#this is my obligatory 'hey it's aapi month so here are some thoughts'

[kimbapisnotsushi]

*grabs you by the shoulders and looks directly into your eyes*

remember that the people are worth more than the media they produce. remember that if you live outside of a culture then you have GOT to be more mindful of said culture's contexts, values, and histories when interacting with media from that culture. remember that asians do not exist for the commodification of their cultures, that their pop culture industries are NOT innocent and can reflect harmful practices and worldviews, that the western lens through which asian media as a whole is perceived can lead to misguided interpretations, that you SHOULD be putting in the work to understand what you're ignorant of, and that we only ask for the respect and acknowledgement that comes with being people. remember that queer asians still struggle, around the world and in their home countries, and that the explosion of yaoi/yuri/bl/gl media does not change that and is NOT an indication of the politics and general population's approval as a whole. remember that the cultures and histories cannot be contained to what you see on a screen and that there is so much more in the actual world outside. just please please PLEASE remember for the love of god