Job Discussion Forums

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Okay, so most people probably know that fashion in Japan is pretty crazy I'm sure. But, I'm not here to talk about how much more metrosexual guys are in Japan than the rest of the world, or about cosplay, or even dumpster style fashion, yada yada.

I'm curious why parents (almost always moms) love to dress their young sons (around preschool age) as girls? I've seen it now many times, and usually I'm able to spot it, because I have a keen eye, but it always fools everyone else.

I had a friend who homestayed with a family that dressed their boy as a girl. My friend said that the boy had tons of dresses, hair ties, etc...

Scarring a kid for life... check

So any ideas?

Ryu Hayabusa · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 182

If I'm to believe the movie, "Dragon" with Jason Scott Lee, Bruce Lee was dressed as a girl when he was young to avert the evil eye. He also turned out to be one of the world greatest martial artists. Perhaps the parents have this in mind? Laughing

wintersweet · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:20 am Post subject:

If it's really as common as you say, then why would the kid be scarred for life?

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

OK I'll bite

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject:

I haven't seen it in real life.

But Japanese quiz/variety TV seems to commonly feature men dressed as schoolgirls, as well as numerous excuses to dress fully grown women as schoolgirls.

*shrug*

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

In my 10 years in Japan, I haven't noticed it at all- are you saying you actually had 40 cases confirmed by teachers in 6 months? Seems a lot.

Older men dressed up as women, especially around the Omotesando/ Aoyama area for some reason, but I haven't seen any junior cross dressers. Will start looking out for them, but I kind of doubt it's quite that widespread.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Well in 6 months I've been here, I've been all around various parts Japan (Kansai, Kanto, Kyushu) and that's the only reason I've seen so many.

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

I've seen a few in 11 years, but I also have heard about an annual fashion event at a prep school that will remain nameless, that featured cross dressing both ways.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Not gonna lie, that sounds like a plot from a manga. So I guess I wouldn't be surprised if it was real.

reasonJP · Joined: 17 Jul 2008 Posts: 48

I'm frequently astonished at how girly a lot of men in Japan are. In my teaching experience though, I've had the reverse happen. Had a little kid who had her haircut in a fairly boyish style join my class when I was a new teacher and whenever she did something right I'd say 'good boy' and put her on the boys team when we were doing competitive stuff, because I honestly thought she was a little dude.

taffer · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Japan

Wayne,

i rarely post here because I am disturbed and have little to add to the Productive Column, but I have to wonder what you mean when you claim to have come across 40 cases. Based on the sheer outlandishness of your post, I suspect the 40 cases involved Jinro soju...

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

To be honest, I have no idea what that means...

I guess I'm a bit surprised. Either that, or maybe people here are much less surprised by a boy with long hair wearing a dress.

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Theres a 2 year old boy at my school that wears his hair in a ponytail on top of his hair..when it was shorter he wore a hair clip...its really weird, and he already has a girly face...I dont know why they dont just cut his hair.
Maybe they wanted a girl??...

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

I've never seen boys dressed up by their parents as girls. However on basically every single variety show, a cross-dressing male is a standard requirement. What the hell is up with that anyways? I know we do it sometimes as well but all the god damn time?? I just don't get it.