'Asian Girlz' music video: the worst

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Thu, 2013-08-01 09:41

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

'Asian Girlz' music video: the worst

So this is a thing:

A band aptly called 'Day Above Ground' released a song called Asian Girls to, and let's quote them here:

1. When you start a sentence 'we are not racist' then end of that sentence and meaning is usually pretty super racist'

2. the video is bad on so many levels and don't watch it, but seriously don't watch it because it was the worst music I have heard in awhile. I lasted one second.

Here are the lyrics courtesy of Angry Asian Man who has some choice words for the band.

Buzzfeed also did a quick write up on it with gifs and stuff.

There is a lot of problematic stuff in this video and I don't understand how someone could write this song and think "there is nothing wrong with this. I'm totally flattering ALL asian women. AND we have an asian guy in our band in case it is racist. We win!"

The worst.

p.s. seriously don't watch the video. I warned you.

Issues Pages:

Anti-Racism

Thu, 2013-08-01 10:15

Francesca Allan

Yeah, "I'm not a racist but ...." never bodes well.

Thu, 2013-08-01 10:27

Unionist

I don't know whether it's racist (I haven't watched it). It does, however, appear to reduce women to "gorgeous" sex toys for men. Why is this "gorgeous women" trope still acceptable in our society? Every time I see a woman post a photo of herself on Facebook, a chorus of "friends" predictably comments on how "gorgeous" she is. The ultimate compliment. The greatest achievement. Pity the poor women who are not "gorgeous", and therefore doomed not to play a successful role in our society.

Sorry for the rant. I do hope someone engages my question, if not here then in the FF.

Thu, 2013-08-01 10:35

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

I think this is racist, especially at the end, the band just lists off a bunch of really racist stereotypes of Asian culture.

About your 'gorgeous woman' trope, this one is particularly awful because of the fetishizing of Asian women that is both historically awful and presently, well, still awful.

Angry Asian Man recounts this as 'yellow fever'

The idea of these men loving Asian women because of the characteristics they present of these women being submissive, quiet, etc is disgusting and brings futher this idea that women are not people but ideas of people too.

[I wasn't sure which forum to post this in because it crosses so many areas, but I think we can discuss the feminist aspects as this as well here without it being a thread drift]

And ya, trying to back up your terrible racism by saying "we have an asian guy in our band" isn't really super either. oy.

Thu, 2013-08-01 11:19

Bacchus

Sounds like 'some of my best friends are...."

Fri, 2013-08-02 20:56

MegB

There are so many things wrong with this video, the least of which is that the song sucks, it's completely devoid of any musical or artistic merit. However, even if the tune weren't a piece of banal crap, the video would remain racist, sexist, degrading and exploitative. The band's commentary reveals much. Ignorant, puerile bunch of fools.

Sat, 2013-08-03 21:13

Goggles Pissano

Rebecca,

Can you say that with a little more sincerity? You seemed to be a little vague.