azn aus lady things i'm giving money to

I came across two awesome looking short movies starring Asian Australian ladies that are currently looking for funding. I'm planning to donate to both of them as soon as I find my credit card, and I think they sound super interesting. I don't know any of the people involved in this (though if they want to say hi, they should definitely do so!).

Blood for the Devil's Daughters sees three Asian vampires resurrected and threatening Melbourne's Chinatown. The vampires will allegedly mix Asian "vampire" themes with Western ones - like hopping ghosts, fox spirits, and flying heads, and will be battled by two ladies of Asian heritage. The fundraising for this movie ends December 1.

Hit Girls is an action girl assassin comedy. It's set in Sydney and looks amazing and I want it and it aims to help to fill a space in Australia where we're multicultural but our media is all white. And I want it. Their fundraising ends November 13.

japan ken + barbie

A new Barbie has been doing the rounds, and it's amazing:



I don't even know what's going on here. This toy website tells me that Japan Ken wears 'Japanese-styled clothing and a samurai-inspired sword.' Japan Ken, if you are Japanese, why is your clothing Japanese "styled" and your sword samuri "inspired"?

A (former doll collecting) commenter in this Racialicious post comments that apparently Mattel intentionally went with a futuristic look, which I can dig - but then why are they Japan Ken and Barbie?

There is definitely a whole lot of fetishisation and exotification in here, and not that I want to be all 'hey Asian skin doesn't look like that' because of course there are light-skinned Japanese people, but I feel like it is not going out on a limb to say that those Barbies, if they were sans their Japanese-style future clothes, would look awfully Caucasian.

You know. Just like all the others to come before (except for Geisha Barbie and Chinese New Year Barbie, of course, who were no less exotified but at least...kinda looked Asian?).

i don't have no fucking button nose

I know, it's so passe to be outraged over a facebook group, but seriously (these links via @jennifergearing):

This Thursday is apparently Hug a Half Asian Day! and if any of you even think about it THERE WILL BE TROUBLE. BIG LOTS OF TROUBLE.

And also: I Have A Eurasian Friend, possibly the coolest, buttoned nosed, friends to have.

This had better be a joke. Because I know that I, as a Eurasian Person, really appreciate it when my friends exoticise me. It cements our friendship. It shows they respect me. Etc.

Also, I don't have a fucking button nose.