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2 posts tagged japan
“In Japan if you have tattoos, you’re in the mafia. When I saw my grandmother in Japan I had to cover mine up because she’d reject me as part of the family. I also couldn’t tell my grandmother I was gay. Having tattoos and being gay and going to art school? She’d be like, “What are you doing with your life?””
Read the rest of Sarah’s story at We Are the Youth!
Photo by Laurel Golio. Interview as told to Diana Scholl.
(via wertheyouth)
Louisa Lim of NPR discusses a new generation of men in Japan that call themselves ‘herbivores’. She describes them as “the sensitive New Age man” that has finally arrived in the land of the salaryman. The term “herbivores” — is from the Japanese phrase for “grass-eating boys” — guys who are heterosexual but who say they aren’t really interested in matters of the flesh. The article explains that culturally these men are breaking away from tradition and expressing interest in things like dessert and eyebrow plucking - as opposed to “alcohol or spicy food”.
Understandably a culture that is very steeped in tradition would be jolted by men challenging traditional gender roles. However, men not interested in gettin’ it poppin’ with women are usually…well, gay or asexual. So is this notion and vocabulary in essence somewhat a denial of young queer men expressing themselves in the way they feel most comfortable?
Read the article and decide for yourself…However, don’t get me started on the carnivore women!
