Genderless dashi on the rise in Japanese culture
In modern day Japan, it is not just the girls who wear makeup and have manicures. Many of the new generation of young, “genderless” men are taking over the limelight, with painted faces, high heels, and delicately manicured hands. In a society where men and women stick to conventional gender dress codes, a new group is coming to the forefront.
Who are the genderless dashi of Japan?
Toman Sasaki is a member of Japanese pop band, XOX, and goes just by the name “Toman”. And his look is more feminine than many of the band’s female fans. Toman is one of a growing group of what is being called “genderless dashi”, dashi meaning “young men”. And he has made a promising career out of developing his public identity with an androgynous style.
The wardrobe does not define the sexuality
He is definitely a man at heart, and not a woman “trapped” in a man’s body, he says. His wardrobe may be straight out of the fashions of a pre-adolescent girl, but he feels that the whole concept of gender-based clothing is not necessary. He describes his look not as feminine, but as genderless. “People should be able to choose whatever style suits them,” said Toman. With a very large following on social media and many regular appearances on Japanese television and radio, he is becoming one of the new faces of Japanese pop music.
Bending the rules with fashion
In America now, many men have embraced the use of makeup on a daily basis, and it is much the same in Japan. Young men in the country are taking the norms of gender-based fashion and using them to their advantage by bending the “rules”. Dyed hair, brightly colored lipstick, and colored contact lenses is becoming the new norm.
Other Japanese dashi have made the leap from gender-normal to social media stars. Ryuji Higa, known as Ryucheru in the music industry, and Genki Tanaka, or Genking, have both been known to appear on stage in miniskirts and heels, making the transition from social media stars to television celebrities.
Culture has often used one gender to play both
Japanese culture has always had this ancient tradition of cross-dressing in traditional theater plays and shows. In plays like Kabuki and Noh, the men play both roles, men and women, while in Takarazuka it is the women who play both male and female roles. And this genderless, unisex look has long been portrayed in Japanese anime, and by popular boyband members in both Japan and Korea.
The popularly used term, genderless dashi, was first used by top talent agent, Takahashi Marumoto, who has been hugely instrumental in developing Toman’s career. Marumoto is well known for recruiting the genderless men for fashion shows, using their social media accounts to market the brands to their fans.
East is more tolerant than West
In the west, cross-dressing tends to be more about gender, while in Japan it is all about the fashion. And Japanese people react very differently to westerners when faced with the genderless dashi. For the Japanese, sexuality and fashion are two completely separate identities.
h/t: NY Times
