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Details Magazine Petition

In case you haven’t seen it yet.

The Details Magazine Petition

Way beyond Fucked up.

This is with regards to the April issue of Details magazine. Read for yourself.

I’m so apalled by the language in this ad I can barely speak.

“Delicate features: refreshed by a cup of hot tea or a hot night of teabagging”
“A bonsai ass requires delicate tending”

Jayzus. Who writes this shit? 13 year olds from whitey mc white town set in the 1930s who still think that this shit is ok to say and actually sells?

I can’t see how anyone could find this remotely acceptable. There’s ignorance, and there’s stupidity.

I’ve never read Details, but Conde Nast publishes a lot of magazines. Something to remember when my subscription to Wired comes up for renewal.

Holy.

They had one in last issue, I think, called “Gay or Jesus”, which didn’t cross nearly as many lines as this one. Damn.

Signed the petition.

oh MY god. I can’t believe they actually printed that… it’s going back to the days of minstrel shows

Agh! The “writer” has the same last name as me! I’m ashamed and sorry! I hadn’t noticed Details turning into such crap. Never mind, I haven’t looked at it for at least five years.

I just signed the petition. Interesting, though, that no one has objected to the gay stereotypes, just the Asian ones. Too bad.

http://www.petitiononline.com/details4/petition.html

Sign the petition here, and tell Details what dumb fucks they actually are.

Me = bad. I didn’t see the link in MJ’s blog, which I, of course, should have already assumed that she put up.

Lindsi: You’re a dork ass, but I love you.
What’s the response from peeps who are *both* gay and Asian? How’z this play up into gay stereotypes, ya figure? And well.. isn’t Details a primarily ‘mo publication anyways (according to the roommate ‘with an H bitch’.

Even I, the ignorant honky, knows this is f-ed up!

I’m still trying to figure out what “takes it General Tso-style” means. Disturbing.

i wonder what(if) the guy knew what he was posing for when he did this…

the fact it’s titled “anthropology” irks me as well… and who’s the article by? “Whitie McNally”?

This article is completely appalling. Their attempt at humor fell way short and is very much offensive. I feel a formal apology is in order from the editors. This one article has taken the American society many decades back. Total Trash!!

I don’t think we should be SO surprised. It’s not like this is a sudden afront to an oppressed minority in an otherwise raceless society. It is merely the most VISIBLE manifestation of all the racism… homophobia, and so man other “isms” out there. The person who made the comment, “wonder what Asians who ARE gay think” is right on. We need to problematize this issue and understand that it is very complex. This is particularly relevant given the enormous popularity of William Hung. These things don’t just happen in a vacuum. Let’s not be blind people - racism is everywhere… we just need to keep fighting the thought police out there! I’m proud that there is such an outpouring of anger. We need to mobilize but let’s not fool ourselves into being “shocked” that such a thing would happen. The media is but one powerful realm for these representations, ideas, stereotypes to be perpetuated. But its not the only one. And how is the stereotypical identity represented in the pages of Details CONNECTED… indeed, intricately tied to the stereotypical identities of other oppressed groups (i.e. gays, women, other people of color). Food for thought folks.

Let’s not forget, Abercrombie a similar fiasco last year too. We fought back then, we need to keep fighting now - but we also need to come together in solidarity with our allies (others who are getting screwed), see our similarities AS WELL AS DIFFERENCES in fighting the man.

Rock on APIs, Asian Americans, Asians, Americans… or whatever the fuck you want to call yourselves. Let’s fight back neo-liberal scum.

speechless.

This comment is directed towards the person named Alex who posted a comment. I know you think your helping by advocating for the fight against racism, but frankly, you don’t know enough to speak. It’s obvious you think you know what you’re talking about, but as an Asian-American, I was deeply offended by your comments. The idea of not being shocked when a nationwide magazine releases an obviously racist article was hurtful. Just because racism is everywhere (given) doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be offended when it pops up in a magazine. To attack racism in peoples minds is to be “thought police”, but to attack it when it’s reinforced physically in a magazine is to simply be an active fighter against racial discrimination. And, though I may be shouting my opinion on your views, I hope that it does not reach the preachy level of your obviously ultra-noble, band-together-my-ignorant-subjects-of-cause method of speech. We all know that the persecuted should band together, and we will, we already have. I will not fight for the day when racism is extinguished completely, but for the day when it is at least not promoted through the media and other forms of communication which serve to reinforce ignorant views and make them seem alright. I am an Asian-American, an Asian, an American, or (as you so eloquently put it) a “whatever the fuck I want to call myself” and I thank you for your support of this great cause, no matter how misguided your words. Thank you.

As a brown monkey faggot, I see the benefits this misguided spread contributes to the current discourse of being Asian AND (notice the capitalization) gay; here we see a plethora of racism allegations emanating from the Asian community, yet *almost* remains silent on the homophobic issue. Clearly, this protest speaks volume about our own Asian communities who still has to accept their homosexual sons and daughters as integral part of the community. I’m even willing to charge that some of the posters, though incense with the obvious racist propaganda, and most of the people in Asian community are homophobic, and that’s why they do a song&dance routine around the homosexual issue. Correct me on this gross generalization, if I’m wrong. If I am right about this allegation, then do something about your own homophobic issues and see that this is not just a racism issue, but also a homophobic one.

As a brown monkey faggot, I see the benefits this misguided spread contributes to the current discourse of being Asian AND (notice the capitalization) gay; here we see a plethora of racism allegations emanating from the Asian community, yet *almost* remains silent on the homophobic issue. Clearly, this protest speaks volume about our own Asian communities who still has to accept their homosexual sons and daughters as integral part of the community. I’m even willing to charge that some of the posters, though incense with the obvious racist propaganda, and most of the people in Asian community are homophobic, and that’s why they do a song&dance routine around the homosexual issue. Correct me on this gross generalization, if I’m wrong. If I am right about this allegation, then do something about your own homophobic issues and see that this is not just a racism issue, but also a homophobic one.

ACTION ALERT

PROTEST AGAINST RACIST MAGAZINE FEATURE

Friday, April 16, 12:00 noon
7 West 34th Street (at 5th Avenue)
New York, NY 10001

Join other Asian American activists and anti-racism activists in a protest at the offices of Details magazine at 7 West 34th Street, New
York, NY 10001 (at 5th Avenue) at 12:00 noon on Friday, April 16, 2004.Details Magazine published a feature in its April 2004 issue titled,
“Gay or Asian” that described Asian American men with such offensive terms as “bonsai ass” and “sashimi-smooth chest.” Visit
http://www.asianmediawatchdog.com/ and click on “Details Magazine” to view the page.

We are demanding a full-page public apology in a future issue of the magazine, and we are demanding that Details magazine fire Whitney
McNally, the author of the feature. Also, we are currently running a letter writing campaign against Details magazine in response to their
recent “apology”.
http://www.citizenspeak.org/campaign/5296.php (That’s not good enough,
Details magazine!)

Please make and bring signs against racism, against Details magazine and against Whitney McNally. New York City law prohibits signs on wooden sticks, but you can bring signs on cardboard tubes or hand-held signs. If you are able to help publicize this protest, please email Colleen at contact@asianmediawatchdog.com with your snail mail address, and we can send you flyers that you can post in local stores or around college campuses. Flyers will be available after Friday, April 2.

This protest is being organized by Asian Media Watchdog. Asian Media Watchdog was founded by Colleen Eustice-Sakai and Jimmy Fujikawa. Our
goal is to promote a fair and balanced portrayal of Asians and Asian Americans in the American entertainment industry. Asian Media Watchdog
is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization

I think I have come up with a suitable response to Details Magazine. This is the link to my blog, and I also pasted what I wrote in it:

http://threaddrifter100.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 07, 2004

Details Magazine

I occasionally type in “Racism” at google and click the news tab to see where and how the media or other establishments have attacked non-white Americans. This week I came across a little pictorial in Details Magazine entited: Gay or Asian. Granted, I don’t normally read Details magazine at all, usually these types of magazines are geared to white and jewish men. White because one only need look at the ads and jewish because the magazine has an abundance of articles and pictures of white and jewish men. With these two groups they offer the best of what they have to offer, when they write or display pictures of other ethnic groups, it’s usually about the worst of what we have to offer.

I went out and purchased this magazine for a few reasons. First reason? I am just sick and tired of the media slamming non-whites on a constant basis. it appears that the media has been on an onslaught to attack anything non-white these days and promote a sense of superiority of the white and jewish male. Do you think ANY mainstream magazine like Details would show a jewish guy with a beanie, with arrows pointing to parts of his body ridiculing him and the foods he eats? Or lack of body hair? That magazine would be run out of town.

We have been attacked and stereotyped daily by an out of touch elitist meda that trys to foster an air of unassimilation in America. In movies offered by the Weinstein Brothers, the Miramaxes, the Disney’s we non-white Americans always find our roles to be of the unassimilated thick accented cab driver, convenience store owner, maid, drug dealer, criminal, kung foo fighter, terrorist all battling the good forces of some white or jewish man heroic figure. No need to look further than the Weinstein’s production and Peter Jackson direction of Lord of the Rings to see the media’s efforts culminated in a 3 part Epic 9 hour movie of all white men are good, all non-white men evil.

Now back to Details Magazine. I noticed that the NAACP sent a letter of condemnation to the editor of Details and some of you began letter writing campaigns to the author Whitney McNally. The fact is, these people could care less and are probably sitting in a conference room laughing their asses off at the outcry this generated. Yeah, they will fire off some half-assed apology but in the end, nothing else will happen. They will choose another group to slam as they have in the past, probably the “terrorist” looking people again to gain points with their bosses.

I think it’s high time that non-whites form a group to address the depictions of us in the media. I am an Asian male, although a few more shades darker than my “Asian or Gay” friend in the picture of Details Magazine. There probably isn’t a chance in hell that you will see guys that look like me in detail magazine at all unless they are doing their typical dehumanization of us as the rest of the media does. But in the end, divided we are helpless, together we form a pretty sizable voting and influential block similar to the ADL’s the AIPACs and other groups that further a minority’s cause.

This is what I suggest ALL non-whites do, let’s make an example of Details Magazine. Let’s go right after them where it hurts, their advertisers. Let’s just boycott them. Don’t buy their stuff. So here is a list to target with a boycott that I put together by flipping through the magazine, you’ll notice that I selected some designers over others solely based on the pictures in the ads:

Hogan Shoes
Loreal VIVE for Men
Coach (This is the ad opposite of “Asian or Gay”)
John Varvatos Cologne
Suck UK Bottle Opener
Sarah Cihat (Brooklyn)?
Turning Leaf Vineyards
Danzka Vodka
Marc Jacobs
CP Company
Geox Shoes
Calvin Klein Jeans
Guess Jeans
Louis Vuitton Bags
Hugo Boss
Abercrombie and Fitch
Puma
Quicksilver
Helmut Lang
Banana Republic
Burberry
Armani Exchange
Zegna
I*N*C
Lacoste (people still buy this?)
Davidoff
Reebok
ColeHanan Shoes
Brietling (buy a Tag)
Jockey (buy Hanes)
Subaru WRX STI - (get an EVO instead)
Jaguar S-Type (get a 3 series instead)

Feel free to cut and paste this blog entry across the internet. I ask my fellow bloggers to spread the word and post the above list all over the internet across the world. I will update this list in subsequent months to see which advertisers are continuing to advertise in Details Magazine and add them to the list. It’s high time one of these media dehumanizers was targeted for it’s acts against OTHER Americans who just happen to not be white. I ask all Bloggers; Indians, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Arabs, Latinos, African Americans, Native Indians, whoever, to make an example out of the advertisers who support a magazine like Details.

Stage 2 of this process requires your help. I need you to contact all the venders on the list and notify them of our boycott against them due to their advertisements in Details Magazine. Please CC me a copy of the e-mail at threaddrifter100@aol.com so that we know they are all being notified. If I had more time, I would do this myself on behalf of all of us. I am seriously hoping that all groups get involved in this boycott, not just Asians, I am hoping that Indians, Latinos, African Americans, and all other groups get involved in this grass roots effort to finally attack back at a media outlet that attacks us. How many times have we as non-whites seen something distributed by the mainstream media that made you say to yourself, “Man, that is fucked up, why did they do that to us?”. Well here is your chance to attack back. Also, please e-mail me if you want to be on my blog list, I only tackle the media and politics and may need your help in going after other outlets with a similar theme of promoting a certain segment of the population and attacking some non-white population. Lets see what our collective power can do as one.

See, the media and the politicians do their best to keep Blacks, Latinos, Asians and Middle Easterners at each other’s throats. A house divided is better than a house united. Together we would be one hell of a powerhouse in terms of economic and political might, creativity and commerce. Collectively, despite media depictions of us, we are prominent in technology, the arts, medicine, fashion outside of kung foo fights, cab driver, terrorist and thief as we are displayed constantly in the movies. I am seeking to organize a group respresenting each minority to form an alliance to use our economic might to target the media such as Details magazine and Hollywood. If Abe Foxman can attack Mel Gibson for the Passion of the Christ, then we should be able to attack the Weinstein Brothers for Lord of the Rings, Lost in Translation, and any other movie where they cast non-whites as evil or involved in a cultural struggle against America.

I say continue with the boycott, regardless of their halfassed apology below:

“Details magazine is now apologizing for this “Gay or Asian?” feature on its page marked “Anthropology” after sparking an outcry large enough to warrant a special voice-mail response at Details offices in New York.
“We regret the fact that anyone has been offended by this article,” Andrea Kaplan, a spokeswoman for Fairchild Publications, told Journal-isms. “We are sorry that a piece of satire has been interpreted in a way that was certainly not intended. We are printing our response which conveys our regret in the May issue.”

Dont fall for it, next month they will target some other minority group, this KAPLAN character is no different from her counterparts in hollywood. They will just keep doing what they do.
- posted by ThreadDrifter @ 12:47 AM

There is a great problem within the Asian community- there are too many asians who take these kinds of racial attacks as harmless jokes. Whether it be because they are ashamed of their own culture or it be because they weren’t taught the value of being apart of such a beautiful culture such as ours. In any case, this is the perfect example to take to these people and show how bad it is really getting. let’s work to unify our community so we can make a greater impact. peace

Early Week Roundup
Life is not holding a good hand; Life is playing a poor hand well. - Danish proverb “You’re Fired!” Wait a minute, I’m fired?? actnowproductions The Giz Wiz is on The Screen Savers tonight on TechTV. He’s way too funny,…

Should HBO be next? Here is a partial entry from my blog..

….Tonight on HBO, they went after Asians, this time Pacific Asians. At other times it’s Western Asians(Indians). Tonight on The Sopranos, a relative of Tony Soprano was given an opportunity to launch a massage parlor with the help of a Korean businessman. Of course and as usual, the Korean couldn’t speak a lick of English mostly broken English, keeping with the media’s policy of never showing an Asian with an American accent. But it didn’t stop there, Tony’s cousin also made fun of the Korean’s accent and of course references to “Dog Eating” was made. They actually went ahead and VALIDATED this stereotype. Sure they had an Asian woman on that DID speak english but of course she was a hoochie and was oogled by white men as non-white woman are usually portrayed in Hollywood. Did it stop there? NAAAAAW, afterall, it’s HBO, next up, Deadwood. This is a particularly new show, not as engaging as other HBO programs but no less racist than the others. In this episode one of the townsfolk made a slant-eyed reference to an Asian selling “American Food”. Of course in a previous episode, the Asian, could be Chinese, can’t speak a lick of English either…….

Gay or Asian? is about as funny as someone tripping then dying from the brain damage.

As a Gay man and an Asian man here is my reaction. The comparison of sterotypical gay men to sterotypical Asian men, angered me in both ways. All gay men do not behave like the limp wrist sterotype, and all Asian men do not dress like the gay sterotype or are weak like the Asian sterotype.

I had to think about their motives. This is a Mens’ fashion magazine, that’s the sterotype of gay already. Their readers are predominatly white, their are hardly any models of color in the ads, and not a single article on Someone of color. Their target audiences are the Metrosexuals(city men who like to do sterotype gay things, shopping, waxing, decorating, but are not gay). That finally made the whole Details attitude clear.

Details is a group of people with identity issues, battling not be thought of as gay, and having no cultural heritage to draw identity from. I wasn’t too surprised by Details, in a previous issue they decided that gay men shouldn’t want to get married based on similar insulting opinions. Like any bully they pick on someone they think is weaker. And McNally never even got to how to tell the stereotypes apart.

Dare I say its queer that both Asians and Gays continue this prejudice within our own groups. Gays are just as racist against Asians(think we have small dicks), and Asians are still prejudice against gays(think we’re fags).

Chris