“There’s also an issue of cultural appropriation, there’s the issue of taking something that’s distinctly Asian in its identity and quote, unquote, making it better, which I have an issue with.”
  • @wildcardologyEnglish
    5•1 month ago

    So Asians specifically taiwanese in western countries are the only ones allowed to sell bubble tea products?

    I’m south east Asian myself, Filipino to be specific, and I see a lot of bubble tea products and stores here. While I don’t know the ethnicity of the owners of these stores but I would guess 90% are Filipinos. Are we culturally appropriating the product?

  • @[email protected]English
    4•1 month ago

    This is like when Disney promoted the director of the Eternals, Chloé Zhao, as a woman of color.

    Which, technically might be true, in the American context. Except that she’s Han Chinese, from China, and the daughter of a Chinese steel magnet and private equity investor.

    I don’t think billionaire heiress was the image that came to mind when people heard the Disney PR machine pat themselves on the back for hiring a woman of color director.

    Just like I don’t think this is what the concept of cultural appropriation was meant to address.

    Should a bunch of Hanks and Jimmy-Rays start yelling about how Chinese restaurants, in China, have changed American cuisine to better suit the local market? Is that appropriating American culture?

    Personally, I think that’s just as dumb as what Mr. Liu is claiming.