In which ‘Shame’ is an Exaggeration

So it seems there’s been some discussion about “hiding one’s fandom” from his or her friends, if it happens to be idols.

(gif by AkogaremyStar)

Thaaaaaat seems like dodgy high-school crap to me.

It’s all About the Image…

AKB48’s Minegishi Minami has been demoted because she was seen near a boy, seen leaving his house, whatever, I don’t even really care. The article and horrifying youtube video is here. Spoiler alert: Minami decided to shave her head to show how sorry she is about all this. She looks incredibly vulnerable in this video. It hurts to watch. It’s almost awkward.

There is something so visceral about the image of a woman with a shaved head (when the shaved head is not simply a hair style). It likens back to the days when supposed “fallen” women had their hair ripped off with knives. It just seems extreme and unnecessary. Seeing her looking so ashamed, so sad…it hit me in the gut in a way that I didn’t expect. When I saw the scandal report, I thought it would be dismissed because she is one of the more popular members. I didn’t think I’d care.

How wrong I was.