The Internet, and American culture in particular, doesn’t believe people can change their minds. Perhaps it’s because of how public opinions and thoughts are now. Whenever you see a politician change their mind, American news media attack, calling ichi “flip flopper.” You’ll see this to a lesser amount with internet personalities, so-called influencers. I’ve even…
Tag: identity
Doing Justice to Transgender Characters on TV
It’s always a good sign when something ‘weird’ stops being funny, and is taken seriously. As it seems, that is happening – in some cases – with transgender characters in Japanese TV. A Queer Family in Last Friends First off, I have a correction to make. In my post on lesbians in Japan I was…
Pots, Cats and Lilies, but Nothing Changes?
Japanese Lesbian/Transgender Identities in Contemporary Media. The anime and manga community will probably be familiar with the term okama (literally, kettle), variously translated as ‘transvestite’ or ‘Drag Queen’, which is commonly applied to (effeminately) gay characters, especially in a cross-dressing context. Bentham/Bon Curry from Oda Eiichiro’s One Piece may turn being okama into a martial…