Asian Fetishizing & Cultural Misrepresentation Plagues Second Life Fashion, Says Japanese Fashionista

Just had a fascinating (if disheartening) conversation with someone I’ll call “Asami”, a long time Second Life user and Asian fashion enthusiast from Japan. While there is a substantial userbase of SL users based in Asia (roughly 5-10%, based on known stats), the overwhelming majority live in the United States and the European Union. That’s inadvertently led to a lot of misrepresentation of Asian identity and culture in Second Life avatars, and on the worse end of the problematic spectrum, Asian fetishization.

“Because a lot of people don't study the asian features correctly,” as Asami puts it, “they just make the eyes slanted and call it a day…. I've seen [SL users] with Western noses who are aware that their noses don't look Asian, but they don't like Asian noses, only Asian eyes, so they purposely make their shapes that way. When you're determined to represent a community properly, you'll put in the work necessary to do it. When you don't care and it's all the same to you, then you'll half ass it.”

By way of reference, she points to the shape above, in the Marketplace.

“The head used is ideal for Asian avis, the shape is pretty, but the skin itself isn't Asian and the result looks very Western.”

“This one [above] has the right jawline and the skin looks Asian but the nose and lips don't reflect an Asian avi -- maybe half-Asian.”

“These look like they were made by Asian fetishists,” I note.

“Agreed. People who pick and choose which aspects of Asian features they like.”

She shows me another:

“Look at those hips,” Asami says, laughing. “Asians don't have hips like those… The skin itself doesn't look Asian at all, the person seems to have just slanted the eyes and called it a day.”

Part of the problem, perhaps, is the wider Kardashian-ifciation of Second Life avatars and fashion.

“The majority of the items sold in SL are highly sexualized,” as Asami puts it. “Clothing you'd never see anything less than hookers wearing in real life, you see the average SL woman wearing. Therefore exaggerated features such as big asses and boobs become the norm.”

This leads to the sexualization of Asian appearance -- and Asian subcultures, like Kawaii.

“Kawaii is sweet and innocent. Yet this is how SL represents kawaii.” She shows me this images at right.

“[They help] set the trend of what I call ‘kawaii whore’. The worst part is there's an entire generation of SL people who have never heard of kawaii and whose only exposure to kawaii is this shit, which leads to them assuming that this is what kawaii is. They think anything can be kawaii as long as you add pastel colors and ribbons.”

Not just fashion: She’s even seen kawaii dildos sold in Second Life.

“Literally dildos in pastel colors with a cute face drawn. it's a fetishizing of every aspect of SL. So when you ask me why do I think that so many creators don't do the Asian community justice the real answer is because they're too caught up fetishizing it to do it justice.”

Asami is not at all suggesting that non-Asian people who create and use Asian avatars and styles are necessarily being racist, or culturally appropriating.

“A great deal of the Asian community in SL is composed of people who are not Asian in real life, but are in SL and actually respect Asian fashion,” as she puts it.

“But on the other side of the coin you also have a lot of Westerners who are not Asian in real life, play one in SL, and show a complete disregard towards the Asian fashions they pretend to emulate...

"To make it worse, a lot of SLers wear these skins that are meant to look very young and innocent (which is normal in kawaii fashion), but they wear all those sexualized outfits that makes their looks creepy and almost like pedophilia.”

This isn’t a very difficult problem for fashion creators to solve, says Asami.

“Just try to be respectful, really. Depending on the actual product try to make it as close to the original concept as possible instead of fetishizing it in an attempt to appeal to a wider demographic. Usually when they fetishize their products they end up alienating the same population they seek to attract by making said item in the first place.”

And respect just requires a bit more research. “You can do a Google search and get a ton of information on the various Asian cultures. Google images will show you what they're meant to look like as well.” Also YouTube: “There you'll find so many videos that explain the various cultures and fashion trends and even explain the ‘rules’ behind them.

“Popular trends like Ulzzang have makeup tutorials and they even explain why certain choices are made. There are also videos that explain the appropriate attire for that trend and why it's worn.

"The same goes for the various kawaii fashions. There's really no excuse to fail at a recreation aside from SL limitations, but in most cases the failures are simply a complete disregard of what the trends are and their reasons for being.” 

Comments

[Blarg Yargison]

It's a melting pot people. Everyone needs to get over themselves.

[Bob J]

As a real life triceratops, I take offense to the misappropriation of various horns, scales, and round flat hooves I see all around me in virtual worlds, taken from my primeval bird brethren without any proper understanding of our meteoric plight. All dinosaur or dinosaur-derived avatars should be driven by a human with a proper understanding of our rich X-assic history.

These are virtual worlds people. Picking and choosing things you like in oftentimes unrealistic fashion is the name of the game. As Blarg said, get over yourselves. Go find real issues to spend time solving.

[Moggs Oceanlane]

Identity exploration is a huge part of SL culture for many and those wanting to genuinely reflect this cultures could take some time to discover Asian creators - there are plenty of them in world. Perhaps you could feature some of these creators in NWN :)

[Clara Seller]

In real life, we have plenty of restrictions (like genetics and authoritarian governments) to stop most of us from being everything we desire to be. The author can breath a sigh of relief that identity categorization is doing just fine.

It feels a little unhinged when you see a desire to start controlling people's imaginations and their imaginary height and appearance, especially when they are working within the parameters of legality and with the common tools they have a right to use and are paying to use.

[Adeon Writer]

Just say they are mixed race and be done with it.

[Setsuna Murakami]

I swear that a lot of the commenters read a different article than the one I read because I saw nothing about anyone being forced to look a certain way, or "controlled" as Clara put it, all I read was that kawaii fashion was being misrepresented in SL and that much is true. You're free to dress however you want, but there's no need to label your style something it isn't.

[Subversive Vavoom]

I have to applaud what Setsuna said, that is exactly correct. Now for those of us who would simply like to remove all the faces of what are clearly children from the SL Skin designers...that's another can of worms entirely. It seems that LL has completely forgotten about ageplay.

[David Cartier]

So having a bi or multiracial avatar is bad? How about all of the "genuine" Asian women who have plastic surgery, to get Caucasian noses? There are LOTS of very nice realistic Asian skins being sold. Their designers should be supported, rather than ignored for the sake of the story.

[Bob J]

Also how about the intense hypocrisy of blaming users for “pedophilac” morphing of Asian costumes? In case you’ve been checked out for the last thirty years, Japan has some of, if not the, widest adoption of pedophilia into mainstream culture of any country on Earth. Seems to me if people should be “respecting” the culture, sexualization of children is a dead on homage. Or should we just cherry pick the parts we want “respected” and discard the inconvenient ones? Panty fetishes and tentacles inside schoolgirls are not ok, properly shaped noses yes!

Give me a break.

[Blah]

The thing is though, it is not being misrepresented in Second-life. Their is plenty of media in Japan that takes kawaii, and sexualizes it. Sex sells, it's just how life goes. For example, take a look at some Japan videogames (the ones that have never even made it to the US), and take a look at some of the costumes. A lot of kawaii based fashion, with an added sexy twist. Take a look at Animes, and some mangas, you'll see kawaii with a sexy twist everywhere. Also, please remember. That dressing "kawaii" shouldn't automatically classify that as "childish". Those are two different things. Their are plenty of grown women (including myself), who look extremely young, almost teen-like in appearance, but are very much past teenage years. These styles *are* kawaii, just sexified, like it is in Asia, you can honestly take any Asian videogame with character customization specifically, and see it. Don't dumb it down to just Second-life, when you know it really isn't true.

[BavidD]

No culture owns a phenotype. You want to pretend to be of Asian descent while in SL, go for it. But you can cherry pick too. Tails anybody ? Elf ears? Asami, please clam down

[Pulsar]

I think Setsuna is right. When there is some misconception and myth, it is interesting to see how things truly are, if your intention is to represent them correctly. If you want to create an historical Viking RP and you start wearing horned helmets, you are doing it wrong. Then if you want just to play with costumes, you are free to play with your horned helmet on your anime girl avatar with a green skin, wings and a tail... it's fun. Oh, and to make a monster movie where velociraptors don't have feathers and are as tall as an horse. Just don't tell me dinosaurs were like that.

[Amanda]

Fetishizing in SL is hardly limited to Asian cultures. Every culture is fetishized in SL including American WASP culture. When people live out their fantasies in SL, a big part of those fantasies are sexual in nature.

[Blarg Yargison]

I've still got a stick up my ass about all the Kardashian related articles.

[dotdotdot]

This shit is just a fucking generic Western animecon, but 24/7 and in sl. Same dumb neckbeards and trailer park queens putting colorful wigs on, and running around with their arms behind their backs. "Nothing personal kid".
Just walk away, you can't change those people.

[Kate]

Asian American here, tired of the 24/7 perpetually offended culture of PC liberals in genera. "Appropriation" of culture or phenotypes.

Remember: No one "Owns" a culture, they have their origins, but no one has any right to exclude others from it. Furthermore no one "Owns" or the concept of "Looking asian/white/black/etc". I take NO PROBLEM with people who choose to look like a different "Race" in second life. They aren't harming me or anyone else. It's part of self expression and freedom. In fact, I'd get somewhat flattered if I find out someone who uses an east asian avatar turns out not really to be east asian. That they find features associated with my physical body attractive enough for them to use.

A big part of Second Life and similar types of communities is to explore using a body that maybe you would be happier with, or simply for fun or as an experiment. Don't take people's personal decisions with how they want to represent themselves too seriously.

But of course, there are some valid criticisms of people trying to market certain avatars as "asian" when they only have the asian eyes. Our facial structures beyond eyes also are different on average than westerners, so certainly constructive criticisms are very valid in that regard. Also don't forget Asia has over 4 billion people, not all asians are "east asians", people from India also look quite different from us.

[Kate]

TL;DR, fed up with the concept of cultural appropriation or appropriation of phenotypes and how it gets used to find excuses to be angry at people (usually westerners). Just have fun.

[Rachel Ibarrientos]

I probably achieved being Ulzzang LOl

[Ivy]

This is a ridiculous post.

You get after people for not representing Japanese or other Asian cultures properly? And you’re going to get after them for these avatars that you are showing off in your post??? Really???!!

You do realize the Japan has been culturally appropriating white men and women for quite a while - and they’re cartoons. No offense, bigeyes or not, that is a white, “Caucasian” trait. Black people have it as well, and so do Hispanics. So do most Europeans. The only people who don’t, are most Asian people - so why are your cartoon characters and your comics, and all avatars whites with big eyes???

It’s like African-Americans wearing blue contacts and blonde hair, I feel they are culturally appropriating the Caucasian culture.

But this is second life we are talking about, and people are free to be who and what they feel they really are. Even in real life they are. Whether it is a furry, a Japanese person, a cartoon character, a black person, a white person etc. etc. Who the hell are you to be so high and mighty in judgement?

Maybe second life isn’t the universe for you, because if you get bent out of shape about something like that, you really have no business being in a universe designed for self expression, and where people are free in expressing themselves.