Thanks for that, Obywatel. I think this is exactly the problem which I have faced. In Poland we don't use word "orientalny" with bad intentions. It's quite the opposite!
DQFC October 2019 - voting
No problem. in fact, I wrote my post before I saw yours, but I was sure that no one would have something bad on mind creating this theme
Thanks for all of the interesting and insightful replies, everyone! From what I've been reading, it sounds like it definitely varies from country to country, but may also be a generational thing as well? I'm actually so glad that we have users from all around the world and from all ages who can chime in on this stuff and share their own unique perspectives, and I hope that we can also take this time to learn from each other. (hopefully this doesn't sound too idealistic, I just woke up so my brain isn't 100% jaded and surly yet!)
Namastis, I wanted to say thank you for submitting this theme! I totally get the idea and intention behind it, and I would be extremely disappointed if you were punished!
ChumDumpster's wife irl
Update 2022: Site has been soured for me so I took a break. Still not certain about coming back...
Update 2022: Site has been soured for me so I took a break. Still not certain about coming back...
Cum_Dumpster, thank you for your kind words. Once again, I'm sorry for the situation.
I would like to share one experience with you all. I'm Polish and my boyfriend is Italian. It creates many cultural differences. I already know that it might happen that I say something or behave somehow and for me it's normal, but his family might understand it differently. And it works also in the opposite direction. And that's normal. We are all different, we are raised in different homes, cultures, environments. Today's situation is a new lesson for me and I hope not just for me. Cheers!
I would like to share one experience with you all. I'm Polish and my boyfriend is Italian. It creates many cultural differences. I already know that it might happen that I say something or behave somehow and for me it's normal, but his family might understand it differently. And it works also in the opposite direction. And that's normal. We are all different, we are raised in different homes, cultures, environments. Today's situation is a new lesson for me and I hope not just for me. Cheers!
I've thought about how to respond to this all day. There were a lot of things I wanted to address, but I can't anymore. I've just obsessed over the points I wanted to talk about and I caused myself a great deal of anxiety on top of everything else I have going on in my personal life.
I appreciate the apologies. I never wrote that initial post because I wanted any sort of punishment. I just wanted to be heard. And in the end, no matter how many ways I put it, I don't think I will be 100% understood or heard. I understand no ill intent or offense was meant by this theme, but you have to understand that you're not on the receiving end of this. This "oriental" terminology will never affect you personally because of your ethnicity, but it affects me and will continue to affect me because I was born Vietnamese in a country that has an extensive history of marginalizing minorities (and continues to do so to this day). I have never experienced the use of "oriental" that is not burdened by this historical baggage.
I harbor no ill will toward anyone regarding this - truly. I just simply am a little disappointed that I will never truly be heard the way I want to be heard. The apologies are great, but it's just going to end there. The title won't be changed because "we" voted for it. No further action is going to be taken. It ends with me still making an outfit for this theme, and then experiencing all the questionable Asian caricatures that result from it when voting comes around.
Thank you all for the thought and effort taken to respond to me. I appreciate your time.
I appreciate the apologies. I never wrote that initial post because I wanted any sort of punishment. I just wanted to be heard. And in the end, no matter how many ways I put it, I don't think I will be 100% understood or heard. I understand no ill intent or offense was meant by this theme, but you have to understand that you're not on the receiving end of this. This "oriental" terminology will never affect you personally because of your ethnicity, but it affects me and will continue to affect me because I was born Vietnamese in a country that has an extensive history of marginalizing minorities (and continues to do so to this day). I have never experienced the use of "oriental" that is not burdened by this historical baggage.
I harbor no ill will toward anyone regarding this - truly. I just simply am a little disappointed that I will never truly be heard the way I want to be heard. The apologies are great, but it's just going to end there. The title won't be changed because "we" voted for it. No further action is going to be taken. It ends with me still making an outfit for this theme, and then experiencing all the questionable Asian caricatures that result from it when voting comes around.
Thank you all for the thought and effort taken to respond to me. I appreciate your time.
You can't keep doing shitty things and then feel bad about yourself like that makes it okay. You need to be better. -S3E10 Bojack Horseman
I was quite shocked when I saw the word oriental had such a negative connotation. It really seems to be a problem of different meanings in different countries. . In Germany it is used as a romanticising term for pretty much all of Asia. Similar to what Obywatel and Namastis wrote.
I am always stressed out by not knowing how to act
like a normal person
StrangeKindOfWoman wrote:
I was quite shocked when I saw the word oriental had such a negative connotation. It really seems to be a problem of different meanings in different countries. . In Germany it is used as a romanticising term for pretty much all of Asia. Similar to what Obywatel and Namastis wrote.Yes, precisely! This is how it is in Norway, too. We have oriental shops and restaurants (they are listed as such in the yellow pages...), and I've never ever seen the word used in an offensive or insulting way. For comparison reasons, in Norwegian, and please don't take this the wrong way, it would be like me being offended by being called Scandinavian. And that really makes me afraid of saying anything anywhere in this game, as I'm now worried my Norwegian phrases and lack of skill in English language nuances will cause me to offend half the player base here the second I open my mouth. (Which I probably just did, so I'm going to shut up now.)
- Life is a pretty cheesy game, but at least it has good graphics -
I was actually shocked to learn that someone pointed out the term "Oriental" was discriminating. I live in The Netherlands and we actually seldomly use the term. It is mostly used by old people. Or used to romanticize Asia. No stereotypes are used in combination with the term either.
Of course if someone is offended by the term we should take it serious and be considerate. But we also need to take care we are not going overboard with language. As I said I am from The Netherlands and I am extremely offended when someone refers to my country as Holland. But I know people who call my country Holland are ignorant about the fact that 80% of our population is offended if you use the name Holland to refer to The Netherlands.
Now should I forbid others to refer to my country as Holland? No that would be silly. I know it is an entirely different matter as the "Orient" term but I would like to point out that this is an international site. What is wrong in my country could very well be very normal in yours. We need to be considerate to each other but not exaggerate it like the media does.
Happiness is inside yourself
Sandi Lut wrote:
Wow! Sandi, I didn't know that either. I refer very often to The Netherlands as Holland. In fact in polish Your country is called "Holandia" :)As I said I am from The Netherlands and I am extremely offended when someone refers to my country as Holland. But I know people who call my country Holland are ignorant about the fact that 80% of our population is offended if you use the name Holland to refer to The Netherlands.
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