Int'l Blog Against Racism Week: M. Butterfly

[kate_nepveu]

There has been some mention, in this week's posts, of the tangled set of issues that can come along with romantic relationships between white men and women of Asian descent. Being in one of those relationships, I felt like I ought to say something, but, well, anyone who's met either of us knows that Chad didn't marry me because I'm exotic and

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I haven't seen the movie either, for the reason you mention. I like the play a lot.

Hwang has an interesting short play, "Bondage," which takes place between a dominatrix and her male customer, who are both wearing leather suits and masks, and who play out some (mostly verbal) scenarios involving different racial stereotypes. (Neither knows what the other's race actually is.) At the end of the play they take off the masks. Hwang specifies the race of the actors and I think I know why he set it as he did, but I think you could do the play with actors of different races and have it make the same point.

[kate_nepveu]

I am intrigued, and will see if one of the local libraries has it. Thanks for the tip.

[cliosfolly]

I enjoyed and learned from reading this; I'm glad you posted it.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks!

[mdevnich]

This was really interesting-- I'd heard of the play, but didn't know the details.

Most of my colleagues (most are male, since I work in Engineering) are married to Okinawans-- either because they're Okinawan themselves, or because they're American and, well, whatever many reasons people get married. A few are former military who were stationed here back in the day and married locally, and have since returned here to civilian jobs. It makes me twitch, this intersection of American military men and Okinawan women, especially when I hear comments like from a young lieutenant, when I first arrived, about how he really liked Japanese women and could see himself marrying one. Not a particular one, but just, "Japanese women" in general

[kate_nepveu]

Making a point is not required. =>

The story that inspired is remarkable in part because it so perfectly embodies so many issues that can arise in relationships of this type. It's an extreme on a continuum, not an inevitable pattern. Your experience may vary.

[texas_tiger]

*nods*

I often wonder where that puts me-a white woman engaged to an Asian-American man. Am I doing a Butterfly in reverse or something?

Of course, personally, I just love him and that's all, but still...

[kate_nepveu]

Since it would be appallingly presumptuous for me to even think about answering that question, I'm going to choose to treat it as rhetorical. =>

So I'll just say I'm glad you found the post food for thought.