Originally published at: 16-year-old boy is a hit at Tokyo "pseudo-girl" maid cafe | Boing Boing
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We had a couple of maids in this style show up trick or treating. One had very tall boots with heart shaped buckles and 6” wedge heels. I asked what anime or manga they were from and they replied “we”re just maids!”
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What we need is a great big melting pot
Big enough enough enough to take
The world and all its got And keep it stirring for just a few years more
And turn out multi-gendered people by the score
Edit: I hope that these kids are getting protection and support from their employers.
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" And all creeds and kinds and colors of us are blending
Till, I suppose, ten million years from now
We’ll all be just alike
Same color, same size, working together
And maybe we’ll have all of the fascists out of the way by then
Maybe so"
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There is a whole subculture of Japanese fashion where they dress up in various themes, and it has made it over to here. Some of them are really quite fancy and took a lot to put together.
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Initially misread that headline as “boy is hit at…” and relieved to see this isn’t another story about someone being assaulted by homophobes.
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That child is beautiful, doesn’t seem to have the Adams Apple yet so the show can go on without the growl of a teen boy’s sound. Hopefully he’ll be appreciated and not targeted.
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I wonder if they’re being misgendered in the news reports, since they seem to actually be living their daily life as a girl. (Though this might be an Instagram illusion.) I know Japan has not been great on queer issues and I wonder if being a “crossdresser” is more acceptable than being trans. Either way, it seems like they’re living their best life, which is heartening.
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I’m not an expert—I have lived in Japan and am a Japanese translator, but am not particularly tuned into trans issues in Japan—but my impression is that gender politics for trans people aren’t, well, as politicized in Japan. All kabuki roles are played by men, including female roles, so Japan has had female impersonators in culturally respectable positions for centuries (although the origins of kabuki, and the reason all roles are played by men are more salacious). There have been female-impersonator/trans hostess bars for decades.
You definitely see the same prurient, leering interest in trans people in Japan that you do in the west, but you don’t really see violent reactions against them.
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And then there’s the more recent (1913) Takarazuka Revue in which all the roles are played by women:
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I know mine was… not cheap to put together- between the underpinnings, the shoes, and replacement stockings and gloves (this chucklehead learned that those were absolutely hand wash only!), I spent about twice the cost of the dress itself, but it was worth it 100 percent.
(This was my halloween costume this year; I entered into the contest my employer runs, and even though it was for funsies, If I win even third place I’ll be stupid happy.)
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I think its a great looking costume!
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I’ve only been in a maid cafe once, and it was a weird experience. They started by issuing you kitty or bunny ears, which is a bit of an ice-breaker. Then you can be served sweets by your maid, and get a photo with her if you want. Seemed pretty harmless to me. Akhihabara has some shops that deal with fetish goods and sex toys. I heard (have not seen) that there are vending machines that dispense used panties, if you’re into that.
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I’ve seen Kabuki and Takarazuka. They are both very entertaining, visual evidence that gender roles are constructed using costume, make-up, hair and behaviour to signify male or female identity. All the world’s a stage, remember.
If you’re interested in off-the-peg cosplay and can get to Tokyo, the LaForet department store in Harajuku is a goldmine. Also the whole area around Harajuku and Omotesando is seething with all kinds of street and retro fashion.
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In case you’re wondering, no, it is not unusual for an employee at a maid cafe to be 16.
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As fictionalised in last year’s excellent anime Kakegi Shoujo!.
(Opening theme for Akiba Maid War, the most balls-out insane-but-played-straight anime of the year; and as this year also saw the mafia lesbian golf anime Birdie Wing, that’s not a low bar.)
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There was one such vending machine, once, in the '80s, which was shut down by authorities almost immediately. It’s weird how that story has survived so long.
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“Psuedo-girl” seems like a slur. Wonder if something was lost in translation or if they use that English slur there.
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Of course, there are a lot of shops in Akihabara (and elswhere) that sell used panties, including panties worn (or at least purportedly worn) by underage girls.
