I'm so tired. It's 2025 why are non asians still using our culture as an aesthetic trend. For clarification I'm part of the mogai/liom community, I make terms so this isn't a mogai is bad post. This is a why are multiple people in editblr and mogaiblr casually racist and fine with it.
Why do people in those communities insist using Japanese names are perfectly fine when 9/10 times they just use it because of anime/manga or trends. Not even bothering to pronounce it right or use the proper spelling like removing ō's ū's etc for convenience. So many times I see an anime or asian game blow up then suddenly a ton of non asians are using the names. When the next thing blows up they use new names or use both. They put our language in typing quirks, they put our language in fonts, they make fun of our language by shouting phrases they don't even know the meaning of.
That's not even mentioning how many non asians fetishize us. Don't see us as human. I'm mixed, I have 2 asian backgrounds and a native american background but my japanese one is the focus of this. I've had so many people go "you must look so pretty/hot" the moment they learn I'm japanese. I've had people start saying random japanese words or anime references at me as if I'm just an anime boy to gock at. God forbid a japanese person happens to share a name with a character that gets popular cause that's all they hear. "Omg like from that anime/game!! You must be a huge fan! You're like anime irl!!" Even if the person hasn't even seen the media. I've been called irl yaoi and yuri, I've been called irl futanari (Japanese word for the intersex slur) by both strangers and FELLOW mogaiblr and editblr people. I've had people refuse to use the kanji versions of my names cause they're too lazy to ask how to say it. I've had people get mad when telling them they aren't pronouncing a name right. Especially when it's a name they're using. They don't even bother to say it right. I've had people become my friend just to ask me to "gift" them asian names both irl and in the communities.
It's so obvious the communities just see us as an accessory. Especially when it's mainly the "pretty pale" asian cultures being used. I rarely see people doing this with cultures where people aren't seen as pale. Why? Are you scared to touch people with darker skin tones? Only the pastel soft ones fit what you want? Is a name from those other places dirty or not pretty enough for you? Also this isn't to say people don't steal from those cultures too. They do and it's an issue but the people who take from Japanese culture often ignore the others as if it's the plague.
I also feel the need to point out that there ARE contexts in my culture where non asians take on asian names. That's when they move to the country and are actually participating in the culture + learning the language to use there. Not just using as a pretty aesthetic. But most people in these communities aren't doing that. So.
⚠️ Do not use they/them if talking about me to others in reblogs/comments. I have neopronouns in pinned ⚠️
