8prometheus8:

taijiboys:

hey just wondering why ppl still like game grumps

Hey guys, the grumps are actually taking part in a local tourist attraction, where visitors can dress in Kimonos and have traditional hairstyles. Asakusa is very well known for it, and it’s one of Asakusa’s main draws. This isn’t them in some horrible and gross halloween costume, or at a party. This is them paying money in that country to participate in something that is set up for tourists, being overseen by locals, and it helps fund the local theatres and acting societies in Asakusa. Cultural appropriation is bad, but when groups within that culture sets up up venus that allow you to dress up in traditional garments, then it’s a totally different situation. Japan is also well known for encouraging outsiders to participate in some of their festivals. As for why the dudes are dressed as ladies, the people at Asakusa probably have good senses of humor and agreed to allow them to do that. 

Here, there’s a lot of results about it on google, so pick all the ones you’d like. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=asakusa+kimono+dress+up

So do remember: The grumps didn’t go out of their way to buy clothes like that, wear those elaborate wigs, and put on all of that makeup just for a facebook photo. They’re at a tourist attraction, and those kimono’s are being rented for about three hours or so. And chances are, they were also told a lot about the garments themselves, their meaning, their components, their uses in Japanese culture, their historical relevance, and a whole bunch of other rad educational stuff, being hosted by the locals. 

So repeat after me: If someone in another culture or country creates a venu within that culture or country that allows people who are outside of that culture and country to participate and wear certain clothing, then the participation is no longer inappropriate within the span of that interaction. 

If they’d done this in their own home, that’d be totally different. But they are in a place that’s well known for having a place for tourists to dress up like that. Please remember to take locations into account, and what kind of activities are in those locations, folks. This probably also goes to help fund some of the local theaters that Asakusa is well known for, too.