Last week, the Art Wall displayed drawings of stereotypical Japanese images in order to advertise the event “Woo-Con.” I personally found the appropriation in these images representing my culture to be incredibly offensive.
My problem lies with the fetishization of Japanese culture presented on the Art Wall. You can’t pick and choose certain stereotypical elements to represent the entirety of a rich culture. The panel advertising “Woo-Con” took a Japanese flag with Mount Fuji, images of various anime characters, a lunch box labeled “bento box,” and threw it all together with the word “Japan.” But by doing so, you’re perpetuating the idea that these few images — which are widely disseminated through racist presentations in American media — are reflective of an entire culture.
There is a major disconnect between what foreigners think of Japan, and how Japan actually exists. The disconnect stems from the difference between preconceived notions about Japanese culture and the reality of Japanese culture (which ultimately slaps tourists who have blindly accepted fetishized images of Japan in the face).
I believe the Art Wall continued to foster these false, even degrading, assumptions about Japanese culture that stem from fetishized images. And seeing such messages on campus disturbed me because this is a place in which the overwhelming majority of people are unfamiliar with Japanese culture. This consequently means that it’s easy for community members to swallow certain ideas about Japan, and then believe that those misrepresentations are reflective of reality.
The problematic panel on the Art Wall (which organizers of “Woo-Con” graciously removed once alerted that others were offended) suggested that anime was the embodiment of the entirety of Japanese culture. I’m proud that Japan is the birthplace of anime. I appreciate this form of media and I’ve gotten to know some great people through discussing anime. But I do think the panel was problematic because, as my friend said, it’s important to recognize that “anime conventions are not representative of Japan because anime itself is not representative of Japan.”
Furthermore, the images illustrated on the panel continued to set the trend of fetishized East Asian cultures. Similar images are available for audience consumption every day. Buzzfeed videos are a prime example in which media creators “other” East Asian cultures. Videos like “Americans Taste Test Japanese Snacks” consist of Americans further exoticizing Japanese culture by marveling or showing disdain for certain foods, accompanied with commentary such as “weird” or “gross” or “how can anyone eat that?” (Here’s a quick answer for you: approximately 127.3 million people can.)
These images of Americans “othering” certain foods continue to normalize fetishized conceptions of East Asian cultures. The fetishized images don’t start and end with food. People from East Asia are constantly subjected to exoticized images of themselves in Hollywood films, and have to face micro-agressions stemming from other people’s exposure to these images in daily life.
The appropriation of East Asian culture comes from a place of ignorance. The creators of the “Woo-Con” panel were misinformed about what cultural images would be acceptable to use for their advertisements. It’s important to recognize that there is a difference between fetishization and appreciation. Appropriating a culture, offending people and degrading an entire culture cannot be accepted on any level. We need to increase campus conversations on acts of cultural appropriation and racial fetishization, making moves toward forms of cultural appreciation.
Meg Itoh, a News Editor for the Voice, can be reached for comment at MItoh18@wooster.edu.