Gok Wan TV makeover shows - 'How to Look Good Naked' and 'Gok's Fashion Fix,' may have popularised catchphrases "You Go Girlfriend," "Gok Shock," "Fairy Gokmother and "Bangers," but there is one phrase that Gok Wan uses far more frequently, a phrase he is unlikely to be heard saying on his current Television series (Tuesday 14th February 2012) Channel 4 Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth...
Gok Wan 'Chink' phrase is tweeted ad infinitum on his Twitter account. Such a derogatory racial term that was once the preserve of the non-Chinese community to abuse Chinese...is now used by many BBC's (especially the BBCs from the North of the UK), Mixed race Chinese Eurasian's themselves. When you amalgamate the crassness of northern British Born Chinese with self-deprecating mixed race Eurasians, you have the worst possible outcome in the form of Gok Wan.
However, there are differences in terms of its usage. Generally, mixed race have fewer scruples in its usage in comparison to BBC's (except those from the North). Typically, British Mixed Race Chinese are alienated from their Chinese roots, Chinese language, Chinese culture and indeed alienated from other Chinese people, the Chinese part of their identity is reduced to the following...
However, there are differences in terms of its usage. Generally, mixed race have fewer scruples in its usage in comparison to BBC's (except those from the North). Typically, British Mixed Race Chinese are alienated from their Chinese roots, Chinese language, Chinese culture and indeed alienated from other Chinese people, the Chinese part of their identity is reduced to the following...
- Remnants of genetic mongoloid physical features, i.e their 'eyes,' (hence casual use of term 'Chinky eyes' http://bbczeitgeist.blogspot.com/2011/04/sexy-racism.html
- Anti-Chinese derogatory phrases and stereotypes tossed up by non-Chinese people (i.e white's) around them, hence the term 'Chink' or 'Chinky' is picked up as a meme and imprinted in their vocabulary for repetition.
Despite claims by British Mixed Race Chinese that they are 'proud of being Chinese,' most are too white washed to have any concept of 'Chineseness,' rather the phrase "I'm proud of my Chinese heritage" is used by Mixed race for self-assurance, to reassure themselves that being of mixed heritage or having some Chinese blood is not negative, or to prove themselves, Gok Wan if probed for his continued inappropriate use of the word Chink as a derogatory disrespectful racial slur towards Chinese...will undoubtedly respond with the following...
"I'm proud of my Chinese heritage."
For BBC's, the use of the term chink or chinky as a meme is the result of racial abuse or inhabiting social circles that are non-Chinese where the term is liberally used and never questioned, the term chink is brought back into Chinese social circles. Some BBC's can be heard saying..."I work in a chinky.'
Is Gok Wan chink or chinky term progressive?
There is a train of thought that believes Chinese people should adopt these racial terms of abuse created by whites...(in the same way that Blacks have adopted the N-word), or in the same way the term FOB has been adopted by the Chinese communities, that Chinese can now own the word (or partly own the word) as part of their ethnic vocabulary, in effect to have the term taken away from whites, thus scuppering whites exclusive use of the term to subjugate Chinese, OR... is the term 'chink' never progressive as it simply reinforces the subjugation of Chinese people as low, inferior, cheap, subspecies etc, isn't that precisely what the white man wants and the reason why he wants such a term removed from the conventions of political correctness? Have your say, post your comments below.
Is Gok Wan chink or chinky term progressive?
There is a train of thought that believes Chinese people should adopt these racial terms of abuse created by whites...(in the same way that Blacks have adopted the N-word), or in the same way the term FOB has been adopted by the Chinese communities, that Chinese can now own the word (or partly own the word) as part of their ethnic vocabulary, in effect to have the term taken away from whites, thus scuppering whites exclusive use of the term to subjugate Chinese, OR... is the term 'chink' never progressive as it simply reinforces the subjugation of Chinese people as low, inferior, cheap, subspecies etc, isn't that precisely what the white man wants and the reason why he wants such a term removed from the conventions of political correctness? Have your say, post your comments below.
(Channel 4 Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth, starts 8pm, Tuesday 14th February 2012)
look on the bright side, gok wan gay he won't reproduce any children.
ReplyDeleteNorthern England? I live in Leeds and do we bugger find it acceptable!
ReplyDeleteI had a thought. If John Terry was fired and is going for a TRIAL for 'racist speech' (which tbh I'm not sure if it is) then why not go after Gok?
ReplyDeleteThough tbh its a matter of words vs what is behind them. In that it dependends upon motivation and or menance.
Real racism is the shit out parents faced when they had to FIGHT for their lives running their shops. While these are merely words.
Can they really be considered in the same context? In that saying oh this is racism tends to devalue the REAL stuff that people have gone through.
casual racism - its the same thing. on a tweet or some bunch of yoof pulling their eyes and doing stupid facial expressions at your parents before they smash everything up
Deletein the case of gok wan, its even considered cool being so casually tweeted. if BBCS had a more solid cultural identity, we wouldnt be having this 'is it or isnt it racist ' discussions. the fact we have to even ask if its racist just shows how unaware some of us are.
Real racism is still here today in UK. Delivery driver Simon San's murder is perhaps the highest profile case of a racist Chinese murder in the UK, that was very recent, Simon San was murdered because he was Chinese, not because he was a FOB, it could have quite easily been a BBC doing the Chinese take away deliveries.
DeleteJohn Terry is white, its perceived as white on black racism, but Gok Wan is mixed race Eurasian, Mixed race Eurasian on Chinese racism? Doesn't quite work does it? Mixed race Eurasians think they can legitimately call Chinese chinks just because they have some Chinese blood in them, even though they're not ethnic Chinese.
Gok Wan has done nothing for Chinese people in this country, I've never seen a Chinese person appear in any of his TV programmes, in fact I've never seen him socialise/photographed with an ethnic Chinese person except his father.
ReplyDeleteHaving recently seen his 'Made In China' documentary I am inclined to aggree with the above^
DeleteHe mocked his own heritage; some would say his own [SACRED] heritage....He was in China and he was burning paper effigies for his dead ancesters...at his own uncle's grave!
(It is a very common rite for Chinese people!)
Usually a somber affair!
The translator, a middle-aged female; detected insincerity; saw 'RED' and took over in the proceedings.
She must have thought he'd crossed the line! He was so sarcastic and dis-respectful.
Wan also made fun of 'conical hats' and some of our customs....such as his mocking behaviour at the Burning-Offerings shop, in Kowloon.
He made fun of items such as:
paper mobile-phones, credit-cards, hell money, etc.
The 'man' had little respect for his own blood and heritage or indeed the dead. He is a hypocrite, philistine, sold out his own blood heritage and soul for fame.
In short I think Gok Wan is disgusting!
after watched that,I found him disgusting.i was wondering he will get some kind of promotion from the some media soon,that is why next week after that i saw whole page of newspaper about him shit.
DeleteThank god^ also fortunately he hasn't gone around chinese communities preaching BBCs to be proud to be chin*y and reclaim the word, it won't work its the same with the p*ki word.
ReplyDeleteGok wan also has the words "made in china" tattooed behind his neck, which is weird. He should also try talking to chinese teens who have been victims of racism. He is not a highly educated person and his speech is always very theatre entertainment with an underlying business motive and actually it is narcissistic, because he needs the attention and adulation.
Good blogs
Gok wan also has the words "made in china" tattooed behind his neck
Deletesums him up, he has no class. thats the equivalent to a slapper tattooing the words 'enter here' above her p*nani.
although tbf gok prob already has the words 'enter here' tattooed above his butthole
DeleteThis just goes to show Gok Wan isn't exactly liked by Chinese or BBCs. It's true that there aren't enough Chinese people on his fashion roadshows or HTLGN. Wonder why that is. I'm guessing it's because Chinese people don't want to go on TV - no guts or don't want to be recognised for fear of humiliation. I did see one BBC woman at his roadshow and she had volunteered to be a temporary model for different body shapes.
ReplyDeleteI recommend reading his autobiography (if you're, you know, man enough to do that but I guess you're all subtly homophobic) as it talks about how he got to where he is now and he does talk about his Chinese-ness. He's also finished doing a documentary where he went travelling around China so it will be interesting to see what footage is used there. I'm sure you'll have much more to 'complain' when it is shown in spring.
The issue here, at least they way i see it, is a media-backed Eurasian using casual slandering against Chinese. His sexuality is not the issue here.
DeleteBut what it does say is that unless those that are allowed to represent us as Chinese are deemed 'unusual' or 'interesting' eg gay or tweeting casual racism, it's just not sensationalist enough to be worth paying attention to.
re: his documentary. its funny how media-backed eurasians once again get to publicly express how proud of being Chinese they are, and BBCs arent given a voice, beaten down by white washing, to the point that as you can see amongst some BBC'ers, casual racism is now legitimised by our own, against our own.
How cool is dat
Chinese women aren’t fat enough for his shows, Gok wan fan base is largely formed of haggard white middle aged menopausal obese women with 46DD and 44inch waistlines, you wont find any Chinese women that big. Since you’re such a big fan of his you must be a bit of a porker or a lemon, maybe you should volunteer yourself for his show.
ReplyDelete^ Seeing as you have you are defending the right for anyone to use casual slander against Chinese in public, maybe its okay for me to call you a multiculturalist hipster sellout?
Delete...oh so that partly accounts for the Facebook referrals, though there have been 3 other articles from this blog anonymously posted onto Facebook over the last few days. I have to say the opinions posted by HBC above confirms the analysis in the article to be correct, so I'm unsurprised.
ReplyDeleteAnonymously posted? Those 3 were me trying to spread the word on the blog whilst you were away! And will keep doing so despite the sometimes annoying abuse I get from the usual idiots when Im on there. BBCS have time for spelling games and small talk, so BBCs should also have time for cultural respect.
ReplyDeleteGok Wan is a eurasian not BBC. His dad is Chinese and his mum white .From what i read most of his self hate sprang from his overweight ( hence helping fat women in his programmes) and no doubt his gayness. That he is so casual about usage of the word partly has to do with growing up in a white northern environment.
ReplyDeleteWiki:
'Wan stood out from his peers from a young age and the fact that he was mixed race, tall, overweight and gay led to bullying from other children.'
He may have experienced mixed race prejudice but thats different from anti-Chinese racism , and from the above wiki it seemed just a part of the issue.
The other issue is that Gok Wan not as a representative of BBCS despite being positioned to be by media, 1/because he's eurasian and 2/ because he isnt a Chinese - evident in as you say not seen helping any Chinese people in shows, and to me this is to do with not identifying with them, or being arsed to, as a eurasian, plus of course the white is normal bias the british media has.
In addition most british eurasians seem typically opportunists and narcissists. Bold statement but to date it hasnt been disproved, especially those that have visited this blog.
Again, another reason for validing their misuse of the slur - sensationalism rather than for self depreciation.
BBCS on the other hand accept the use of the slur in supposed self depreciation without justification because we dont yet have a socially accepted identity like other ethnic groups, or a media image that shows us as normal, and with no effort to change that, and with a british media allowed to flip flop between the Chinese in britain and british chinese terminology whenever it suits them.... the default is we are still seen as the perpetual foreigner, therefore calling ourselves chinks just reinforces that.
Interesting angle, I would agree if there’s one issue that he was most affected by, it was his weight, not his race. Whilst I’m not discounting he was called Chinky at school (after all he looked very Asian for a mixed race as a child), most likely the term was picked up as a meme because of its association with the Chinese restaurant that his father ran.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do believe Gok wan is a liar and grossly exaggerating racism. He was raised in Leicester. The city of Leicester has one of the highest concentration of ethnics in the UK, it is the multi-cultural Labour heartlands, it is incomparable to the abuse isolated ethnic Chinese face living in white areas. I have scoured the internet looking for examples of racism against Chinese in Leicester, I have not found one single article of racial abuse against the Chinese community in Leicester. What does that tell you?
However, I do agree that the fact the BBC’s now use these terms themselves can be considered a sign of 'post-pc,' however, that doesn’t tell the full story, what it shows is that many BBC’s have become over-assimilated into British society, they are sell-outs who have taken on the same views/agenda as the white man. These have the same mindset of a white man.
ReplyDeleteIt’s discussed here....
http://bbczeitgeist.blogspot.com/2012/01/once-you-go-black-you-cant-go-back.html
and here...
http://bbczeitgeist.blogspot.com/2010/08/self-hating-chinese.html
You can tell who is a western born Chinese, just go to facebook, they display photos of themselves with their arms around a black/Indian/white/’insert non-Chinese race’ persons on their profiles on Facebook, they defend/want to seek acceptance from/or join other races whilst denigrating/trivialising the cause of their own race, they think a Chinese person complaining about racism is trivial, they think that only black people have it bad, therefore calling Chinese chinks is trivial and not real racism and nowhere near on a par with the n-word, this is the EXACT same perspective that a multi-culturalist white man holds, that’s how much BBC’s have sold out and assimilated.
This attitude taken to its logical conclusion results in inter racial marriage/breeding - guess which two groups from the British Chinese community have the highest rates of inter racial marriage in the UK - Eurasian's and BBC’s. I rest my case.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the other occasion?
ReplyDeleteAnd to be fair, Wan and Deng are both sellouts to their race, so it was a valid comparison.
haha, thats funny. @ AnonymousFeb 15, 2012 02:56 PM
ReplyDelete@ Zeit, that is the point, he throws a stropp when ppl take the mick about him about being chinese, it does affect him.
ReplyDeleteThe other occassion was i can recall is the live cooking with ramsey it s on Youtube... i not into sleaze digging, just wanna make the point he is bit of a jooksing fake, most BBCs which he is not, does use the word chinky like that, only him. Most BBcs see as a taking the mick.
look at this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuSxkY8A6VQ
ReplyDeletehe seems pissed off that ramsey won
"Jeremy Lin has NOT SOLD OUT his chinese identity"
ReplyDeleteNot entirely true, he's a Christian and a bible study teacher at harvard! So depending on perspective, it can be considered a form of selling out of your Chinese identity.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/jeremy-lin-was-bible-study-teacher-at-harvard-university-69767/
By whom? An anonymous casino-dwelling Hakka immigrant who dares not use his own name?
DeleteYeah point taken Zeit, there is also the Taiwan vs China split where Yao Ming seen as china thru and thru, and a point of division whipped up by some quartesrs of the right wing western media.
ReplyDeleteBut Lin hasn't sold out like Gokwan by labelling himself chi.ky or the like, and commented the negative racist remarks he had to put up with before getting into the first team. Yellow mambo doesn't sound as bad ?!?!
Good discussion.
That Jeremy Lin called himself Chinkballa88 may have something to do with the easy adoption of that word by western-born Chinese, especially with no western born Chinese role models.
ReplyDeleteBut according to this
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/34808710/2
the kid was 16years old at the time. So naive and easily influenced is probably one way of looking at it. And a teenager?
Yes, at the time probably self hating as most teenagers are. western born Chinese teengager with no western born chinese role model? probably even more likely.
Western born Chinese teenager with no western born chinese role model and Christian? Even more likelier still.
Now that he is a rolemodel himself. Does that make him a self-hating chinese rolemodel? if so, hes done a good job of it.Looks like channelling the self hate into working hard paid off.
What you dont seem to understand is that by adopting that word into your vocubulary as western-born Chinese, you are saying that word is accepted and enforcing the existance of it.
It's okay if you are a 16 kid living in a presumably white area learning to play a sport where there are no ethnic Chinese playing it, but for a bunch of grown up BBCS theres no excuse.
Its nothing to do with age, its to do with Chinese pride, something that by your comments so far dont seem to have expressed.
Especially when coming across as an asian american wannabe.
Let me ask you something - are you proud to be Chinese? IF so, why?
ReplyDelete@alex, wrong examples how about the "p" word to refer to pakistan people it is a word I would never use, if there was an "asian" (british usage) gokwan and he called himself "pak-" and used it publicly on TV, and on tweets etc and as a fashion stylist or person preaching about problems of bullying etc then you are in big trouble, if BBCs were vocal about it there would be an uproar, instead they ignore it like alex. hence the problemo
ReplyDelete@BBC alex Its could also be considred racist of me to accuse you of being a zionist jew troll , but i have no regret in doing so.Because thats exactly what you are.
DeleteI think being 'proud' to be something you don't have a choice in is somewhat strange, I despise all sorts of nationalist movements (yes, even white nationalism, or the sort of people who say they are 'proud to be British/American') because it creates divisions among people. Yes, I do appreciate Chinese arts, culture and history, I speak Cantonese and I love Hong Kong cinema but there are also a lot of 'Chinese' things I don't like. I don't think that makes me 'self-hating'.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's anything to do with race betrayal or self hating. I understand the slang and why ethnics 're-claim' the word for themselves but don't you think that ranks as hypocrisy? Either the word is racist or it's not. Just because you call your 'homies' that word doesn't make it any less racist does it? The racial insinuations of that word exist regardless of your skin colour.
ReplyDeleteIt is legitimising its' use in any context by anybody.
@alex wrong there is a difference between a gangster rapper and a "chinese" person preaching about the effects of bullying and acceptance to kids like Gokwan, who has used the word "chinky" to refer to himself for example to a former spice girl on TV.
ReplyDeleteHow does jewish zionism? Is that your cup of tea?
ReplyDeleteIt is hypocritical that Gokwan who goes around schools preaching to kids to accept difference and to watch what you say to others so you don't verbally hurt them, yet HE himself has lowered himself by calling himself "chinky" etc to gain acceptance and made a racist term for public usage to undermine chinese people.
ReplyDeleteGokwan should be called Hong Gan, ask your lo mo she knows what it means if she understands chinese.
Heykumseen.
Gok Wan Made in China programme on C4, Gok Wan used the term Chinaman. His father used the term yellow. So you can see where he gets it from, his dumb FOB father.
ReplyDeleteI concure; Gok Wan and Wendy Deng are both race traitors!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what this Asian American bandwagon is.
ReplyDeleteI myself, a BBC, much closely relate myself to Asian Americans than I do to any BBC, and as much as this blog talks about BBCs carving out an identity for themselves, it fails at the most important thing, to define what a BBC should be.
I agree, I have met many British Orientals who are "white-washed" but I have also met many who are so completely "wannabe HK," and neither are good for the identity of BBCs.
For me, what should identify British Chinese people is their hard working nature, to get into grammar schools and good unis (Oxbridge, LSEs and Imperials) [as much as I know this being a stereotype, this is the main trait that our immigrant parents have given us - to work hard and climb in this society (the main trait we should continue passing on to our children)] but equally important - to embrace Western culture and to chase your dreams and passion. Asian Americans have all done this well - Masi Oka, John Cho, Ken Jeong, Wang Lee Hom (all of whom pursued their passion for acting/music but excelled academically)
I completely agree with this article, and you make some great points throughout your blog. But your posts inherently adopt a one of chasing away Western culture when in fact. by completely disregarding a major factor in a Western Asian's life,this will only impede our strife to find an identity.
BBCs should develop a unique sense of Chinese pride first before being morphed into mainstream culture.
ReplyDeleteHeres some reading for you
http://bbczeitgeist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/how-to-become-sellout-bbc-in-5-steps.html
As for identity, with our own BBC media,we can celebrate the cultural aspects of being a BBC, but without it, it will take that much longer.
http://bbczeitgeist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/what-bbcs-can-learn-from-boxer.html
Ha if your colleagues are white, thats probably normal for them. Sounds like your from up north. Even more blatant up there. Mind you down south, its just wide-boy snide remarks. As for the whitewashed BBC mates, it's ubercool to not be offended by racism, didnt you know that?
ReplyDeleteThat chinese are afraid to report it? or incidents covered up or ignored and not believed, not reported?
ReplyDeleteRacism is everywhere in the UK! I am of Thai and British heritage and I get racial abuse where-ever I am, it is more prominent in Northern England, where I attend University than Edinburgh, my home-town. However I am 6'3" tall and look mixed but I get called Gok Wan in public now and again and it does make me angry. I feel the name Gok Wan is derogatory itself. I never use racial slur and I feel using the word "Chinky" to dis-stigmatised the term is just as bad as Black people using the N-word.
ReplyDelete