Is Gwen Stefani allowed to say that she's Japanese when she's clearly not?
Gwen created quite the controversy in the US when she recently doubled down on her claim that she "is Japanese," but for the most part, actual Japanese people and those outside of the US don't understand what all the fuss is about.
In this episode, we revisit Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers past and pick apart why claiming Asian culture & identity has different implications for Asians in the US vs. Asians living in the actual country/culture being taken from.
How can something that is clearly seen as cultural appropriation by Americans be seen as cultural appreciation by those living in the actual country of origin of that culture?
Is there a right or wrong way to think about this? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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