Posted by Ami on 5/9/2008, 11:45 am, in reply to "Re: An Asian Fetish Night?"
76.23.14.46
I agree that fetish night is not intended to be politically correct. However, there is a big difference between using themes such as "leather and lace", "bondage," and "naughty and nice", versus using an ethnicity.
I also do agree that it does take a lot of energy to be offended. In fact, when I first received an e-mail with the theme. I shrugged it off.
However, I started to talk to a number of Asian American women, and took an informal poll. I figured about 60% of them would be upset. Much to my surprise, 100% of the women I talked to were offended by the theme of this and 1 other local club. These women felt that they were being objectified as sex objects.
Furthermore, I sit on the committee of Nihon Matsuri Japan Festival, held on the same date, where, for months, a group of local citizens worked hard to present Japanese American culture to the community. This year, they wanted to honor railroad workers and the prisoners in the Topaz internment camp. A good number of people working at the festival felt that this was a blatant move on the clubs' behalf to exploit this festival and its people to make an extra dollar.
I love A51, I love Sanctuary, and I love the staff. I know that no one was out to intentionally hurt anyone, and that the night was just supposed to be fun and naughty. However, when I see my friends, relatives, and, in some cases, the older generation of Asian Americans being hurt by another's actions, how long is it appropriate to shrug it off, and at what point should a person say something?
In this case, I felt something had to be said, if for no other reason than to bring attention to the issue. Otherwise, people would have become bitter, there would have been no discourse, and it would have not been any favor to either the Asian American community or to Area 51.
Rest assured, after a few people explained to me that the night was intended to focus on anime and the media, I took that at face value, and let everyone know. I'm not out to take down the club, or to remain offended or angry. I was simply expressing my beliefs and questioning the intention of the theme.
--Previous Message--
: I wasn't encouraged to dress a
: specific way. I've always found
: the goth club to be a very
: respectful place and tolerant of
: all kinds of perspectives.
:
: The idea of any fetish night would
: be offensive to many. Everyone
: knows that they try to stamp out
: individuality and contrasting
: perspectives in Utah. I don't
: think you can please everyone.
:
: I was born in Ireland and I've
: always though the way Americans
: celebrate St. Patty's was dumb. I
: don't take offense because I
: believe they don't intend to
: offend anyone, they're intention
: is to respect and love, however
: misguided or "twisted".
:
: Going around being offended is too
: heavy of a burden for me to carry
: around.
:
Message Thread:
« Back to thread
