×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
NEWS: Osaka Government Drops Crossdressing Ban at Cosplay Event


Goto page 1, 2  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Chrno2



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 6171
Location: USA
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 5:13 pm Reply with quote
This is surprising. I didn't even know what a ban like this existed.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address My Anime My Manga
The Mad Manga Massacre



Joined: 15 Jul 2009
Posts: 1166
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 5:22 pm Reply with quote
Chrno2 wrote:
This is surprising. I didn't even know what a ban like this existed.

Me neither. Honestly I'm mad that they tried to ban it in the first place. I get Japan isn't sensitive towards the GSD (gender and sexual diversity) community but discrimination like this just makes me mad. Evil or Very Mad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Sobe



Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 880
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:01 pm Reply with quote
I'm happy, VERY happy to know the town spoke up especially in that manner. It gives me more hope about people and I like that. It's nice to know that the town knows.

Jeez, if I could "like" this town I totally would. Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 6248
Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:09 pm Reply with quote
Chrno2 wrote:
This is surprising. I didn't even know what a ban like this existed.


Well I didn't know that exist too. I find that mind-blowing but then again, I don't know how many of you on ANN know of the anti-dancing law Japan put for clubs. I mean seriously:





Japan doesn't allow people to dance at nightclub. Doesn't that violate freedom of speech in Japan??
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Surrender Artist



Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 3264
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:21 pm Reply with quote
I'm not too surprised that Ōsaka had such a ban. It's had a nasty outbreak of right-wing authoritarianism, lead by Mayor Tōru Hashimoto. Last year he went on a tear against public servants in the city having tattoos. He's also in league with fellow awful person and former Governor of Tōkyō, Shintarō Ishihara.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
dan9999



Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Posts: 648
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 7:01 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
According to the committee, a few years ago a male cosplayer, dressed as a female, who entered the men's bathroom was mistaken as a female and caused a scuffle.


Something this insignificant caused the ban...

When I started reading the sentence and read "cosplayer" "male as female" "bathroom", I thought he was caught entering the girls toilet Laughing to take some nice souvenirs with him home, but no, he went into the male one and caused a stir...what kind I wonder, did the males thought the "girl" wanted some "memorable experience" with them o what? Laughing or did any abnormal guy went onto report a "naughty girl" had entered the holy untainted ground of a male's bathroom?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9809
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 7:31 pm Reply with quote
@mdo7
Freedom of speech is a U.S. concept. It does not necessarily exist in the same format in other countries. It depends entirely on their own laws.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
trilaan



Joined: 17 Jan 2009
Posts: 1053
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Awesome! Free expression can never be banned forever! Now if only I looked GOOD as a woman....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ANN_Lynzee
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 02 May 2011
Posts: 2930
Location: Email for assistance only
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 8:16 pm Reply with quote
dan9999 wrote:
Quote:
According to the committee, a few years ago a male cosplayer, dressed as a female, who entered the men's bathroom was mistaken as a female and caused a scuffle.


Something this insignificant caused the ban...

When I started reading the sentence and read "cosplayer" "male as female" "bathroom", I thought he was caught entering the girls toilet Laughing to take some nice souvenirs with him home, but no, he went into the male one and caused a stir...what kind I wonder, did the males thought the "girl" wanted some "memorable experience" with them o what? Laughing or did any abnormal guy went onto report a "naughty girl" had entered the holy untainted ground of a male's bathroom?


It's far more likely he was beaten up based on assumptions that he was gay.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 8:30 pm Reply with quote
Alan45 wrote:
@mdo7
Freedom of speech is a U.S. concept. It does not necessarily exist in the same format in other countries. It depends entirely on their own laws.

Yeah, and the U.S. wrote Japan's constitution, so it's part of theirs as well. Article 21: "Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed."

Seriously, check it out. It's exactly what you'd expect a constitution written by New Deal Democrats to look like (i.e. awesome). Unfortunately people in Japan are often discouraged from rocking the boat so nobody ever sues against the many laws and rules that violate their constitution, and if they do (as one woman did recently with the idiotic six month wait for women to remarry after divorce), judges are sometimes conservative enough that they'll bend over backwards to just support the status quo (they ruled it didn't violate Article 14, which is malarkey).

Japanese people absolutely have a 100% constitutional legal right to free speech. They're just socially discouraged from employing it. I'm glad citizens in Osaka spoke up for people who want to crossdress either just for fun or as part of their gender expression.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
TsukasaHiiragi



Joined: 24 Feb 2010
Posts: 179
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 9:20 pm Reply with quote
I can see why mistakes could be made, after all - I've seen some amazing crossplayers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9809
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:13 pm Reply with quote
@vashfanatic
I suspected that might be the case. However, even in this country it is subject to interpretation by the courts. A different culture is going to have different interpretations even if they are trying to keep the spirit. If they are not, a law stands until it is held invalid.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 6248
Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:42 pm Reply with quote
dan9999 wrote:
Quote:
According to the committee, a few years ago a male cosplayer, dressed as a female, who entered the men's bathroom was mistaken as a female and caused a scuffle.


Something this insignificant caused the ban...


Yeah, I find that event stupid as a cause for calling the ban. It's really discriminatory.

Alan45 wrote:
@mdo7
Freedom of speech is a U.S. concept. It does not necessarily exist in the same format in other countries. It depends entirely on their own laws.


No, it's not only a US thing. It's part of a universal human right. The Freedom of speech is not really a US thing, the British first came up with that concept in 1689. I consider dance as a freedom of expression, restricting dance at a nightclub is a violation of that freedom of speech. Other then Japan, I don't see any other countries other then Japan (correct me if I'm wrong) putting up similar law banning dance at nightclub. Passing that law is somewhat anti-social IMO. If you were living in Japan, you would probably hate that law.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Lady Multi



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 673
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:36 pm Reply with quote
Basically saying, we've dropped this due to bias... If women can dress as men, then men can dress as women.

I say, heck, go for it.. Heck, go all out if you wanna, doesn't bother me any.

And the scuffle incident almost sounds as if it started as guys int eh restroom mistaking the crossplay as a girl, hitting on said "girl", and said "girl" saying "I'm a guy" and they were embarrassed douches. Just how I read it.
..Makes me wonder if that is an accurate assumption.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Sariachan



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 1486
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:56 pm Reply with quote
What's the big deal with dancing? Shocked
Could someone with a first-hand knowledge of JP culture and laws please explain?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group