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wearejapanese · 4 years

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A Japanese person's perspective on the mini-series. Let's discuss!

As a naturalized Japanese-American who was born in Japan, speaks Japanese with family, and has lived in Japan for 10 years growing up, this mini-season was the absolute best thing I could have asked for. Binging it made my weekend!

Going into this, I immediately had this feeling in my gut knowing that there is an extremely large cultural difference between Japan and America, and was curious how effectively the show was going to explain that to the audience or if they were going to take a more shallow, "JAPAN IS SO KAWAII and COOL" route. People in Japan are EXTREMELY accustomed to the concept of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down"; you should not be different or stand out, because you will be bullied and conforming is for your sake. Modesty, conforming, gender roles, being indirect and roundabout, and not being emotionally expressive are extremely big concepts in the Japanese psyche. Mental health, therapy, LGBT acceptance, being sexual, "doing me", straightforward emotional expression, embracing your curves, loving your body, etc. are not as prevalent in the general population as they are in America.

Kiko Mizuhara (who I've adored since I was a teenager living in Japan, she is so gorgeous and is in so many commercials in Japan) did a good job explaining and clarifying things to the Fab 5, although I wish she was featured a little bit more in each episode breaking things down more. The whole concept of a "guide" was really great, as she is decent at English and explained well, but I think the show could have done more with her.

1: Yoko was a fantastic hero to start off the season. The fact that she was spunkier than the average 50-year-old Japanese woman helped keep the episode lighthearted and appealing. She was so receptive and warm to the Fab 5 and it was a really feel-good episode overall. I think her episode helps viewers who are unfamiliar with Japanese social norms to get a taste of concepts like "throwing away your womanhood". I think the first slot was appropriate for this episode, as opposed to later. I was a bit sad that Bobby covered up a lot of the traditional Japanese interior of the community center, but I have to say the place ended up looking like it'd really be useful. I loved her transformation. It was really refreshing but still age-appropriate. In Japan, it'd be embarrassing to be talking about things like "How do you like the new me?", "I learned to have more self-confidence", etc. But the way she delivered her speech was soooooo...Japanese, so un-self-centered, it made her experience more digestible for the people there.

2: LGBT acceptance is really lacking in Japan compared to in the U.S. As soon as I saw the preview blurb on Netflix for this episode, I knew we were in for a doozy. Sure, there are still ignorant people anywhere, and still accepting people anywhere. But, as Kan expressed, it's extremely difficult to live "out and proud" in Japan with all of the social norms we grow up indoctrinated with. I thought Kan was the sweetest, most endearing lead, and he was also super receptive to the Fab 5, and I think it helped tremendously that he knew English so he could understand what they were saying. I also thought Kan was so brave to be so open on TV about his sexuality and I have so much gratitude for that. The scene with the monk and Kan breaking down about how he couldn't find support abroad or at home made me bawl my eyes out. I also really appreciated JVN telling Kan in the hair salon that it's radical and brave to love yourself and that's enough, you don't have to dress like him to be radical. Finally, sleeping on the floor is totally normal, and that is what a real futon is. The flat thing on the floor.

3: This was my second-favorite episode for a reason. It was so nuanced and definitely not the bubbliest or most happy. First of all, the mom haunts me. I am 100% Japanese, and my parents are both Japanese, live in Japan, only speak Japanese. They were traditional Asian Tiger parents growing up, and did a lot of things to me that I wouldn't ever do to my future kids. I don't talk to them about anything personal. I don't feel close to them. But, we get along decently in person, and they aren't bad people. Personally, in my opinion, something about Kae's mom gave me the heebie-jeebies. I got so much anxiety every time she came up on screen. There's obviously way more that has to be unpacked here. The pure, still rage on the mother's face when Kae said to Antoni that "she told me not to be in the kitchen so I felt uncomfortable to", the way the mom stirred the stuff in the pan with that blank stare, I felt extremely uncomfortable the whole cooking scene. And Antoni tried his hardest to get them to connect, but it just was a bit too "direct" to work well in Japan. I appreciated that Antoni heard out the mom when she said that saying "I love you" isn't normal in Japan, which is definitely true. The fact that the mother didn't recognize that bullying was a big deal literally floored me. The way she said "I think we're similar in that we both tend to not express our pain to our parents" really rubbed me the wrong way. That may be a fact, but it's not something to be content about or use as an excuse, it's something to improve upon. Sorry, I have a lot of thoughts on this topic from personal experience and also analyzing their body language and stuff from a Japanese perspective. Finally, I love JVN so much, but that hair was horrible. I wished he kept it pink or at least a dark burgundy. Also, loved seeing Naomi Watanabe in this episode and I think she was a great choice to inspire Kae - someone who can turn any situation into something lighthearted which will help Kae feel comfortable, while also being straight up, and with major star power! I don't know why tf Kiko got the drawing in the end, when she didn't even help, but oh well. Tan is so nice.

4: I knew guys kind of like Makoto growing up in Japan. Getting by in life, not openly into girls or dating, watching out for themselves, extremely introverted. Really fitting into the mold of what society accepts, because that's all they know how to do, think will be appreciated, and think is the right thing to do/think is enough. The way that Makoto's boss made that comment about how Makoto's wife is more out-spoken, saying what she wants, reflected the traditional gender roles and sexism that Japan still has. It had this undertone of like, women usually aren't like that. I really enjoyed this episode because it was honestly so...interesting. The dynamic between Makoto and Yasuko was really mind-boggling, right? I was so thrown off by all the things that were divulged about their marriage. I don't want to come across as disrespectful, but I honestly had a few moments in that episode where I thought Makoto was in the closet or something. Maybe it was editing. Did anyone else think that? However, I think that there are a ton of different types of people in the world - different personalities, ways of expressing themselves, childhoods, parenting styles that affect adult personality, all that stuff. Clearly, being from Japan where emotional expression is minimal and extremely indirect to begin with, along with maybe having a sad (?) childhood, and not being the most experienced with dating or relationships, I can see how Makoto and Yasuko unfortunately settled into this sibling-like relationship for 4 or so years. I think that they have a great shot at improving their relationship over time, and I think Karamo helped them so much with the yoga conversation where they finally opened up about their insecurities and unspoken worries. Also, I'm pretty sure they translated a bit wrong. Makoto is referring to Yasuko as the superhuman, not himself. He says to her, "Just the fact that you exist makes you a superhuman to me". Very sweet! His makeover also looked amazing, my favorite transformation of the season.

Overall, I'd rank the episodes in terms of how much I enjoyed them: 2, 3, 4, 1. How about you?

I think this mini-season excellently touched on a lot of really real social issues in Japan and presented how different things are in Japan compared to in the U.S. Do you have any questions about certain things that came up in an episode? I'd love to discuss with you and share my perspective.

(Reddit Conversation)

#Reddit #Queer Eye #Representation #LGBT #lgbtqia #japanese #Japanese American

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mulanxiaojie · 4 years

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We were all thinking it, and finally someone had to ask: Why on earth would Disney cut Mushu? “Well, we made it 10 minutes in,” joked Mulan producer Jason Reed.

In case you missed the trailer, the headlines, and the tweets — so many tweets — the live-action Mulan will cut Mushu, leaving it bereft of the comedic energy from a dragon sidekick. The world has changed since 1998, and Disney has made a serious, more violent Mulan that’s truer to the Chinese folklore.

“Obviously Mushu is a beloved character, and one of the most memorable elements of the animated film,” Reed explained to a group of journalists huddled inside a tent on Mulan’s mountainous New Zealand set in October 2018.

“It turns out that the traditional, Chinese audience did not particularly think that that was the best interpretation of the dragon in their culture. The dragon is a sign of respect and it's a sign of strength and power, and that using it as a silly sidekick didn't play very well with a traditional Chinese audience.”

It's one of many indications that unlike with The Lion King, Disney is not going for a by-the-numbers Mulan remake.

While a classic to kids of a certain generation in the West, 1998’s Mulan flopped in China, released a year late after Disney was effectively banned for releasing the film Kundun, a film sympathetic to the Dalai Lama. On screens in Mulan’s birthplace, Hunan, the film only made $30,000 at the box office after three weeks.

You could blame the film’s late release in China, which caused some audiences to watch pirated versions months before its eventual arrival in theaters. But it's also likely that local audiences didn’t warm to the idea of Americans taking on a Chinese legend, especially one which already had multiple adaptations on film, TV, and stage.

“This is not a Chinese dragon," one Chinese moviegoer told The Baltimore Sun in 1999. "I can tell the people who designed the dragon are from America."

In that light, Disney’s resistance toward a comedic dragon sidekick in the new Mulan makes financial sense. Once chump change for Hollywood, China’s film market is set to overtake the U.S. this year. For Disney, its three biggest 2019 releases in China — Captain Marvel, The Lion King and Aladdin — accounted for more than $320 million in takings.

Despite the omission of Mushu, Reed promises the film will be funny. Just admittedly not Eddie Murphy funny.

"We have some scenes that, although they're played very real, are gonna get some very big, big laughs.”

“Take one of the greatest comedians of all time, make them a dragon, have him prance around, and give him like, two years refine the jokes — we're not gonna beat that, in terms of raw slapstick comedy,” he said.

“But we have added a couple of elements to this movie which I think really do the same thing of grounding it, bringing you into it, we have some scenes [that], although they're played very real, are gonna get some very big, big laughs.”

Other big changes are afoot as well. There aren’t any of those singalong theatrical musical numbers like “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” “Reflection,” or “A Girl Worth Fighting For”, although Reed promises there will be “songs that you recognize and remember” in the movie.

Also gone is the cathartic scene in which Mulan cuts her hair in preparation for battle, which Reed admits he gets mocked for during meetings in China. “[It’s] actually a Western anachronism,” Reed explained. Chinese male warriors wore their hair long, and to cut Mulan’s hair would make her look more of a woman.

Nor will you see Mulan’s smart-mouth grandmother, Fa, or Li Shang in the live-action film. The latter decision has been particularly controversial, given Li Shang’s status as a bisexual icon. Reed was surprised by the backlash, but the decision was made in the light of the #MeToo movement.

“I think particularly in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer, that is also the sexual love interest, was very uncomfortable. We didn't think it was appropriate and we thought that in a lot of ways, that it was sort of justifying behavior that we're doing everything we can to get out of our industry,” Reed explained.

Instead, the character of Li Shang will be split into two characters: Commander Tung, played by Ip Man star Donnie Yen, will serve as Mulan’s surrogate father and mentor in the film, while Chen Honghui, a role filled by New Zealander Yoson An, will be an equal to Mulan in the army and her eventual love interest.

It still leaves questions about how the queer element of the relationship between Mulan and Honghui will play out, or whether it will even be present. While homosexuality was decriminalized by China in 1997, Chinese censors are infamous for cutting out LGBTQ TV and movie scenes.

Chinese moviegoers saw no reference to Freddie Mercury’s sexuality in Bohemian Rhapsody, while Call Me By Your Name was pulled from official screenings (although it soon gathered a cult following). Disney doesn’t believe censorship will be a problem for Mulan, with Reed explaining it worked “very closely” with censors and its releasing partners in China.

“We feel that we are secure in the censorship issue, that we have our permits approved and I believe that we will continue to have a good relationship with the releasing entities in our various partners in China,” Reed claimed.

While the storyline will largely remain similar, new characters are joining the fray. A powerful shapeshifting witch, portrayed by Gong Li, will feature alongside the main antagonist Bori Khan, played by Jason Scott Lee. The story will begin with Mulan as a child, and she will have a younger sister in the film, something present in other adaptations of the folklore.

“It makes it more than just her having to take care of her father and mother, who are sort of in the role of taking care of her,” Reed said. “By adding a younger sister we thought that it added sort of a broader emotional context, and added more motivation for her, particularly for the end.”

On the monitor inside our tent, actor Yifei Liu is effortless in her swordplay. It’s no surprise she’s landed the titular role; she is Mulan. Liu battled through a tough physical audition for the role, admitting to us she couldn’t walk properly after.

“I wanted to thoroughly explore this girl,” Mulan’s director Niki Caro told Empire in February 2020.

“Because I needed a warrior, and I needed a partner. So she did this grueling audition and then we sent her straight to the physical trainer to do an equally grueling physical assessment. Weights, push-ups, pull-ups, everything. She was brilliant in the dramatic part of the audition, and in the physical part she never stopped, never faulted. I knew at the end of that day that I’d found my warrior.”

Liu has plenty of experience acting in wuxia films, a genre of martial arts films in China. Besotted, Mulan's filmmakers even pushed back production five months for Liu.

“She was doing a television show and so she wouldn't be available to a certain point, and the point when she was available was terrible weather for us,” Reed said.

Liu, who exudes confidence onscreen and is praised by her co-stars for her professionalism, is more reserved in conversation. She said she doesn’t try and think too much about how Chinese audiences will perceive her as Mulan. Nor would she be drawn on a question comparing the character of Mulan in the animated and the live action version.

“I would not really compare, because I think each creation was its own form, and I really respect that,” Liu explains. “I’m also open to Mulan’s possibilities. We tried not to fix too many things.”

For Honghui actor Yoson An, who only has a handful of credits — mostly in his home country of New Zealand and in Australia — the whole international fame thing hasn’t quite set in.

“I don't think it’s hit me yet, I don't know where it's gonna go until this movie’s released, I guess. I'm still kind of rolling with things, just one day at a time,” An said.

Admitting that he would’ve been looked over if the live-action Mulan had been a musical, An said he only picked up acting in his late teens, disillusioned with his university studies.

“When I heard that Niki [Caro] was set to direct this movie back in 2014, I was like, ‘Oh, so cool. A New Zealander is set to direct Mulan,’ and I was just walking back to get my car and I was like, ‘Wouldn't it be cool if I played the love interest?’, just like a little thought in my head, and I'm thought, ‘No, that's never gonna happen.’ And then, four years later, here I am,” he said.

"It really dispels all the classic Asian stereotypes from all the other films."

The world of Mulan is inspired by the Tang dynasty, a golden age of imperial China during which it experienced flourishing trade with foreign nations and cultural advancement. In An’s eyes, Mulan could be a major moment for Asian diaspora worldwide — although Liu’s praise for police during the Hong Kong protests last year has prompted calls for a boycott of the film.

“In this film, the cast, you see people from different kinds of cultures interacting with each other and every single character has a multi-dimensional layer for them. So it really dispels all the classic Asian stereotypes from all the other films,” he explains.

“And with what Black Panther has done for its community, and I really feel that Mulan is gonna do the same for the Asian community as a whole, taking on what Crazy Rich Asians has already done for Asian community, with the momentum it created.”

Like Crazy Rich Asians, Mulan looked far and wide for Asian actors. There’s a mixture of Asian New Zealanders, Asian Australians, Asian Americans, and of course, Chinese actors. Mulan is mostly in English, to the joy of the subtitle-averse out there, and thus all actors are aiming towards a Chinese-influenced American dialect — a goal which Reed admits has been “complicated.”

It’s no problem for An, who said he’s performed Chinese accents on screen before. Reminding us how young he is, An mentions he practiced as a kid to YouTube videos of Canadian stand-up comedian Russell Peters, who went viral a decade ago for his “Be a man! Do the right thing!” bit.

“You guys know Russell Peters? Right? As a kid, I’d watch his stuff and do exactly as he did. But that's a very comical version of the accent, it’s very different to what we’re doing,” An said.

In research for its live-action reboot, Reed and the production team went back to the original ballad and the “many, many variations” which told in China since, including several modern film and television adaptations made in China — before watching the Disney animated version again, thinking how Mulan would appeal to multiple audiences.

With the coronavirus shutting down all 70,000 of the country's theaters since Jan. 24, it's unclear — and more unlikely every day — that multiplexes will reopen in time for its planned release.

"It certainly has worldwide and global appeal, but there's no denying that this is a very important film for the Chinese market," Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a huge blow for Disney if it doesn't release in China." Disney president of production Sean Bailey told the publication he's "looking at it day by day."

Whenever and wherever it arrives, the hope is that Mulan will appeal to four audiences: the Asian diaspora community worldwide; women; Disney movie fans; and of course, a Chinese audience. But why would a Chinese audience watch another adaptation of Mulan? The answer lies in the hope that Disney can create something exceptional this time around.

“One of the things that was made clear to us from the very beginning was, make a Disney movie. Don't try to make the Chinese version of Mulan, because they've already made it several times, and they've already seen it,” Reed explained.

“So if you wanna make something that's going to play to the Chinese audience and be interesting to them, make the Disney version. And what that meant to us, was that we had to bring the highest level of execution, production, design, costume, hair and makeup, the cinematography.

“The people that we hire, they were hired with the expectation that we wanted awards-caliber work, and they weren't meant to think about this as a kids movie or an animated remake, or any of those things.

“Our references are David Lean and [Akira] Kurosawa — we're not looking at 101 Dalmatians.”

#entertainment #disney #mulan #live action mulan #article #I'm all four audiences so let's see if it appeals to me lmao

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ad-drew · 6 years

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Writing Diversity In Fiction

So, this isn't what I expected my first major post to be on this blog, but I had a few questions I thought could be important, and might be beneficial both to myself and others who might find this. Now, when it comes to diversity in fiction—it's important. There are so many different kinds of people in the world, why would you ever want to write about just one? Especially the kind that is already over represented as is?

You know what I mean. Straight, white, cis male, maybe with a few women thrown in. This is boring. It is not representative of our world by any stretch of the imagination. Even fictional worlds, which, sure, you can make however you want, but I'd ask why you would want to make a world where everyone looks/acts/thinks the same, or who are all attracted to the same kind of people? So, having diversity is important. Having different kinds of characters that many different people can relate to is important.

Let me up front by saying I fall into that over represented category—straight, white, cis male. As such, I know I will never one hundred percent be able to understand or accurately represent different cultures or ethnicities. But I do understand the need of having a diverse cast of characters, and quite frankly I want to write about those characters, because I've always found diverse casts far more interesting.

The problem I'm running into is the question of whether or not straight white writers should be “allowed” to write about different cultures, ethnicities, or sexualities. And I don't necessarily mean just having a gay character, or an Asian character, or a disabled character. I'm more referring to actually going into certain details about these characters, if such things should come up and be relevant to the story.

For example, in my current WIP, I wanted to write a sort of contemporary supernatural/fantasy story. Rather than working with oversaturated creatures such as vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies, etc., I wanted to do something different, and I've always been fascinated by yōkai from Japanese folklore. Great, I thought, I'll write a story that pulls inspiration from there. Thinking further, if I was going to be writing about creatures primarily inspired by Japanese folklore, it made sense to me to make the main protagonist Japanese. There's no reason to have the main character white, after all; there are enough white protagonists out there.

Cool, so I settled on a high school girl, Rei, living in a small town in America. Parents were out of the picture because plot reasons, so she was raised by her grandparents. Seemed simple enough. But it's never that simple. Because, I realized, as a Japanese American growing up with traditional grandparents, she would have had unique experiences growing up, when it came to things like school and home life. Even if she was largely rebellious as a kid and tried not to care about her culture, there would inevitably be aspects about it that affected her life. So, I would probably have to write about that, especially if over the course of the story she grows out of her rebellious phase and wants to learn more about her roots.

And there's the problem. I've put myself in the position where my story says at least some details about various aspects of Japanese culture are going to be relevant. But I myself am not Japanese, and no matter how much research I do, how much care I take, how many personal experiences I read about, or videos I watch, I will never fully understand the cultural aspects the same way a Japanese writer would, who would undoubtedly be able to write it more accurately.

Which leads me to my final question. Does not being qualified to write about certain cultures in this way dictate I shouldn't write it? Is doing research enough? Is listening to the experiences of those who are a part of the culture and doing my utmost to portray that as respectfully as possible enough? Is having sensitivity readers who can go through and point out potentially offensive things I've written without meaning to enough?

Or is this something I should leave to a writer better qualified?

#writeblr #writerblr #writing community #diversity #reading

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ninnetta153gaming · 4 years

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How to use keyboard and mouse for gaming on pc

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muslimgirlarmy · 7 years

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Meet Muslim Girl January Baddie of the Month: Sumaia Masoom

The Pew Research Center reported in 2013 that there were roughly 20 million children in the United States born to immigrants. And while immigration tends to be a point of contention with our politicians, we can’t deny that immigrants and their children continue to make this country what it is today — beautiful in rich culture and diversity, and prosperous in their drive to succeed.

Sumaia Masoom is the child of immigrants and Muslim Girl’s January Baddie of the month, not because she is a child of immigrants — but because this Muslim Girl writer understands the opportunities she has because of her beautiful background. She’s also written some engaging and pertinent political thought pieces in her research and writing. We know that this young lady will be making big waves as a Muslim woman in America, and we wanted to give you the opportunity to get to know her.

Muslim Girl: You’ve been writing for MG for a while now and we absolutely adore you. You’re smart, beautiful, and a talented writer — but we want to know who you are, where you come from.

Sumaia Masoom: My parents are both immigrants from Bangladesh — both of them lived through the Liberation War with Pakistan and are old enough to remember the atrocities. That bitter experience taught me about empathy and acceptance. It taught me to cherish the value of their hard work and the perseverance that it took them to get to this country in the first place.

I am so fortunate that my parents passed down to me, as well as to my older and younger sisters, the meaning of hard work and everything they had to do in order to build this life for us. Children of immigrants often have these lessons they share with others who’ve experienced the same struggles.

“WHEN I CAME TO COLLEGE AND HAD MY EYES OPENED TO ALL THE WAYS GLOBAL POLITICS CAN CREATE MICRO-LEVEL INJUSTICES AND LEARNED ABOUT ALL THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO, IT CEMENTED MY DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THE POLICY LEVEL.”

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You attend one of the best colleges in this country. Tell us about what you are studying and what you plan on doing with your education.

I’m currently studying Social Policy and International Studies at Northwestern University, a field I initially chose in large part because of my high school teachers; I’ve always enjoyed my social studies and government courses the most, and in my junior year, my AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher planted the idea of studying political science or public policy in my head.

Then, when I came to college and had my eyes opened to all the ways global politics can create micro-level injustices and learned about all the intersections between the two, it cemented my desire to make a difference on the policy level. Particularly in light of the events of the past few years and of the fact that my parents are immigrants,

I’ve been especially interested in studying the establishment, protection, and expansion of civil rights for Muslim Americans and immigrants alike. I don’t know exactly what I want to do post-graduation, but I’m leaning towards getting a Master’s in International Relations and going on to do policy-based advocacy work for the Muslim American community.

“I’VE BEEN ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN STUDYING THE ESTABLISHMENT, PROTECTION, AND EXPANSION OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR MUSLIM AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANTS ALIKE.”

I don’t know that I actively aspire to be an inspiration to other Muslim girls, but I do always strive to live my life in a way that other Muslim girls who are watching me know that they have: a shot at doing whatever they want to, regardless of how small of a rock they come out from under (Platteville is a tiny, very isolated and conservative community with maybe four other Muslim families tops), and someone they can always reach out to for help.

In case our readers haven’t been keeping up with your work, please share with us some of your accomplishments.

Besides being a student and writing for Muslim Girl, I’ve been very blessed to be able to split my time with some other incredible opportunities as well (alhamdulillah). Over the past two summers I’ve interned at the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the White House Initiative for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. At the latter, I was the only Muslim intern and one of two South Asian interns, so it was incredibly cool to get to increase exposure of my communities’ experiences at the highest level of our nation’s government.

I’ve also been featured on the front page of The Huffington Post for writing about my experiences as a Muslim American teenager in an era of so much discrimination and blatant hate, and have written for The Hill about the ludicrousness of Congress’s slippery slop arguments regarding “radical Islam.”

“NOW THAT I’M OLDER AND UNDERSTAND MORE, I RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF AWARENESS.”

While those were both amazing on a personal level, they meant a whole lot more to me knowing that they weren’t just personal achievements, but actively created dialogue on issues that so deeply affect Muslims across the country and around the world.

You took the lead on creating and updating Muslim Girl’s detailed Hate Crime Watch Tracker. Tell us why you volunteered to take on such a huge project.

I started the Islamophobic Attack tracker as a personal catharsis — I myself was a victim of multiple physical attacks in middle school and didn’t make a big enough deal about it at the time because I just wanted it to be over and done with. Now that I’m older and understand more, I recognize the power of awareness.

It’s been an incredibly draining project and I’ve had to take a step back and rely on my friends many times throughout the process, but the more we talk about the extent to which “just rhetoric” can be literally, physically harmful, the more we can move towards a country where we hold each other accountable and create, as our Constitution states, “a more perfect Union.”

I’m sure lots of people ask you about what it’s like being a part of the Muslim Girl revolution as a writer. What do you tell them? What does it mean to you?

Being part of the Muslim Girl revolution means more to me than I can say. Growing up, there were a lot of times when I stuck out because of my background as a Muslim in a rural city; then, after coming to college, there were a lot of times that I didn’t feel Muslim enough because I hadn’t grown up surrounded by Bollywood music and dinner parties (which are really just arbitrary measures that Muslim Students Associations around the country for some reason seem to use as a measure of Muslim-ness!).

In a world that often tries to silence me from both sides, Muslim Girl has given me not just a family of diverse backgrounds and all the understanding I’ve always dreamed of finding, but also a platform to finally take control of my own narrative.

#baddie #of #the month #muslimgirlfierce #muslimgirlarmy

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asfeedin · 4 years

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500px Commercial Grants: I am: Woman Campaign

The 500px “I am: woman” Commercial Collection was inspired by and shot for “Project ShowUs”, an initiative put together by Dove, Girl Gaze, and Getty Images. The Project was first launched in 2019 and won a Cannes Lion, Silver Lion, Glass: The Lion for Change award, for their groundbreaking work devoted to shattering beauty stereotypes.

Representation of women in advertising hasn’t changed in over a decade. As visual thought leaders, advertisers, marketers, and creatives, we need to be more progressive when it comes to the portrayal of women in advertising:

“70% of women still don’t feel represented in media and advertising.” – Dove Impact of Beauty Stereotypes Quant Study 2019

By shifting this narrative, women reclaim ownership over how they are seen and valued within global culture. It provides space for young girls to recognize value within themselves and for women to understand that there is no ‘cookie-cutter’, ‘one-size-fits-all’, recipe to define what a woman is.

For this collection, 500px worked with nine international photographers who photographed over 80 authentic women who are breaking stereotypes and adding personal context to explain how they identify, who they are, and things they are proud of. The photographers worked intimately with each woman to help keyword her content, providing real keywords that accurately represent who they are as individual people in 2020.

In this Collection you will find leaders, achievers, women in power, business owners, survivors, mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and people who contribute to a community of women who empower one another to stay strong. They contribute to a louder voice within advertising, insisting media and advertisers reflect the authentic experience of women around the world.

Our photographers:

Toronto, Canada 6 women

“I often think about how power is distributed in photography, with subjects often having little say in what they wear, how they act, and how they’re presented. It was refreshing to be able to capture someone simply as they were, on their terms. I chose to highlight the type of creative role models that I would’ve wanted to see growing up, especially ones that would describe themselves as proud, comfortable, and strong. Each shoot was with a minimal set up and small crew; they felt tender, intimate. When I was capturing one subject with her mother, she even told me that I wasn’t just taking pictures; I was “gifting moments”.”

Meet: Claire: Dancer, Woman of Colour, Flexibility, Student, Creative, Sisterhood Vicky & Hong: Together, Mother, Daughter, Bonding Justine: Working at Home, Illustrator, Artist

Milwaukee, USA 16 women

“My experience working on the #ShowUs project was definitely eye-opening. I worked with over 15 different women coming from all walks of life and I learned so much. I chose to work with such a large group because I wanted to challenge myself as an artist. Also, as an individual I wanted to learn more about these individual women and be able to tell their stories through their photos. It was so empowering working with everyone and hearing their stories and being able to represent them in their most authentic self.”

Meet: Taylor: Daughter, Teeth Gap, Bright, Writer, Hair Texture Afrah: Education, Hijab, Middle Eastern, Strong, Intelligent, Woman Cynthia: Latina, Down to Earth, Peaceful, Proud, Elegance Teresa: Entrepreneur, Resilient, Black Woman, Style

Podol’sk, Himki, Moscow, Russia Balashikha, Berlin, Germany 18 women

“When I was contacted by 500px to do this project, every fibre of my soul screamed, “Yes!” I was thrilled to start scouting people for it. I tend to use “real” women for my artwork anyway, so it was exciting to work with women of all ages and personalities. They inspire me and others with their love or at least readiness to love aspects of our bodies that society has been repressing in the beauty standards for so long – stretch marks, skin discolouration, scars, wrinkles, tattoos, etc. Mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, yoga goddesses, athletes, artists, makers, and inventors. Tender and passionate, caring and firm, strong and soft, shy and confident, serious and bursting with joy. Each and every woman encompasses so much more than her body. What an honor it has been to shoot 18 different women for this project, in the most intimate of settings – in their homes, with their loved ones, sharing things that bring them so much joy. Gently guiding them through the process and allowing them the freedom to be their real selves, all I can hope for is that the intimacy we shared those days translates well on the portraits I took in February.”

Meet: Iryna: Russian, Yoga, Fitness, Wellness, Peace Anna: Badminton Player, Burn, Russian, Dance, Beauty, Happy Lyudmila, Inna, Tatyana & Varvara: Self Sufficient Women, 3 Generations, Family, Home, Sister, Mother, Daughter, Grandmother Daria: Strong, Body Builder, Confident, Powerful, Sporty Body

Kolkata, India 4 women

“It was a great first experience to participate in a guided project such as this. I was able to portray natural, beautiful women, in a candid manner, something I already love to do. It was a new experience to shoot outside of my home country of Germany, but it helped push me out of my comfort zone and create something wonderful.”

Meet: Munmun: Teenage, Confident, Joyful, Smile, Eyes Indriani: Teacher, In Control of My Future, Mother in Law, Brave, Individual

Maryland, USA 4 women

“It was so wonderful to work on this project and showcase women who are not normally represented, myself included. One of my subjects described it as, “the best she’s felt during a time in her life where she needed a confidence boost.” The photos of her in her natural element made her feel beautiful. I, myself was one of the subjects, and as someone that has the rare genetic condition: epidermolysis bullosa, it was empowering to be encouraged by a project to embrace scars as they are powerful and beautiful.”

Meet: Sharleen: Mother, Weight Lifter, Asian, Filipino, Strong Winnie: Photographer, Business Owner, Mother, Epidermolysis Bullosa Molly: Single Mother, Acupuncturist, Working Mom, Red Hair Liz: New Mom, Breast Feeding, Calligraphy, Small Business Owner

Toronto, Canada 7 women

“I enjoyed working on Project #ShowUs because it gave me the opportunity to shoot different types of women who are not typically portrayed in the media. It was important for me to take part in this to not only represent myself but other women as well. Showcasing diversity plays an important role in my life. Through photographing other women, I have come to realize that we’re all in this together and are trying our best to create more diversity.”

Meet: Danielle: Baker, Ethnic, Young Woman, Weight, Beautiful, Celebration Birdie & Hasanna: Natural, Companionship, Togetherness, Friendship Jorian: Black Motherhood, Confident, Proud, Skin Colour, Pride Basma: Biracial Femininity, Curls, Female, Confident

Kelowna, Canada 10 women

“I highly enjoyed being a part of this project. A lot of the women I worked with were women I was acquainted with and admired for different reasons, but hadn’t spent much time with. The project required me to authentically portray these women and showcase how they wanted to be represented, it was a great opportunity to really learn about them and who they are and what really makes them so unique. It was a beautiful experience and I came out of it with even more admiration and respect for these extraordinary women, who in their everyday lives are as true to themselves as they can be. Each model I photographed is very different, but a few things they all share is passion, their own sense of individuality, being inspirations to their communities, and beauty.”

Meet: Ashna & Zenaeja: Support, Friendship, Encouragement, Teenagers Rhythm: Arts & Crafts, Creative, Work, Success Diversity Oluwatosin: Cool Attitude, Street, Hip Hop, Dancer, Performer

Toronto, Canada 10 women

“This project was really important to me as it focused on and showcased women in every way. It was really empowering to these women, especially while I was pregnant. I think working on this project helped me gain an understanding of women’s individuality and perspective in so many ways. Working so closely with each model, I got to have a peek inside some of their most sacred spaces and it was really special to photograph that. I’ll remember and cherish this project as a one of a kind opportunity.”

Meet: Rachel: Soon to be Mom, Growing Tummy, Worker, Bad Ass, Shy, Strong, Confident Gabby: Self Love, Self Care, Mental Health, Tattoos, Confidence Yona: Grandmother, Cook, Excitement, Great Grandmother, Family Rachael: Business Woman, Integrity, Individuality, Interior Designer

Queens, USA 10 women

“Project ShowUs is a great initiative for 500px and other companies to participate in. It gave me the pleasure of photographing a diverse set of women in their own environments. It made them comfortable and gave me a peek into every woman’s life and their sense of strength. I was able to show that they are beautiful, natural, and raw.”

Meet: Jade: New Yorker, Wall Street, Happy Carla: Mother, NYC, Flowers, Family Louise: Flowarts, Stretch, Empowered Nicole: Artist, Brazilian, Photographer, Brooklyn

You Might Also Like These Articles: Contributor Elena Slyusar on What Makes a “good” or “bad” Photo Contributor Marvin Herrera on Nostalgia in His Latest Licensing Series 10 Tips for Working With Models Everything You Need to Know About Model Releases

Tags: 500px, Campaign, commercial, Grants, WOMAN

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news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 5 years

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50 things to be thankful for in 2018

There's no denying 2018 has absolutely tested our patience, but it turns out the year hasn't been complete trash.

Beyond some of the most important aspects of life like your loved ones and your health, 2018 has truly given us a lot of good. From social justice initiatives like Time's Up and March for Our Lives, to pop culture masterpieces like Queer Eye, Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again, and "thank u, next," the year had its share of hopeful, joyous, entertaining, and positive moments.

So when times get tough and it feels like there's not much to be happy about in the world, here are 50 things to be thankful for.

SEE ALSO: The internet's best tips for how to be kind on World Kindness Day

1. Time's Up launched. 2018 started off strong with a group of more than 300 women in the entertainment industry coming together to form Time's Up — an initiative dedicated to standing up against sexual harassment.

I stand with women across every industry to say #TIMESUP on abuse, harassment, marginalization and underrepresentation. ⁰@TIMESUPNOW https://t.co/4zd5g2ByU0 pic.twitter.com/0h8ojLOq9U

— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) January 1, 2018

2. Laverne Cox made history on the cover of Cosmo. In January, actress and producer Laverne Cox also made history as the first ever trans covergirl for Cosmopolitan Magazine. Cox graced the cover of Cosmo South Africa's February issue.

3. The Fab Five came into our lives. It may feel like Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, and Antoni Porowski have been inspiring us all to eat, dress, groom, self-love, and decorate to the best of our abilities for a lifetime, but Netflix's Queer Eye reboot only premiered in Feb. 2018.

4. Drake's "God's Plan" music video. Remember pre-Meek Mill beef when Drake gave away nearly one million dollars and filmed himself doing all those good deeds like paying for people's groceries? That was nice!

5. The Parkland teens. Though 2018 was full of an unfathomable amount of tragedy and gun violence, the year also inspired a heartwarming amount of youth activism in America. After the deadly Parkland shooting in February, a group of teen survivors from the Florida high school shooting has consistently stood up to government officials and publicly advocated for gun control.

Parkland teens at March For Our lives rally.

Image: CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

This year alone they've formed March for Our Lives, led school walkouts, inspired others (both young and old) to register to vote and protest gun violence, and even inspired the Obama's to write a heartfelt entry in the Time 100 issue.

6. Mirai Nagasu landed a triple axel. The Winter Olympics also took place this year! There were many standout moments but Mirai Nagasu absolutely slayed, making history by becoming the first U.S. woman to land a triple axel in the Winter Olympics. Thankful we got to witness this moment.

7. Black Panther came out. We were truly blessed this year by the arrival of the record-breaking Marvel's cinematic masterpiece, Black Panther, and the talented actors, fierce as hell soundtrack, and on-screen representation it brought to our world.

8. Jordan Peele's Oscar win. Speaking of movies, Peele's film Get Out won "Best Original Screenplay" this year, making him the first black screenwriter to receive the award.

9. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate wait is almost over. The highly anticipated video game is set to come out for Nintendo Switch on Dec. 7.

10. Beto O'Rourke. 2018 was the year of Beto, burgers, and a Beyoncé midterms endorsement.

We just want to say thank you to everyone who made this possible. Everyone who made us feel hopeful, everyone who inspired us. Everyone who became the most amazing campaign we could have ever hoped to belong to. Grateful that we got to do this with you. We love you. Goodnight! pic.twitter.com/1j6JnhtP0f

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) November 7, 2018

11. A Quiet Place. John Krasinski directed and starred in a horror film alongside his IRL wife that was so quiet and terrifying people were too nervous to eat snacks in theaters. What a time to be alive.

12. Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer. Remember when the rapper was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his fourth studio album, DAMN? Hell yeah!

13. Beyoncé at Coachella. Beychella was THIS YEAR. We knew she would slay but nothing prepared us for the sheer magnitude of her powerhouse performance, or Destiny's Child, or the movement she inspired.

14. The Royal Wedding. When the world needed a distraction from the bad and an escape from reality, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were there for us. And for that we thank them.

15. Brooklyn Nine-Nine was saved. For several terrible, horrible, no good, very bad hours Brooklyn Nine-Nine was cancelled. But thankfully, after a whole lot of love from fans, NBC picked it up for a sixth season.

Image: fox

16. Won't You Be My Neighbor reminded us of Mr. Rogers' magic. We needed a heavy dose of Fred Rogers' pure and wholesome goodness to get us through the year and this film did just the trick.

17. Ava DuVernay made history. DuVernay's adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time led her to become the first black woman to direct a film that grossed more than $100 million at the box office.

18. The world is finally taking action against plastic pollution. Plastic straw bans are spreading across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Businesses like McDonald's and Starbucks are even getting on board the movement.

19. We still have dogs. No matter how bad things get we still have furry companions to turn to, and play with, and occasionally throw cheese on.

20. Eighth Grade filled us with middle school anxiety. Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade reminded adults how stressful growing up can be and gave teens an emotional look at middle school through a more relatable lens.

Image: a24

21. Crazy Rich Asians was a smashing success. The film dominated box office sales and served as an important milestone for Asian representation in American pop culture. And guess what? It's getting a sequel.

22. Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again! Love. Pregnancy. Death. Flashbacks. Dancing. Singing. Abba. Meryl. Cher. Andy García. Help!

23. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra. 2018 has seen the rise (Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin) and fall (Ariana and Pete) of celebrity relationships. But through the ups and downs of the year Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's love never seemed to waiver. We're thankful this nice, soon-to-be-wed couple is here to restore our faith in love.

24. LeBron James opened up a school. The NBA star opened his "I Promise" school in Akron, Ohio, to give 240 third and fourth grade students a life-changing educational opportunity.

25. To All The Boys I've Loved Before captured our hearts. Netflix introduced the world to the film adaptation of Jenny Han's young adult book and after Peter Kavinsky's "woah woah woah," our hearts will never be the same. Not to mention it inspired dozens of Lara Jean Halloween costumes.

Image: netflix

26. That quirky, super high-maintenance cat was adopted. Remember Bruno, the thicc, polydactyl cat that Wright Way Rescue Animal Shelter in Morton Grove, Illinois, was trying to find a home? He found one :').

27. A sixgill shark was discovered. This is cool because most sharks have five gills. It's also a reminder that we should be thankful for oceanographers, researchers, and all those who explore the our vast and mysterious oceans.

28. India strikes down gay sex ban. On Sept. 6, members of India's Supreme Court unanimously voted to make the landmark ruling that eliminates the ban on consensual gay sex.

29. Moth memes lit up our lives. The year was filled with good memes but those moth/lamp memes? Pure joy.

30. Amy Sherman-Palladino and all those Emmys. Amy Sherman-Palladino has always been genius. Gilmore Girls? Bun Heads? Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life? It's about time she's properly celebrated, so we're thankful The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won four Emmys. We are also thankful for her husband, Dan Palladino.

Image: Rich Fury/Getty Images

31. Twitter did one good thing. We have no edit button and there's still bots and harassment a-plenty, but at the very least, Twitter brought back the chronological timeline.

32. Gritty came into our lives. Can anyone even remember a world without the Philadelphia Flyers' new hairy orange mascot?

33. The Office is back ... sort of. While fans of the NBC comedy are still holding out hope for a revival, 2018 treated those nostalgic for the days of Dunder Mifflin to a charming off-broadway musical.

34. Speaking of The Office — be thankful for Steve Carell. He stars with Timothée Chalamet and Amy Ryan (Holly Flax) in Beautiful Boy. He's got Welcome to Marwen coming out, which looks, uh interesting. He's on SNL. And he's making his triumphant return to television!

35. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper gave us life. A Star Is Born came out this year, along with a kickass soundtrack and some perfect memes. We will never be the same.

youtube

36. Fat Bear Week ran our lives for 7 days. Much love to all the fat bears out there who distracted us for an entire week just by living their lives.

37. This throwback baked potato costume. Halloween costumes are great but this throwback baked potato get-up really made us smile.

38. Thankful for the hot duck in Central Park. We thought we lost him, but he's back again. <3

39. We have a new anthem: "Party For One." How did Carly Rae Jepsen know we were in desperate need of a song to dance in our underwear and eat a large pizza alone to? And the music video! UGH!

40. And there's no musical praise without discussing Ariana Grande. The warrior of 2018, Ariana Grande, has given fans so much love, inspiration, and hope throughout the year. Not to mention, the ultimate independent BOP: "thank u, next."

i’m so ..... fuckin ..... grateful

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 11, 2018

41. BDE came to be. Speaking adjacently of Pete Davidson, for better or worse 2018 also gave us Big Dick Energy and that's something we'll never forget.

42. Netflix still delivers. Netflix has an entertaining social media presence and continues to create quality original shows and movies.

43. There was an increase in voter turnout. 2018 proved Americans are standing up for what they believe in and exercising their right to vote. Voter turnout for midterm elections reached a 50-year high, and young people voted at historic rates.

44. Midterm results showed a refreshing amount of diversity. It was a night of historic firsts — from over 100 women elected to Congress (the highest number ever) to wins for the LGBTQ community and more.

45. The Detective Pikachu trailer looks delightful. Another cute as hell movie to look forward to? Yes please.

youtube

46. Cher's Twitter is hilarious. Twitter is sometime awful but not Cher's account. That's always good.

47. All of the books. The world has so many books just waiting to be read — books for when you're mad at the patriarchy, books for hikers, books all about pride. And some great books written this year.

48. All of the great TV shows. Streaming aside, there are dozens of phenomenal shows airing on television this year, like Superstore, The Good Place, This Is Us, Killing Eve, and more.

49. Sports are still a thing! We've got football, we've got soccer, we've got basketball, baseball, hockey, and so many more. Sports bring people together!

50. All the people working to keep others safe, informed, and up-to-date with the news. It's been a tough year for news, mass shootings, and natural disasters, which is why we're thankful for all the hard working journalists, reporters, news anchors, first responders, weather forecasters, and hurricane scientists.

So remember: No matter how bad things may seem there are always some bright spots in the world.

WATCH: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez makes history as she becomes the youngest woman ever in Congress

#_category:yct:001000002 #_author:Nicole Gallucci #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_uuid:dc26a881-e89b-3466-8eb6-6d877b2c8944 #_revsp:news.mashable

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lindyhunt · 6 years

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17 Asian Shopping Sites You’ve Never Heard of that Are About to Be Your New Go-Tos

Tired of seeing people on the street wearing the same dress as you? We don’t blame you. With everyone gravitating toward the mainstream shops, it’s kind of hard to stand out from the crowd. So if you’re in need of some new pieces to freshen up your wardrobe game, here’s a solution: look to the east.

With innovative products and cult beauty trends consistently rising to the surface and a culture thriving on constantly changing trends, are you even surprised some of the top e-tailers hail from across the Pacific? Even A-listers like Taylor Swift understand the power of the east, so it would be an understatement to say Asia is on the rise in the fast fashion department. Unfortunately, Asian-made products don’t have the greatest reputation with many companies, due to a history of ripping off designs straight from the runway. However, many of today’s online retailers are turning the tables and looking to change the way customers see products stamped with the words “Made in China.”

Between the e-commerce sites that are only available in foreign languages and online retailers that don’t have international shipping, trying to stock up on your favourite Asian products can be quite the mission. Sure, there’s always Amazon and your local Asian shopping centre (hello, Pacific Mall!). But with the former not curated and the latter inconvenient to dash to for last minute needs, it’s just not ideal. So to help make your online shopping experience a little easier and a lot more affordable, we scoured the sites and compiled a list of the best destinations for all things Asian, from beauty one-stop-shops to cool fashion sites that could give Zara a run for its money.

1/17

Asian shopping sites

Oeey Dewy

It looks like we’ve found your new fave place to stock up on all your K-beauty needs. Enter: Oeey Dewy. The Vancouver-based online boutique is the latest in a crop of Asian beauty sites to launch on Canadian soil. Aside from a well-curated collection of the coolest and cutest products from Korea, Japan and other parts of Asia, its millennial pink packaging is just so on point. Glossier, watch out.

2/17

Asian shopping sites

Pomelo

Pomelo’s site is super user-friendly. Asian shopping sites can get really busy, and although that’s part of their charm, sometimes you just want to be able to find something quickly and easily. Make sure to check out their stunning look books for inspiration.

3/17

Asian shopping sites

Take Good Care

Calling all K-beauty enthusiasts in Canada. This ones for you. Based in Toronto, Take Good Care is a newly-launched e-commerce that carries a well-curated collection of innovative Korean skincare products.

4/17

Asian shopping sites

Stylenanda

Launched in 2004, Stylenanda has quickly become one of South Korea’s leading online fashion sources. Favoured by the cool kids and K-Pop stars, the e-tailer is your one-stop shop all things cool, from up-to-minute fashion pieces to cosmetic must-haves from in-house brand 3 Concept Eyes. Its blog-worthy photos also make for pinning destination.

5/17

Asian shopping sites

SokoGlam

Founded by South Korean beauty expert Charlotte Cho, SokoGlam is a go-to for your fave Korean brands (think TonyMoly, Etude House, Iope all on one site), as well as tips and tricks via its K-Log. A K-beauty newbie? Fear not because SokoGlam offers a 10-step skincare kit to help kick-start your new beauty routine.

6/17

Asian shopping sites

mixxmix

This site features a bunch of cool, edgier pieces. That’s probably why their clothing is often spotted on K-Pop stars. The prices can lean on the higher side, but you know you’re getting great quality and super helpful customer service.

7/17

Asian shopping sites

Front Row Shop

Inspired by the It girls of the front row, Front Row Shop is a Shanghai-based shopping site that references your favourite runway looks without looking like it’s been ripped off. Think of it like Asia’s Zara but way cooler, dare we say.

8/17

Asian shopping sites

Durumi

Founded in 2010 by Chris Kim, Durumi has recently expanded its Queen Street West boutique into online territory. From dainty jewellery to on-trend clothing pieces, your Korean fashion needs are just one click away. FYI, there’s free shipping for orders of $70 or more!

9/17

Asian shopping sites

chuu

This brand is known for its cute packaging and colourful Instagram page. Along with a large selection of girly clothes, chuu has also recently branched into beauty products.

10/17

Asian shopping sites

Glow Recipe

Started by two friends (and skincare fanatics) Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, Glow Recipe is your destination for a well-curated collection of natural, gentle beauty products.

11/17

Asian shopping sites

YesStyle

Launched by leading online retailer YesAsia, in 2006, it branched out into the fashion industry and came up with Hong-Kong based e-tailer, YesStyle. Head on over to the e-tailer to find all your Asian needs (we’re talking bags, heels, dresses, home decor and everything in between) at low prices. And since long distance shipping can be a pain, thanks to its “Ready to Ship” feature, you can specifically shop for products that are ready to send out within 24 hours. #score

12/17

Asian shopping sites

Dahong

Dahong, a Seoul-based e-commerce site is a rising favourite, thanks to it’s lookbook-esque photos. While Dahong has all your fashion necessities, it’s the swim shop that really grabs our attention. With over hundreds of colourful bikinis, beach cover-ups and accessories to choose from, you’re bound to find something you like.

13/17

Asian shopping sites

Peach & Lily

Founded by K-beauty guru Alicia Yoon, Peach and Lily is another beauty destination for top products that hail from Korea and Japan. Aside from carrying popular brands like Clio and Cremorlab , its blog is also a great place to ask anything about everything to do with Korean beauty regimens.

14/17

Asian shopping sites

Momokorea

Don’t let this giant e-commerce site intimidate you. While the web design may not be the easiest on the eyes, Momokorea features a lot of the top Korean (and international!) brands including SJYP and Beyond Closet.

But that’s not even the best part. If you stumble onto a Korean shopping site that doesn’t ship to your country, you can send the product details and URL to Momokorea (aka the middleman) and they’ll ship it for you.

15/17

Asian shopping sites

OK DGG

OK DGG may be a mouthful to say, but it’s the ultimate marketplace for all things Korean. Looking for a wider variety of cosmetics? Check. Want some merchandise to satisfy your inner K-Pop fan? Check. Want a chic carryon bag for your dog? OKDGG has got that for you too. But we’re particularly partial to the couple and family section of the site. You know, for those who are into the whole couple look thing.

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Asian shopping sites

Aland

Similar to Stylenanda, Aland is one of the go-to fashion boutiques for the SoKo trendsetters. Known for housing many young Korean (and ultra cool) designer brands, you can find the multi-brand company in more than a handful of locations in Seoul. It’s become such a high demand that it has recently made its way to Hong Kong to cater to its Chinese shopping fans. Don’t live in Asia? No problem. Shop its endless cool inventory from the comfort of your own home.

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Asian shopping sites

Beauteque

Setting itself apart from the aforementioned Asian beauty sites, Beauteque not only has a massive collection of skincare, haircare, nail care, makeup, and beauty tools available, it also offers two monthly subscription packages – the BB Bag for your skincare and makeup need and Mask Maven for sheet mask lovers. It’s the perfect way to introduce Asian beauty to newbies.

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this-is-not-a · 7 years

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What it means to have privilege

(Or, I once read a post on Scott Alexander’s blog about the social media response to MIT’s Professor Aaronson, a white male, lamenting about his romantic problems)

Peggy McIntosh once made herself a White Privilege Checklist. Even if you’re not white, go through the list together with me and see which of these still apply to you:

1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time. 2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live. 3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me. 4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed. 5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented. 6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is. 7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race. 8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege. 9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair. 10. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability. 11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them. 12. I can swear, or dress in second-hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race. 13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial. 14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race. 15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group. 16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion. 17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider. 18. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race. 19. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race. 20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race. 21. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared. 22. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of race. 23. I can choose public accommodations without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen. 24. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me. 25. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones. 26. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more less match my skin.

I scored 11/26 (How did you do?), which roughly reflects my experience as a Chinese American male; most of the stereotypes based around my ethnic group lean positive or neutral, at least in the sense that I am not prejudged to be threatening, stupid, or lazy; I think most other ethnic minorities in the US would score much lower on this checklist. By many metrics I am Basically White ™. If I wanted to add a few of my own specific ethnic privileges to the bottom I might include:

27. Other students don’t assume I am stupid or slow at work or in school because of my race 28. I don’t worry that police officers will be made uneasy when they notice my race 29. I can scan my social media feed without reading articles that antagonize my race in order to make a larger point about justice

And if I wanted to include some privileges my gender affords me:

30. My personality flaws are not generally attributed to being part of a larger truth about my gender 31. I don’t worry about attending social events with my coworkers 32. I can reliably expect the leadership at my company to be comfortable interacting with people of my gender

I think this is a useful exercise because it projects a unilateral concept into a more detailed multi-dimensional space. Part of my privilege means that I will be welcomed with open arms into the Math club, but some of my friends joke about not trusting me to drive them around. The same is true if you’re white; you are afforded a whole bunch of racial advantages, but even if your family grew up poor your upper-middle-class friends tell you you’re “playing life on easy mode.”

II.

I had amazing friends in college who could make me laugh so hard that I couldn’t breathe, inspire me to think on hard problems and sit and think alongside me, and make me believe that I could be great and change the world. A positive attitude towards learning that was instilled in me from high school meant that I didn’t fall down the trap of trying to be the smart-but-lazy guy who doesn’t care about anything. I would challenge those friends and assert my passionate view that caring about things is what’s cool. And this attitude meant that I did quite well in school and found a good balance of truly pursuing my interests and pencil pushing enough to build a resume without descending to the view of some of my other friends who insisted “the only point of college is to get a degree so you can get a job.” What I cared about was learning.

Oh and finding a girlfriend.

(Yes, I hoped maybe I could skim around that part and paint an otherwise lofty and pedantic portrait of my teen years. But the truth is, like most other teenage boys, I was absolutely obsessed with girls since basically high school for almost every moment I wasn’t actively engaged in an activity.)

You could break this down into equal parts cultivating my self-image and dealing with my fear of loneliness. I wanted to be the main character in the movie who “gets the girl,” and I wanted companionship and partnership. This type of objectification (that’s what it was; not all objectification is sexual) wasn’t necessarily healthy, but I think it’s something that a lot of teens go through and therefore something worth being honest about. There is a tendency to put people who you romantically desire up on a pedestal so that they become perfect-in-every-way symbols, and eventually cease to be real people in your mind. I wanted a girl - any girl - to show romantic interest in me largely as a way of validating my own personality. (I have grown since then but not enough that admitting this doesn’t still make me a little uncomfortable. It’s still mostly true.) I wanted an imaginary goddess who could only speak truths to appear to me and say “you are a good person and those eyebrows are perfect.”

Here’s one more bullet point I would want to put on the list, but crossed out because I don’t find it to be true:

33. I don’t worry about finding people who are willing to be in romantic relationships with people of my race and gender

In high school I first heard the phrase “Asian fetish” and knew instinctually that it didn’t apply to me. I knew that nobody out there found Asian boys like me attractive or sexy. I knew that my only hope was to be funny and creative, and maybe one day a blind person with no concept of physical attractiveness might fall in love with me (I’m being glib not offensive, just FYI if you’re blind). And the reason I knew it is expressed in another two bullet points that I need to cross out:

34. I see popular movies where someone of my race and gender ends up in a romantic relationship 35. I can easily find popular media where someone of my race and gender is portrayed as romantically desirable instead of comic relief

And to teenage me, who cared so much about finding a girl who might like me, this was a big deal, and it sucked. Why weren’t there ever whispers of girls with supposed fetishes for Asian men? Why were there dozens of TV shows and movies every year in which white guys and Asian girls fell in love but none where an Asian guy, who by all accounts might even be smart, funny, and attractive, ends up with any girl at all? I didn’t know what it meant but what it felt like was the world’s way of telling me “that kind of thing isn’t for people like you,” and even now I still have trouble outgrowing these things that I knew.

III.

Let’s take a step back. I know what you must be thinking. I’m thinking it too. How easy does my life have to be that my one complaint is that girls don’t find me attractive? How little agency do I have that I’m unwilling to admit that maybe I’m not such a catch and it has nothing to do with my race? Do I think being sexualized is so great that it’s worth the resulting increased rates of sexual violence? There are tons of articles out there written by actual women who have actually experienced this thing that they never asked for, to be sexualized and objectified by the media, and the verdict is in - it’s not worth it. And if I really can’t see that then maybe I should take another look at my privilege list. (Knew that thing would come in handy!) These articles are positive contributions to an important discussion. I just don’t think they exactly address what I’m talking about here, and if you’re not paying attention you might accidentally fall into that pit.

Sexual violence and sexual representation are not two sides of the same coin. I don’t think there’s any amount of sexualization from the media where the perks of being seen as desirable necessarily morph into a societal expectation that you exist solely as an object of desire. Instead I think that there are empowering forms of representation and reductive forms, and though the line between them is sometimes blurry that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, and it definitely doesn’t mean that all forms of representation are equally helpful or detrimental. I also don’t think that when someone complains about not having representation a valid response is to say “well look what representation gets you.” In fact, in general when someone is expressing their own pain, I don’t think explaining why their pain is not as big as other people’s pain is a real response so much as a method of derailment. In this case, I think of this topic as a long walk I need to take with my two legs moving individually. One leg is the unhealthy part of me that habitually aggrandizes the people I find attractive, and then finds that aggrandizing is surprisingly close to diminishing despite the metaphorically clean hope that they would be opposites; because to treat someone as being above-human means I am no longer treating them as even-human-at-all. The other leg is the part of me that just wants to be loved and wants to matter to someone. And if I bind them together then I will find myself needing to hop everywhere and growing tired (and falling into a pit).

It’s with the second leg that I want to express to you that I do not have the privilege of being proud of how my race is seen romantically, and I wonder if you do. I wonder what kinds of men and women out there get to be reasonably sure that their race isn’t standing between them and attracting a romantic partner. And I wonder if those people are even aware of it. Because like I said before, I’m not really that different from my teenage self. Things like writing and music are more important to me than ever, but an embarrassingly large part of me can only think about finding a life-partner, and to that part of me this single bullet point is one of the most important of the list. I know it’s not charismatic to admit that this kind of thing matters to me. I know this just makes me come off as a cry-baby. (And since I’ve just said it you can’t score any points by making fun of me for that.)

But if you think you understand privilege and your immediate reaction to, for example, the idea of a nerdy white guy expressing his pain about romance is that he needs to think about his privilege, even before I give you any details about what he wrote, if your nagging suspicion is that he must have said something in a somewhat misogynistic way or that he perhaps has a pent-up hatred of women that he can’t see himself and maybe Jordan can’t see either, maybe you don’t understand privilege as well as you think you do.

#privilege #asian american

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consciousowl · 7 years

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What Makes Buddha So Cool?

You may have a couple friends leading an exemplary life that feel no need for God. They are highly educated, scientific and technically savvy. They even have philosophic depth, and delight in Sci-Fi blockbusters.

You may have gone into deep conversation in matters of ultimate concern, finding them very uncomfortable with conventional, organized religion, but with a soft spot for Buddha. “You know, if I had to pick any religion, it would definitely be Buddhism.”

How could Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, 2,500 years ago, be so adept at addressing the sensibilities of contemporary people, such as the brilliant American philosopher, Ken Wilbur?

NONE: America’s Fastest Growing Religion

In recent decades, no one denomination can claim to be the fastest growing, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim. You can be Orthodox, Conservative or Reformed. You can be ultra-liberal, such as the Universalist-Unitarians, patron of many of our best authors. It doesn’t matter.

A new generation is emerging with Millennials increasingly dropping out from church, mosque or synagogue. They do this, not out of any kind of spite, but simply because they don’t find this form of religion very relevant to being spiritual or attaining ultimate realization. They would more readily look to psychoactive drugs and meditation.

The numbers suggest that 20% of our youth don’t go to any kind of religious institution on a regular basis. Yet only one-third are atheists. What about the rest? They are “spiritual, but not religious.” They put a higher value on spirituality than most people in pews. They can now go to Google, iTunes or YouTube to seek enlightenment. Here they have instant access to Eastern Philosophy and Religion.

Religion of No Religion

Five hundred years before Christ, Buddha actually beat Socrates in placing supreme value on knowing yourself. It didn’t matter what your caste was in India, whether you were male or female, you had a right to know the truth. Let the gods be the gods, but WHO AM I?

It is said that Buddha instantly saw the highest potential in this incarnation of everyone he met. Having awoken to who he truly was, he devoted his entire life to making that experientially accessible to whomever he met. He started a global movement that has yet to see its limit.

Think of the Dalai Lama. Buddhism is a way of being.

You didn’t need to learn rituals, recite authoritative scriptures or master the intricacies of theology. You just needed to tune into your experience, observe your mind until you transcended it and come to the realization that you are one with it all, that you are the space, or context, out of which everything occurs.

Suffering? You’re Never Alone

Buddha was a crown prince with an overprotective father who shielded him from the ugly side of life. Siddhartha wined and dined with a profusion of dancing girls. Anything he wanted, he got instantly. Yet he was still not satisfied. One day, he came across a sick man, then an old decrepit man, and finally a dead corpse being carried off. Siddhartha came to the shocking realization that everything he was taught to believe in was phony.

Siddhartha chose to drop out, leaving his lovely wife and newborn son in the night, knowing they would be well cared for. He had to find the truth at any price, hinted at by the sannyasins he had met earlier who had dropped out, and told him of another way.

Accordingly, Siddhartha followed the path of asceticism until he became skin and bones, and yet he still couldn’t arrive at the truth. Being a genius and very well-educated, he wandered off from his companions, took food from a maiden and sat under a banyan tree until he would find both the truth about suffering, and the end of suffering.

Enlightenment as an Institution

As a would be king, Siddhartha dreamt of a society in which enlightenment was everyone’s birthright. To do this, he would need to awaken, himself, and then find a way to catalyze that awakening in others. Not only that, Siddhartha would need to teach a generation of Indians so well that they would, in turn, teach others.

Siddhartha took anyone who wanted to follow him as a beggar. They simply needed to shave their hair and put on an ochre robe. They would follow and listen, forever asking questions. They would consider, not only what he said, but how he said it, and to whom. They would even reach toward the possibility of a silent, wordless transmission, as found in Zen.

The Buddha had the good fortune to be accompanied by men with flawless minds who remembered what he said in intricate detail. He created a mission statement upon his deathbed: Suffering, and the end of suffering. He kept it simple in the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. All of us can count to at least ten. In doing this, he set the stage for the world’s first universal “religion.”

The World’s First University

The institution of enlightenment within India had a profound impact upon South Asian civilization, ultimately transforming East Asia, and to a considerable extent, all the world. This process was accelerated by a young emperor, Ashoka, who, sick of the futility of conquest, decided to take up Buddhism for himself and institutionalize its principles.

Ashoka sent out missionaries to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China and even the Mediterranean, which had become relevant after Alexander the Great’s attempted invasion. Buddhism had started as a dialogue and most of the sutras are in dialogue form, which makes them easier to remember. Truth is always anchored in experience. The ideal emerged to be “omniperspectival,” to recognize and honor every point of view.

Centuries later, Nalanda, in North India, was built as a major university where people all over the known world, including China, would come to learn. It would last from the 400’s C.E. to the 1200’s C.E. People learned the dialectic, very similar to that of Socrates, to an exquisitely fine degree. They would polish their expertise with vigorous debates as a public spectacle, competing for actual prizes.

Hinduism Distilled for Export

The great Anglo-American philosopher, Alan Watts, who popularized Zen Buddhism, taught that Buddhism stripped Hinduism down to its bare essentials. It could then be understood by anyone, and transcend the borders of the Indus River Valley civilization.

You will hear of karma, dharma and reincarnation. However, Buddha redefined them in broader terms that might apply to anyone. Karma simply met you create what is happening. Dharma went beyond caste to your personal mission or destiny. Reincarnation was no longer dreaded, but something that could be transcended in a single lifetime.

Buddhism readily adapted to wherever it went, starting with China and Southeast Asia, Tibet and Japan and finally America. Each country and civilization got its essentials and reinterpreted it within its own cultural framework. When you realize that Buddhism is really an educational system for enlightenment, this makes sense.

Incomparable Track Record of Peace

When we look at the great religious traditions, we find that Buddhism has inspired less wars, armed conflict or violence than almost any other faith. Granted, we recently see exceptions, such as in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. However, the long-term trend since Ashoka threw down his sword has been peace, noninjury, a recognition that all life is sacred and every human incarnation an incomparable opportunity.

The key lies in Buddha’s focus on suffering, and the means to alleviate it. Buddha never promised to eliminate physical pain. Rather, he focused on the mental and spiritual discomfort which make pain all the worse.

For example, a mother threw her dead son at Buddha’s feet, asking him to raise him from the dead. Buddha turned to her and asked her to go to every house in her village and find a family that hadn’t lost a member. She did, and of course, ended up following him.

Buddhism delivers peace in a way that could profit the Abrahamic religions, which all use “Peace” as their greeting. This has to do with its methodology to have people effectively deal with their monkey minds.

When the mind is still, you become peaceful with a powerful presence. You need not resort to violence. To the enlightened mind, violence, itself, is actually a form of weakness.

Buddha Our First Scientist

Siddhartha encouraged his followers to continuously question him as a way of learning. They were not to take his word as authority. They were not to “believe” in anything he said. They were encouraged to experientially prove their path to the very end of their lives.

Buddha was not born in the priestly class, but rather as a warrior and ruler. He had a very practical edge keener than most any other spiritual master. He made careful observations at a very deep level. He early on saw the interrelatedness of all things, which Thich Nhat Hanh calls INTERBEING. He thereby anticipated systems theory and quantum physics.

The Dalai Lama, in The Universe within an Atom, maintained that if a Buddhist tenet conflicts with contemporary science, it should be rejected. However, he also suggested that Buddhism, itself, is an inner science that perfectly complements the West’s empirical tradition. As I learned from Werner Erhard, deeply influenced by Zen, “Allow that which is to BE.”

Believe in God? Try Experiencing Him!

You may be either Theistic, or Nontheistic in your orientation. You may prefer a personalized view of reality, or an impersonal view. You may prefer to think of “God” in the first, second or third person: “I,” “You,” or “It.” This will depend to a large degree on whichever faith tradition you were brought up.

In any case, we are all talking about the same God, our Source, the Supreme Self.

NONES, agnostics and atheists resonate to Buddhism because of its experiential, nondogmatic, pragmatic character. Why try to believe in God when you can immediately experience “It”? For many people, meditation is the fastest way to a direct hit. While psychoactive drugs have their uses, they are better as a means of opening up to the Transcendent than a means to sustain the experience.

Buddhism goes with any religion, because, at heart, it is profoundly educational and therapeutic. It shows you in very elegant terms how to go within and make contact. You can do this as a Christian, Muslim, Jewish Person or humanist.

It needn’t destroy your faith. Rather, it can illuminate your own tradition and make it real in a way it never was before. Very often, Westerners who go into Eastern philosophy and religion go back to their own Abrahamic tradition… only transformed. For example, I am a Universalist who finds my “home” on the interfaith map as a Christian / Hindu, or Hindu / Christian. While I have implicit faith in the Person of Christ, I am convinced that India has by far the best map of reality.

Meet Buddha as Yourself

Youth may also resonate with Buddha, because he never claimed to be a god. He dedicated his life to empowering you to come to the same realization as he did. He laid it all out step-by-step. He was a learner, just as we are learners. Siddhartha Gautama didn’t become the Buddha (The Awoken One) to separate himself from us, but so that we could become one with him.

You will find great delight in studying Buddhism, either through courses, books and lectures, or through actual meditation and spiritual community, the Buddhist sangha’s. Have no fear. If your faith is well-grounded, it will never disappear. Rather, it will become a much deeper part of you and be immeasurably enriched by your personal encounter with Buddha.

What Makes Buddha So Cool? appeared first on http://consciousowl.com.

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