::Mis-use::
Okay, this post is going to focus mainly on some ‘issues’ I’ve noticed in the dansou group on FB lately; I thought long and hard before writing this post but something occurred today that lead me to speak up. This post is aimed at some BUT NOT ALL of the members of the dansou group (excluding BOKUTACHI members and veterans.)
Recently, Naoki-Senpai spoke up about things that have been going on in the group, mainly people using the group for the wrong kind of thing or not understanding what the group is about. Note: nobody asked him to do this, we did not discuss it, but all the BOKUTACHI members and some dansou veterans agreed with what he said because we’ve all been thinking it for a while now! I want to make something clear:
The dansou group is for:
- Asking for help/tips/advice
- Giving examples for those less experienced
- Posting pictures to show your progress
- Encouraging/helping/promoting other dansou-ers
- DANSOU DANSOU DANSOU
The dansou group is not for:
- You everyday FB statuses
- Your (non-dansou) OOTD
- What your dog did last Wednesday
- Complaining non-stop about why you ‘can’t’ dansou
- Bashing/Insulting/Discouraging others
Being a whiny, annoying pain in the arse
*clears throat*
I (personally) think that the problem is that people in the group don’t understand what the group is about (and that’s understandable, but you have to learn to take correction when it’s give.) Aiki-senpai made this clear already but I just want to reciprocate it.
Dansou =/= tomboy-ing
Even I myself made this mistake at one point. But for those who don’t understand why it’s like this, let me make it clearer. Being a Dansou-er is the equivalent to being a ‘drag-king.’ Tomboys may or may not want to be seen as men, they just aren’t feminine, but dansou-ers on the other hand, want to be seen/treated/believed to be men! (TN: this has nothing to do with your gender identity.) The aim of every dansou-er is to perfect their style and their male presentation and be able to ‘pass’ as a male in everyday life, whether for cosplay reasons or in order to be more comfortable with themselves.
If this doesn’t sound like what you’re aiming for, then dansou clearly isn’t for you. Those of us in the group, and I’m not just talking BOKUTACHI members, take this very seriously and work very hard in improving our look each day. If you’re not willing to do that, you can still support those who are without actually doing the style yourself, instead why not find a style more suited to you and put your energy into that. Seeing half-hearted efforts on the dansou page really makes some of us sad because its clear that how hard we work isn’t showing through…
Now I know a few of you might not like hearing that, but that’s the way it is. Also, I want to make another disclaimer, this is not a ‘BOKUTACHI member’ having a go at ‘non-members;’ for all those of you who think we are being ‘elitist’ then you’re very wrong. Aiki-senpai and Naoki-senpai are the admins of both the dansou group and BOKUTACHI and they’ve worked very hard and very long to get them both to where they are today. Aiki-senpai is also extremely compassionate and keeps all the members in check, but today I saw him get frustrated for the first time EVER and that’s what caused me to write this post. We are not trying to have a go or complain at you, we are trying to help you as your ‘senpai’ in the dansou world, we just hope our true intentions reach you..
TL;DR
Before you decide to throw yourself into the world of dansou, understand that it is not tomboy-ing, it is DRAG; if you’re not willing to work hard on your look in order to improve, then simply support others rather than posting half-assed efforts. Also, keep your posts limited to dansou related stuff (we now have a not-dansou-related thread courtesy of Aiki-senpai, but don’t abuse it.)
Also understand that anything any of us (Admins, BOKUTACHI members, dansou veterans) say is not out of pride or us trying to be snobbish or elitist, we are genuinely trying to help you.
Well, I’ll end part one there, check in sometime soon (most likely tomorrow) for part two.
