what I greatly dislike about articles like these regarding cultural appropriation is how the author spoke about Japanese in Japan opinions, when Japanese in Japan are the dominant race and aren’t affected by cultural appropriation https://charlotte-brill.medium.com/wearing-kimono-appropriation-or-appreciation-a93dd099355b

I really need authors like OP who are presumably not Japanese to stop this trend where someone not Japanese asks a Japanese in Japan’s opinion to justify whatever their opinion is, especially when a) Japanese in Japan aren’t negatively affected by cultural appropriation and

b) Japanese in Japan cannot understand how racism, cultural appropriation, etc affects Japanese diaspora in their daily lives BECAUSE they live in Japan, where their race, culture, etc are dominant and c) they continue to have Surprised Pikachu Face about foreigners loving Japan

My students and friends constantly are surprised by intense foreign interest in Japan. They are automatically very happy when foreigners express said interest because to them, Japan is a small island nation. They are genuinely surprised at Japanese pop culture influence overseas

This is definitely NOT to say that Japanese in Japan voices are invalid, but when Japanese in Japan voices are used to silence diaspora voices, especially with takes like how they are “real” Japanese over Nisei, Sansei, mixed Nikkei, etc, that’s unacceptable

Since cultural appropriation DOES negatively affect diaspora (how many times did some white weeb try to hit on me and call me geisha girl, implying geisha are prostitutes on top of the already gross comment? TOO many), using Japanese in Japan voices to silence diaspora is not ok

since this tweet is getting some traction I’m just gonna toss out there that if you’re interested in kimono, I chronicle my studies in kimono school here: @mainichi_kimono

also I am NOT SAYING that people shouldn’t wear kimono or sell kimono like seriously I’m studying for my license in kimono in order to teach and help the kimono industry stay alive. please I am begging you to actually read my words and not just take part of it and run

things that are totally fine: foreigners coming to Japan to learn kimono (I’m going to be offering some info about that soon @mainichi_kimono), foreigners buying kimono from Japan, etc

things that are Not Fine: this thing that doesn’t know if it’s a “qipao” or “kimono”