FYI, in case you don't already know, there's a furore in the US over an article in Details magazine.
The article contains lines such as:
"Whether you're into shrimp balls or shaved balls, entering the dragon requires imperial tastes."
"... delicate features, ladyboy fingers, bonsai ass ..."
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From: Aditantimedh
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 15:13:20 EST
Subject: Details Magazine equates Asians with Homosexuality
The April 2004 issue of DETAILS Magazine has printed an article by Whitney McNally that equates Asians with homosexuality. Filled with bad fortune cookie jokes and terrible racial and sexual stereotyping, it is not remotely ironic or funny.
After a few complaints, DETAILS issued the following lame "apology":
"The "Gay or Asian?" item in our April issue was part of a continuing feature that is intended as a humorous swipe at social stereotypes. Details has a wide readership'Äîmale, female, straight, gay'Äîfrom all cultures, and we value all of them. We appreciate the substantial feedback on this item that we have received, and we will certainly keep those concerns in mind as we move forward. We regret that anyone was offended by the article, as that was not our intention."
I emailed them this response:
"To Details magazine,
I am writing to congratulate you for your article equating Asians with homosexuality, thus transforming your magazine into the most racist and homophobic mainstream American magazine on the newstands today.
I'm sure you all thought it was all very funny and cutting edge to choose another ethnic group and sexual orientation to denigrate, now that you wouldn't possibly dare do the same to, say, the African-Amerian or Hispanic Communities. Your hypocrisy and moral cowardice are commendably original in the current climate.
You obviously thought Asians were soft targets and acted accordingly, which is very brave considering the considerable economic and spending power the Asian community has, and I'm sure they will make that power felt to you before long, especially when they demonstrate their ability to boycott both your magazine and the products of your advertisers.
You truly have an exceptional writer in Whitney McNally, whose petty small-mindedness is a shining example to everyone of that ilk. If this writer was not truly racist or homophobic, but was in fact merely putting on the attitudes for the sake of writing the article, that displays a remarkable lack of any soul or moral backbone. I am sure McNally sleeps very well at night.
I would never have thought social pariahdom a particularly desirable status to attain, but I'm sure you found some merit or advantage in it, and I can assure you that you now have a surplus of it.
Yours sincerely,
Adi Tantimedh
If you feel so inclined to write in, here are their contact details. I heard their inboxes may be choked, but mine hasn't bounced back, and anyway, I'm giving *three* addresses to write to.
Details
c/o Daniel Peres, Editor-in-Chief
7 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 630-4000
detailsletters@fairchildpub.com
Managing Editor: Diana Bendasset
(212) 630-3820
diana.bendasset@fairchildpub.com
Whitney McNally (writer)
whitney.mcnally@fairchildpub.com
There is another petition regarding the Details feature that targets their
advertisers:
http://www.petitiononline.com/details4/petition.htmlThe creator of that petition is contacting their advertisers and threatening a boycott of their goods.