LGBT/Pride Week
June is LGBT pride month. We have a variety of queer AAPI's, friends, families and allies posting about their experiences. Thanks to Be DeGuzman, one of APAP's 2009 Unsung Heroes, for coordinating this special week of posts.
To help with our upcoming hate crimes/Vincent Chin week (June 21) or Pacific Islander week (Aug), please let us know. If you have a topic you or your agency would like to coordinate, email us.
Outrageous news out of Oakland from my good friends and community organzers and the work they're doing up there: Diana Pei Wu, Jenn Pae, Angelica Jongco, Xiaojing Wang, and Jen Mei Wu. [Please note: This is NOT an APA for Progress campaign, like some have mis-portrayed it.]
The Oakland Planning Commission just approved a permit for a bar to open at 316 14th St., pretty much in Chinatown. Business as usual right? Not when the bar's name is going to be "Geisha," and sells stereotypes and images that perpetuate the violence and silencing of Asian women and girls.
Word is that the permit request was put in by the bar owners last year. Despite dialogue and pleas with the owners to change the name of their bar in the past year, Jamal Perry (business owner / applicant) and Unsuk Perry (property owner) - 2 Asian Americans - continue to push forward. According to a note from my friend Diana, the local Asian American community agrees,
That the proposed name for the proposed establishment, “Geisha,” plays upon and reinforces racist and sexist stereotypes about Asian women and will significantly impact the quality of civic life in the neighborhood should it remain thus unfortunately named. Intentionally or not, the use of the word is culturally related to a set of stereotypes of Asian women that is a well-documented social fact that is well-documented in the social sciences, Asian American Studies, ethnic studies and even by popular authors such as Sheridan Prasso. [We] argue that because of the relationship of the word geisha to negative sexualized and violent stereotypes towards Asian American women, this proposal to create a bar at that location fails to meet Objectives D1, D5, D9 and D12 [of the City of Oakland].
You still think that the image of a geisha (picture above is an ad for a tile company in Europe that got banned by the Advertising Standards Authority) is harmless? Diana's note continues:
The impacts of this stereotype, as documented in the academic and medical literature, and in [testimonials at tonight's hearing], include:
• Sexual harassment. Every day racialized sexual harassment of Asian and Asian American women [APAP commentary: Just a couple years ago, cops were looking for the NorCal Rapist, who targeted Asian women in the Bay area, including in Oakland Chinatown.]
• Mental illness. Other studies have documented for all racial groups that the prevalence of every day racial aggression is related to mental illness, physical and psychological well-being and contributes to stress, anger and depression in its victims (Chakraborty and McKenzie 2002; Kim 2002).
• Discriminatory economic impacts; rise in nonconsensual sex trade and pornography. Similarly, Professor of Asian American Studies Elaine Kim has argued that the stereotype of Asian women as submissive sex objects has impeded Asian women's economic mobility and has fostered increased demand in mail-order brides and ethnic pornography.
What's even more interesting is the dynamics at tonight's hearing. Apparently, the two white male members voted in favor of the permit saying that the name of the bar was not really viokence, which is sadly in my mind not surprising. However, it is very sad to hear that one African American male member voted in favor of the permit. Also, a Latina member who said that the name was personally offensive abstained from voting. Vien Truong is the only Asian American member of the Commission, and voted a resounding NO!
The final vote was: 4 votes in favor; 1 vote against; 1 abstain; 1 commissioner absent.
Yes Votes (to give Geisha a permit) - contact information provided for anyone wishing to contact these people:
Michael Colbruno
Clear Channel Outdoor
555 12th Street, Suite 950
Oakland, CA 94607
835-5900
Fax: 663-4662
Email: michaelcolbruno@clearchannel.com
C. Blake Huntsman
SEIU, Local 1021
155 Myrtle Street
Oakland, CA 94607
452-2366, ext. 522
Fax: 452-2436
Email: Blake.Huntsman@seiu1021.org
Douglas Boxer
Boxer & Associates, Inc.
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94612
286-2937
Fax: 835-0415
Email: dboxer@gmail.com
Vince Gibbs
City of Oakland
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Ste. 3315
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 903-9516
Email: VinceGibbs.opc@gmail.com
Abstain
Sandra Galvez
Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative;
Partnership for the Public's Health
180 Grand Ave, Suite 750
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 302-3369
Fax: (510) 451-8606
Email: sgalvez@phi.org
HELL NO!
Vien Truong
City of Oakland
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Ste. 3315
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 967-7783
Email: VienV.Truong@gmail.com
Absent
Madeleine Zayas-Mart
WRT/Solomon E.T.C.
1328 Mission Street, 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
(Cell) 282-7287
Fax: 601-8858
Email: mzayasmart@sf.wrtdesign.com
I think most of us can agree with Diana, who is a resident and community activist in Oakland, when she says:
Most of us want good business establishments in our neighborhood. We just don't think that it should be on the backs, hearts, minds and mental health of the women and girls that we work with, defend, counsel, represent, teach, etc. [Businesses] shouldn't contribute to the atmoshere of sanctioned violence against women of color.
Update (10/8/09)
And... if you want to read Dr. Diana Pei Wu's full analysis (which I excerpted above)... here you go:
MEMO
From: Diana Pei Wu, PhD
Faculty Lecturer, Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
Visiting Faculty Fellow, Amherst College, 2009-2010
To: Oakland Planning Commissioners
Date: October 7, 2009
Re: Oakland Planning Commission Case File CM 09-163
Dear Planning Commissioners,
I am a resident in downtown Oakland and a professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. Prior to that work, I also worked as the Director of Community Planning at Asian Neighborhood Design in San Francisco and have worked as a researcher on community development, environmental and housing issues for both Urban Strategies Council and Pacific Institute. I have been up here before multiple times, on issues as diverse as community benefits, affordable housing, Oakland arts and cultural funding and youth programs. I tell you this to illustrate my long-term commitment to the well-being of all Oaklanders and that is why I am standing before you tonight: because I love this town and it is my home.
I am writing with respect to the Permit regarding Case Number CM09-163 (APN 008-0625-047-00) that will be coming before you tonight (Wednesday, 10/7/09), a permit to open a bar at 316 14th Street.
We in the neighborhood have dubbed it the "unfortunately named" bar on 14th St.
Through extended discussion, we agree that the proposed name for the proposed establishment, “Geisha,” plays upon and reinforces racist and sexist stereotypes about Asian women and will significantly impact the quality of civic life in the neighborhood should it remain thus unfortunately named.
Intentionally or not, the use of the word is culturally related to a set of stereotypes of Asian women that is a well-documented social fact: in the social sciences, Asian American Studies, ethnic studies and even by popular authors such as Sheridan Prasso.
I, and we, argue that because of the relationship of the word geisha to negative sexualized and violent stereotypes towards Asian American women, this proposal to create a bar at that location fails to meet Objectives D1, D5, D9 and D12.
History of a stereotype
The impression that all Asian women were prostitutes, born at that time (the late 1800s and early 1900s), colored the public perception of, attitude toward, and action against all Chinese women for almost a century," writes historian Sucheng Chan (cf. Shah 1997).
As Asian American scholar Gary Okihiro notes, Western stereotypes of Asian women are related to the West’s geopolitical relationship with Asia – in particular a desire of the West to take possession, work over, and penetrate of Asia (cf. Shah 1997).
Whether intentional or not, the image and stereotype of the geisha, like that of lotus blossom, china doll, and the dragon lady, are a product of, and reinforce those cultural meanings that pervade our society. Staci Ford of the University of Hong Kong concluded that stereotypical depictions of women in general created by sexist white men continue to haunt movies – and culture - though they now have a disguised form. This is the origin and role of the geisha stereotype in our society.
The prevalence and reality of the geisha stereotype
A recent study conducted by Derald Wing Sue et al (2007) from the Teachers College at Columbia University identified 8 major types of microaggressions commonly experienced by Asian Americans. Of the 8, 2 are relevant to the issue at hand today.
According to Wing Sue et al, microaggressions are brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to people of color because they belong to a racial – and this case, racial and sex-based – minority group. These exchanges are so pervasive and automatic in daily interactions that they are often dismissed and glossed over as being innocuous.
First is the exotification of Asian women, where Asian and Asian American women are perceived as being available for sexual favors for men. As Jessica Tan and Jen-Mei Wu’s testimonials also concur, these incidents are not isolated to academic books and journals and social justice circles, but a salient feature of Asian American women’s lives in Oakland, in downtown, in the United States every day. I would hope and expect that the Oakland in which I live, work, love and play would absolutely reject any role in allowing this stereotype to live or become in any way a feature of the physical or psychological landscape of this city.
Second was the widespread denial of Asian Americans racial realities. This included messages being conveyed that Asians are not an ethnic minority group, experience little or no discrimination, and that their racial concerns are unimportant. In this case, the group’s prior attempted exchanges with Perry were met with absolute denial that our concerns about the name of the bar-restaurant-lounge could possibly be reinforcing a racist and sexist stereotype, nor even that geisha itself was a racist and sexist stereotype in the US and Western context. Denial of this issue and its impacts on the physical and mental health of Asian Americans would constitute an example of this type of violence.
According to Wing Sue et al, microaggressions are brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to people of color because they belong to a racial – and this case, racial and sex-based – minority group. These exchanges are so pervasive and automatic in daily interactions that they are often dismissed and glossed over as being innocuous.
The study also “provides strong support that microaggressions are not minimally harmful and possess detrimental consequences for the recipients.”
Impacts of the stereotype
The impacts of this stereotype, as documented in the academic and medical literature, and in today’s testimonials, include:
• Sexual harassment. Every day racialized sexual harassment of Asian and Asian American women
• Mental illness. Other studies have documented for all racial groups that the prevalence of every day racial aggression is related to mental illness, physical and psychological well-being and contributes to stress, anger and depression in its victims (Chakraborty and McKenzie 2002; Kim 2002).
• Discriminatory economic impacts; rise in nonconsensual sex trade and pornography. Similarly, Professor of Asian American Studies Elaine Kim has argued that the stereotype of Asian women as submissive sex objects has impeded Asian women's economic mobility and has fostered increased demand in mail-order brides and ethnic pornography. Recently an ad was banned in the UK because of the association between a woman dressed in geisha-suggestive clothing and makeup and implied violent sexual acts (enclosed).
I sincerely hope that the Oakland Planning Commission understands the impacts of this stereotype and will not deny its existence in today’s society.
I, and we, argue that because of the relationship of the word geisha to negative sexualized and violent stereotypes towards Asian American women, this proposal to create a bar at that location fails to meet Objectives D1, D5, D9 and D12.
Specifically,
Identity: does the Oakland City Planning Commission wish to enhance the identity of downtown Oakland’s Commercial business District by promoting an image of sexualized, racialized violence against women as part of the CBD and General Plan?
Safety and perception of safety: As multiple testimonials and research shows, the stereotype of geisha contributes to a lifelong experience of sexual harassment and violence against Asian and Asian American women and young girls. Allowing the name will constitute violence against these women and contribute to perpetuating and reinforcing a culture of violence against women ad girls.
Serving the needs of downtown workers and residents. We are here as downtown workers and residents for whom the operation of this establishment as proposed will absolutely go contrary to our needs for the safe, welcoming and diverse spaces we want and need for the Oakland that we are helping to build.
Making downtown Oakland a regional destination for innovative learning, cultural resources, art and entertainment. I would love for this venue to become that. With a name such as the geisha bar, it is drawing on tired old stereotypes and will not serve a need of a large segment of the population. What is he message that the planning Commission would be sending to the 1/3 to 1/4 of the population that is of Asian descent in Oakland, the young girls and boys who are growing up here, the children we are raising?
I hope you recognize the clear and well-documented psychological violence that the name of this bar would contribute to and perpetuate against Asian and Asian American women, as well as all women, people of good conscience, and people committed to peace and justice, in the City of Oakland. This is not the Oakland we want to create.
Please do not allow this bar-restaurant-lounge to go forward with its current name – or any other unacceptable stereotype that perpetuates violence against Oakland’s diverse residents. Thank you.
Respectfully submitted,
Diana Pei Wu, PhD
Faculty Lecturer, Comparative Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley
(Visiting Faculty Fellow in Global Sustainability, Amherst College, 2009-2010)
Selected Bibliography
Chakraborty, A., & McKenzie, K. (2002). Does racial discrimination cause mental illness? British Journal of Psychiatry, 180, 475– 477.
Ford, Staci. "Portrayal of Genders and Generation, East and West: Suzie Wong in the Noble House" (http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/35/3500494.pdf. Retrieved 2006-06-25)
Guillaumin, Colette. 1995. Racism, sexism, power, and ideology. London ; New York : Routledge.
Kim, Elaine (1984). "Asian American writers: A bibliographical review". American Studies International 22 (2): 41–78..
Kim, J. G. S. (2002). Racial perceptions and psychological well being in Asian and Hispanic Americans. Dissertation Abstracts International, 63(2-B), 1033B.
Makhijani, Pooja (Ed.). 2004. Under Her Skin: How Girls Experience Race in America. Seal Press.
Na, Vickie (Ed.). 2000. Yell-Oh Girls!: Emerging Voices Explore Culture, Identity, and Growing Up Asian American. New York: Quill Press.
Prasso, Sheridan. 2005. The Asian Mystique: Dragon ladies, Geisha Girls and Our Fantasies of the Exotic Orient. New York: PublicAffairs.
Shah, Sonia. 1997. "Women and Gender Issues" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. <http://www.asian-nation.org/gender.shtml> (October 7, 2009).
Shimizu, Celine. 2007. The Hypersexuality of Race: Performing Asian/American Women on Screen and Scene. Duke University Press.
Tajima, R. (1989). Lotus blossoms don't bleed: Images of Asian women., Asian Women United of California's Making waves: An anthology of writings by and about Asian American women, (pp 308-317), Beacon Press
Toyama, Nikki A., Tracey Gee, Kathy Khang, Christie Heller de Leon, and Asifa Dean (Eds.). 2005. More Than Serving Tea: Asian American Women on Expectations, Relationships, Leadership and Faith. IVP Books.
Wing Sue, Derald, Jennifer Bucceri, Annie I. Lin, Kevin L. Nadal, and Gina C. Torino. 2007. “Racial Microaggressions and the Asian American Experience.” Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 13 (1), 72– 81.
And here's Diana's take on how things went down last night at the Commission hearing.
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| User | Points |
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| Intern | 120 |
Aside from the offensive name, is there any word on theme, clientle or services provided by this establishment? It seems absent in all this discussion.
(though that is not to say that naming a bar after a historical stereotype isn't wrong on its own.)
It's not like they are calling the bar Chinks. While I agree Geisha MAY be offensive to some it's only offensive if one takes a VERY narow view of the definition. Geishas are simply people (who included men AND women) who entertain the audience through song and dance. A Narrow definition is that Asian women (only) entertain men (alludingsexual contact).
FACT: Geishas were men AND women throughout history (it's simply, and incorrectly, understood that they are ALL women) and the audiences were a mix of men AND women.
Let's not become a Nanny State. If Asian Americans contnue to cry racism when none exists we'll be no better than the Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons - crying wolf when there is no wolf and truly trivilzing real racism and discrimination faced by our communities.
I dont know where you're getting your Japanese history, but true geisha were never men. There is some historical evidence that the institution of geisha evolved out of performers who included men, but in their most well-understood form, geisha have been exclusively female. They also rarely entertained "audiences" - geishas are and were a highly private and exclusive form of entertainment available only to the elite. The extent of an "audience" would be perhaps four or five patrons at most.
And yes, true geishas are not and never have been prostitutes. The nature of the institution and the relationship between geishas and patrons are highly complex and little understood outside a very narrow segment of Japanese society, but the true and correct usage of the term is not at issue here. What matters is the perception of the average observer likely to come into contact with the bar, and it's no controversy that in the West, geishas have long been viewed, however incorrectly, as prostitutes and symbolic of the stereotype of Asian female sex workers. For example, "geisha girl" has been the common slang term for prostitute among American military stationed in Japan since WWII.
Moreover, the prostitution element is not the only problematic aspect of the geisha image. Many contemporary Japanese find the institution outdated and offensive not because of assumptions about prostitution, but because it stems out of a culture of women serving and entertaining men. You don't need sex to recognize that even in the most favorable light, geishas represent patriarchy.
I should add that while I disagree on policy and ethical grounds with the naming of the bar, it might be unconstitutional for the Planning Commission to deny a permit based on the name.
Whether or not the bar would have First Amendment protections depends on exactly what the permit was for, and how other businesses are treated in the same process.
Get over yourselves, ladies. You only prove that intolerance is alive and well in the Asian-Am community. For all your education and street "cred" you sure can't roll with life's little ups-and-downs very well. I mean, back the truck up, will you? Lighten up, get a grip, relax, chill, deep breathing. We will survive. The planning commission can't tell people what to name their businesses and frankly you don't want them to have this power. You went to the meeting and had your say and lost it happens all time. Take your lumps and learn like everyone else has to. it was funny to watch your group talk like you all expected the commissioners and everybody to change their minds just cuz you said so. how naive and arrogant. Its a public process and a big world. No body was saying anything sexual or stereotyping any one until you all showed up with your psychobabble over the name of a business - how utterly petty. im sure i could find alots of names i don't like either. How arrogant and full of yourselves you all are. in a multicultural and multiracial society everybody is sterotyping everyone else all the time. noboby gets more or less of it, it happens all the time and you know it but you think if it happens to you it is a great injury like your pain hurts more than anyone else, like your pain is special and more important and should get more attention and those who cause your little pain desire ever bit of your judgement and condemnation. Balony!
Anon coward, so what?
Geisha bar is not in Oakland Chinatown. 316-14th Street in downtown Oakland is not in Oakland Chinatown. It is on the 14th Street corridor and part of the main business area and quite close to Lake Merritt, but is not in Chinatown. 8th, 9th, 10th Streets and Webster/Franklin Streets are in Chinatown. This location is not in Chinatown.
I agree with Ramey that there may have been legal problems with denying a permit based solely on the name, but we also aren't sure that it was the legal issues that motivated the council representatives to vote in favour of granting the permit.
I think that the offensiveness of this restaurant should be resolved with grassroots and community pressure -- protest the restaurant and organize a boycott. Speak to the restaurant owners about how negativity publicity against the establishment will continue to mount, and how the local community will not tolerate the stereotype referenced by the name. I think the bad press that the restaurant has gotten in the blogosphere so far will do a lot towards encouraging discussion between community leaders and the restaurant owners towards changing the name.
I'm going to give the commenter above the benefit of the doubt and assume she was just being cheeky, but it's important to emphasize nonetheless that violent or illegal activity is an unacceptable response. We can be strong, steadfast, passionate, and even pains in the a**, but we should never stoop to violence.
It's also "unconsitutional" for a man and woman to marry. Just sayin' ya'll! There's a difference between something being unconstitutional and just outright insensitive, immoral, and a detriment to society.
Oops. I mean a man and a man to marry.
I think you mean the Constitution hasn't been interpreted to protect the right of two people of the same sex to marry. That's not the same thing as being unconstitutional - that would mean same-sex marriage violates the Constitution, which would also mean states wouldn't be allowed to pass laws enabling same-sex marriage. It also doesn't mean that same-sex marriage couldn't be reocgnized as constitutionally protected some day.
The constitutional issue with the Planning Commission is a little different. Denying a permit because of the name of the organization would be a potential content-based restriction of speech, which would violate the First Amendment. Just because a name is objectionable or even offensive, doesn't mean the government can regulate it.
However, the constitutional question is merely one of limits and minimum requirements. It doesn't obviously speak to the morality or policy implications of the bar's name. I don't think you actually disagree with Jenn and me; all of us are in agreement that the question of something's constitutionality and its merit are different.
Yes! Well articulated.
Ramey beat me to it! I was just going to write:
unconstitutional ≠ not in the constitution
Perhaps you should expand your protest to Geisha House in Hollywood, CA? They have been open for years, with absolutely no issue.
As a non-Asian-American, "geisha" to me simply means "a woman who serves drinks and provides polite company". Will the presence of the bar suddenly force me to look differently at my Asian-American women friends? Will I suddenly start looking at them as whores, despite knowing them for 15+ years? I didn't know that the name of a bar could have such a profound effect on people!!
But seriously. People need to stop crying wolf on such trivial things, otherwise when the realy sh!t goes down (like the Lousiana nut who refused to perform an interracial marriage), people will just ignore you.
i can't believe people do not think this is a real and important issue. i am an asian american female, and all my life i have had to deal with sexual harrassment because of my race. when i was 13, i was walking down the street in fruitvale and a man came up to me, asked me for sexual favors, said he would pay me for it, followed me to the store i was going to, and continued to ask me questions about "whether i had hair down there, and is it as dark and thick as the hair on my head." it was one of the worst things i've had to go through and every time a man comes up to me i geet scared all over again. even now, everyday, people make racial remarks at me, like i'm some exotic sexual figure who just got off the boat from china. and i KNOW they see me as a submissive, quiet asian girl who won't say anything back at them, and because of that, i don't.
i can imagine people walking pass this bar, laughing about it, then seeing another asian teenage female and harrassing her about her dark hair, her slanty eyes. and it's true, those small remarks made by men in passing have a huge impact. i don't know if the planning commission can do anything about this issue, but regardless i feel like the business owners should realize that this is bringing up a lot of issues and pain for asian american women and have some sympathy. seriously? you can't think of a different name for your bar? seriously??
10:18 proves the point. A geisha isn't a woman who serves drinks. He or she is thinking about a "hostess bar", which is a completely different thing.
As I learned it (I'm Japanese American with a mom from Japan) a geisha does dancing (odori), plays the shamisen and sings, and maybe knows the tea ceremony. They also wear white makeup. That's about all I learned. No prostitution was involved.
In fact, i did hear a little bit about whores in Japan, but, they weren't called geisha. (I don't remember the term.)
Also, I remember some boys asking if I knew about "geeshas". I'd say something like "geisha? yah I know about them." and i didn't have a clue what they were talking about. i just thought they were talking about geisha -- the white faced shamisen players!
So, there was some mutual ignorance back then, and that ignorance clearly persists today. A quick perusal of the Geisha House restaurant's website proves it. The theme is a "high class Asian brothel". What the fukc? they even mention the kama sutra. LOLz. Ignorant.
The geisha system seems sexist. It seems to align with prostitution, and also with hostess bars. One gender entertains, and the other purchases the entertainment. It's like ritual sexism or something.
Ps - has anyone protested the "Buddha Bar"? That's some more bullshit. The Buddha didn't want people to drink. If he were a magician like Christ, he would have turned wine into water. LOLz.
So, what if someone named a grocery store using the name Geisha? Would everyone go crazy then?
Why is is that when I come to America everyone is going crazy about issues like this. You guys are to crazy!
Using this word will NOT add to or take away the amount of violance against women. Put away the PhD and take some air out of your ego.
"steph" your experience happens everyday in Japan and even in my home in Taiwan, some men are just sick... why do you turn everything into a racial issue? I see many 2nd and 3rd generation that are going to crazy on this.
"rameyko" - you are wrong, wrong the Geisha where also men... get a book spend a few months traveling around japan.
I think a lot of Asian American are infact are promoting the sterotypes themselves.
Sexism and racism are two extreme issues that are always volatile and always will be. I wish we could get past these two issues but I don't think we ever will.
Golden Rule
You want to be discriminated against with no recourse?? Be like me. I am a white male living in Japan for the past 16 years. It can't get much worse. No, they don't physically abuse me, but the lack of resources/growth ability/rights...amazing!
I also don't find Geisha offensive, nor do I associate the word with sex in any way. Maybe instead of fighting a business in the court system...which I might add, frivolous issues like this is why Cali is financial broke, you should be spending your time and money in educating people....go to schools, teach the kids, place another billboard up...but stay out of the court room and save us some money.
I concur with other people above, to make APAP respectable, you need to choose your target wisely.
I find it hilarious that a few white men are trying to tell Asian-American women what to be offended by. Let them decide that.
No offense Matt, but the women here don't care if you find the word Geisha offensive or not. Also, if you read the post, there is a disclaimer on it that notes that this campaign is NOT part of APAP
Matt, you're in Japan. You're a White guy. This situation isn't about you. It's about Asians in America, a different situation.
For one, there was this war, WW2, where Japan lost and was an occupied country for 10 years - occupied by America. Then, there were a couple decades when the CIA helped prop up the LDP so they were kind of like puppets, covering for unpopular American policies.
That's the kind of power imbalance that exists between Japan and the US. It's an imbalance that happens to play out between Asians and Whites in the states.
That's why China bashing is so accepted right now. It's why Japan bashing was big in the 80s. When the power imbalance is, at all threatened, Americans freak out, get all weird, and do panicky shit.
Like write blog post comments about some topic where they're not really part of the issue. As if they *need* to be part of the issue, or, their centrality to everything is threatened.
Taipei Girl might have me pegged. I just played into Matt's need for attention. Just like a typical Asian American. Shame on me.
Why are people focusing their attention on a bar that hasn't opened and not saying a word about the karaoke "hostess bar" a block away on 14th St? There are numerous "oriental massage parlors" within a ten minute walk of this place, but where is the campaign to shut them down?
Everyone interested should hear the other side of the story... there is an article in the california pacific reporter about this bar... the owner was interviewed too and said that he tried to maintain communication with the angry community group but they cut off any negtiations. Also, he says he has been interested in the history of geisha's for years and his m.o. is to share the artwork surrounding geishas and educate on the true meaning. Nothing sleazy there!
@taipeigirl just because it happens every day doesn't mean it shouldn't stop.
and to all those people saying "oh there's this and this bar, this and this massage parlor, why aren't we fighting those?" people ARE fighting those. at least they're trying. the problem is that those "massage parlors" aren't always easy to bust. every time they are busted, they just reopen again, or bribe the police. we have to start somewhere, but sitting here and giving up doesn't change shit.
Wow the ignorance of you liberal fools is astounding.
I can't beleive this is even an issue. This is the first I have ever heard of the word "geisha" being used in a derogatory manner. I lived in Japan for two years in the early 2000s and my Japanese friends took me to be dressed up as a "Maiko" (apprentice Geisha) and have a photo shoot. If anyone ever thought Geisha was an evil term, I never heard it.
Rumour has it there's a new restaurant in Victoria, BC that looks like it is opening soon and is named "Geisha" - I doubt we'll hear a whisper of dissent regarding the name. It's a block from Chinatown.
welcome to every day life in the city.
Wow, what a racist article -"not surprised the white & black commissioners voted this way", and the latina abstained? wow, I guess we should not be too surprised by your insensitive sensitivity... by the way, why is it that our elders still label our white brothers & sisters "white devils". can we all move past race - please, are we not all human? Until true assimilation takes place, we will all continue segregating ourselves...to the benefit of nobody!
Wow, what a racist article -"not surprised the Componenti Elettronici white & black commissioners voted this way", and the latina abstained?
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great article! I often wondered why racists and prostitutes get such wonderful business opportunities.
Sexism and racism are two extreme issues that are always volatile and always will be. I wish we could get past these two issues but I don't think we ever will.
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It's surprising to hear that, but maybe I don't have a good understanding. I will read more information about this aspect.
Someone needs to get rid of the spam on the comments.
I hope some of this ranting got into peoples heads.
@canadian - you are very lucky to not know the racism that the typical american knows. Someone in your past decided to "kill" the racism they learned, so it would not infect future generations.
So you don't like the name or the bar. Then just don't bother going and try your friendly pub down the street I'm nothing their will affend you. Muscle Cars
Wow! can't believe this is happening to the country. Once conservative and now this?!
Oakland should not be proud of having this show!
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In the early stages of Japanese history there were female entertainers: saburuko (serving girls) were mostly wandering girls whose families were displaced from struggles in the late 600’s.[5] Some of these saburuko girls sold their bodies, while others with a better schooling made a living by entertaining at high-class social gatherings. After the imperial court moved the capital to Heian-kyō (Kyoto) in 794 the conditions that would form Japanese Geisha culture began to emerge, as it became the home of a beauty-obsessed elite.[5] Expert female performers, such as Shirabyōshi dancers, prospered.
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Great article, my question is what services are they providing at this establishment? For me, this name does not offend me at all. Cheers! Jasper Hotels
I also have trouble understading what the hullabaloo is all about. Is it because Geisha soap is common here?
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