Danshi
Danshi means "young man" in Japanese and its modern context is used to describe nontraditional masculine men.[1] The most common version of it is "Soushokukei danshi" which was coined in 2006 by Maki Fukasawa and translates to "herbivore man".[2] It has gained traction in Japan to describe men who do not pursue women and have little interest in sex and a smaller desire to work corporate salary jobs.[3][4] They are also more likely to shop in a feminine manner rather than a masculine one.[4]The term has been used to describe "feminine men".[4] This term has led to many other similar terms describing masculinity in Japan.[5] These terms often include diet-related terminology to denote them from one another. One such term is kurīmu danshi which translates to "creamy men" and are characterized by their care for women's feelings and have a soft but masculine personality.[5]
What is a Danshi?
[edit]A danshi is a young man who embraces nontraditional masculinity in Japan.[3] Traditional masculinity in Japan involves being a breadwinner for the family and being aggressive when seducing women.[4] In post-war Japan, it replaced the soldier as the biggest form of male masculinity.[2] This fashion of masculinity has been fading among 20-34-year-old men as 60% of them identified as a "Soushokukei danshi".[4] One theory of the origin of the myriad of danshi is societal pressures put on men to work a salary job and provide for the family.[3] They have decided to push back against this as it does not match their desires.
Array of Danshi
[edit]- "Soushokukei danshi" are "herbivore men". This is the most common type in society.[4] They are more passive regarding relationships and are mainly interested in platonic friendships.[5]
- "Gyoshoku danshi" which are "fish-eating men". They are more patient about romance and will get to be friends and know the woman before making a move.[5][6]
- "Nikushoku danshi" which are "carnivorous men". They are the traditional masculine idea of being aggressive in seducing women.[5]
- "Kurimu Danshi" which are "creamy men". These men are masculine but have a gentler side to them. They are often very kind.[6]
- "Rōru kyabetsu danshi" are "rolled cabbage men". They look like herbivore men but become a carnivorous man when they meet a woman.[7]
Nontraditional Masculinity
[edit]All of these categories of Danshi correspond to a different kind of masculinity most of which are nontraditional. For instance, they may adopt a more feminine shopping behavior such as fashion and beauty products and unlike traditional masculinity, they enjoy cooking and eating sweets.[4][2] These two activities are seen as feminine in Japanese society.[5] The older generation deems all kinds of danshi but the carnivorous as effeminate and emasculated.[7]
Danshi in Relationships
[edit]Danshi take different approaches to relationships than those who exhibit traditional masculinity. For instance, they may have a sexless marriage as 45% of married couples in Japan are sexless.[3] Most of these couples are content with this and their relationship remains strong. These relationships are monogamous and Soushokukei Danshi assumes a more passive role.[8] This passive role comes from wanting an equal relationship with women, a lack of self-confidence, and a preference for a close platonic relationship with women.[2][8] Gyoshoku danshi wait for women to give them attention and love by becoming friends first.[7] Kurimu Danshi care for women's feelings and get to know and form relationships this way.[7] Nikushoku danshi are aggressive in seducing women and do not wait around or try to get them to know them as well initially.[5]
See Also
References
[edit]- ^ "男子, だんし, danshi". Nihongo Master. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
- ^ a b c d Nihei, Chikako (March 2013). "Resistance and Negotiation: "Herbivorous Men" and Murakami Haruki's Gender and Political Ambiguity". Asian Studies Review. 37 (1): 62–79. doi:10.1080/10357823.2012.760528. ISSN 1035-7823.
- ^ a b c d Gershon, Daphne (March 2022). "More than a makeover: Discourses of masculinity, hyposexuality, and marriage in Queer Eye: We're in Japan!". International Journal of Cultural Studies. 25 (2): 157–173. doi:10.1177/13678779211064634. ISSN 1367-8779.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chen, Steven (January 2012). "The Rise of 草食系男子 (Soushokukei Danshi) Masculinity and Consumption in Contemporary Japan: A Historic and Discursive Analysis". Gender, Culture and Consumption: 283–308 – via Research Gate.
- ^ a b c d e f g Nicolae, Raluca (2014). "SŌSHOKU(KEI)DANSHI: THE (UN)GENDERED QUESTIONS ON CONTEMPORARY JAPAN". Romanian Economic and Business Review. 9: 66–81.
- ^ a b Gray, Gavan Patrick (2022-10-12), "Japanese Gender Norms and Their Impact on Male Attitudes Toward Women", Gender Violence, the Law, and Society, Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 143–159, retrieved 2024-10-01
- ^ a b c d Prażmo, Ewelina Maria; Augustyn, Rafał (2020-05-22). "Parasites, Herbivores and Dried Fish: Dehumanising Metaphorical Blends in Japanese". GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies. 20 (2): 148–167. doi:10.17576/gema-2020-2002-09. ISSN 1675-8021.
- ^ a b Charlebois, Justin (2016-11-15), "Herbivore Masculinities in Post-Millennial Japan", East Asian Men, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 165–181, ISBN 978-1-137-55633-2, retrieved 2024-09-30