-naturally-empathetic person who tries very hard to be more empathetic and gain understandings of people unlike me because I think it makes me a better human. Honestly I think the people who are more sensitive about it are better people than I am -- why is being "sensitive" not seeing as a POSITIVE trait?! My mom, for instance, is one of the most sensitive, compassionate people I can think of, and I have so much respect for these qualities in her.
ARGH.
Oh, and good thread, Kuwi.