Jezebel 
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New York, 4:46 AM
Tue Dec 1
67 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/02/09
Asian men are portrayed in the US as being asexual, passive, and feminine. Part of the reason that this story is getting airplay here is because of the way US racism produces stereotypes of what Asian men are supposed to be like. So when you have a phenomenon like young men questioning societal expectations of masculinity, which I guarantee is reproducing itself across the spectrum of industrialized nations, it's a sure bet that part of the Japanese story's appeal to US media is because it fits right in with the stereotypes of Asian men that we see reproduced in popular culture here.
It's also part of a bigger US phenomenon of making all things Asian seem odd, mysterious and bizarre. If Korean parents are hard on kids, then they are OMG HARDER ON KIDS THAN ANY AMERICAN PARENT EVER. If young Japanese men are rejecting masculine norms, then OMG THEY ARE ALL WEARING BRAS.
Japan in particular has gotten a lot of this. Japan is seen in the US as this giant national freak show that exists purely for the delectation of US hipsters and anime nerds. I'm tired of it, and I wish Jezebel wouldn't play into it.
11/02/09
I'm not saying a disagree with you, but if the birth rate gets even lower that will spell even more problems for social security etc won't it?
Like I said, not saying I disagree with you, it is just a thought I had! The whole system really needs a complete overhaul with new ideas. With huge numbers of older people and fewer and fewer people on the bottom end supporting the system it is really hard to see how it will survive. #girlymen
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11/03/09
I mean, is the meaning of life -for those yet not born human beings- to be born just to support the system?
Isn't it everyone's freedom to choose if they will bring or not bring kids to this world? #girlymen
11/03/09
I think smaller population would likely be a good thing (and it is a choice for individuals to make), just saying that (as with all social changes) it will affect things on many different levels and some things would have to be rethought. It was just a general comment... #girlymen
11/03/09
11/04/09
11/02/09
first i'd argue that what these men are doing is ten times more "risky" than the traditional path expected of most japanese men. this bold self-expression seems the antithesis of timid.
second i'm fascinated with the continuing use of the word "herbivore" to describe "girly" "timid" "feminine" "risk-averse" "non-manly," etc. etc. the mythology of the masculine, meat-eating man versus the "herbivorous, grass-eating girly man" is very patriarchal. #girlymen
11/02/09
11/02/09
Of course, I have a hard time parsing that out, because I want girly men to be as free as they want to be, and everyone to only have kids if they want to, and the idea otherwise, even to "save" a society, makes me bristle. #girlymen
11/03/09
Kudos to you! #girlymen
11/03/09
Sorry, I get all excited about this kind of thing. #girlymen
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11/04/09
Yes, I'm that level of no clue sometimes.
11/04/09
11/04/09
It's just that I'm new at jezebel and didn't know PM could be done here. #girlymen
11/04/09
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11/04/09
P.S.: I envy your yellow star, and by what I've seen, you earned it's five horns, comment by comment.
Congrats! #girlymen
11/05/09
11/05/09
Going back to the post, I remember y commented on how I wanted to know if the picture of the japanese dude dressed as Carrie Bradshaw is the pic of an actual japanese girly dude, because the picture the times online used is the one of a real herbiborous boy, and this one looks a bit costume-y to me. And that would be kind of mean by jezebel. #girlymen
11/02/09
Really, from a culture that had the 'Girly Men' as Kabuki actors? Well this isn't anything new... is it? Let them eat their damn cake.
11/02/09
Because nothing spells doom for a society like eating cake and embracing traits deemed "feminine." Wah?
I mean, this trend is about guys but the freaking out by journalists and trend watchers weirdly feels like an anti-woman, anti-"feminine" reaction. Considering that many of these guys indeed identify as heterosexual, I don't see why their embracing of femininity would be the root cause of a dwindling population. It's almost like blaming them for not man-ing up and knocking up some woman, demanding she take of her shoes, directing her to the kitchen, putting on a suit, and heading to the office.
I don't see this movement as a root cause of the population decline in Japan so much as it seems to reflect mainstream mores on what we behavior believe heterosexuals should engage in (and by behavior, I mean things completely outside of say, intercourse and being attracted to the opposite sex).
11/03/09
Gotta love it! #girlymen
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(OMG he's totally a girly man!) #girlymen
11/02/09
Is there a large gay population in Japan? I'm curious as to what they would make of this phenomenon. #girlymen
11/02/09
Most of the gay representation comes through media, where they tend to have flamboyant, flamey crossdressers. So, these guys are kinda fitting that mold, except for the wanting to sleep with men stuff. #girlymen
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Bras are pretty! My breasts are small enough that they are really more decorative than, like, a necessity, so I think I understand where these guys are coming from. #girlymen
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11/02/09
That's mainly your opinion. Many women (and men) enjoy wearing bras despite their "functional" features. I mean, you might hate it, but to each their own. #girlymen
11/02/09
I think part of wanting to reject traditional masculine roles is rejecting the idea that men have to be the pursuers, have to be sexually dominant, etc. These guys (and others of their ilk) tend to like to be pursued and dominated - some by women, some by men, some like both.
Maybe if we didn't see sexual dominance as masculine, or men wearing women's underwear as humiliating, the picture of their gender would be clearer, but as it is sex and psychology have a lot to do with how we think about gender. #girlymen
11/02/09
Oh, hai. The point. You found it.
It is interesting to see people denigrate femininity vis a vis clothing here.
11/02/09
05/13/09
Many Europeans don't have this problem.
05/13/09
I would guess that a lot of the Swedish couples who are living together would have married if they were living in the US for the benefits.
Talking about "Europe" is really a little silly. Not every country on that list is Sweden. Ireland for example would be much more similar to the US when it comes to single mothers
05/13/09
05/13/09
I checked and the Central Statistics Office says 15% of births were to cohabitating couples which is less than half of the unwed figure. Even if those are all relationships that are planned to last, it is really different than Sweden.
05/13/09
I say this as someone whose parents lived together for 20 years before getting hitched for the tax breaks (they've now been together 35).