Interracial family on a poster in Taipei Metro - Don't eat, drink and chew!
Is this the start of a new reality or just a single case?
Few days ago my wife noticed this poster on the left at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station, while we were waiting for the connection train to Ximen Station. It features a family consisting of a white male, a Taiwanese female and an interracial girl warning commuters not to eat, drink or chew gum in the Taipei metro. It's remarkable, that they chose such a (for Taiwan still very unusual) family. I commend them for being pioneers in this regard, but I hope they don't assume, that it's only Whites, who commonly break these rules ;-) From what I've seen, it were most often tourists from China or non-Taipeiers, that have done so. But, as my wife likes to say, I am probably thinking too much. And yeah, I can't deny seeing White tourists sipping bubble tea in the train now and then.
This poster is actually part of a campaign to improve the metro etiquette. The MRT chose 10 teams of various groups of people (among others an interracial family), which show on posters what you can't do in the MRT (see all the chosen ones here). What I like the most in this poster, is the pretty young wife in the picture, because it shows (contrary to the common belief), that foreigners do have good taste when it comes to local ladies... or?
This poster is actually part of a campaign to improve the metro etiquette. The MRT chose 10 teams of various groups of people (among others an interracial family), which show on posters what you can't do in the MRT (see all the chosen ones here). What I like the most in this poster, is the pretty young wife in the picture, because it shows (contrary to the common belief), that foreigners do have good taste when it comes to local ladies... or?
[My UNIQUELY TAIWAN page][Photo by MKL, 2012]
8 KAFKAESQUE COMMENTS:
When are you people gonna have kids????? =D They are going to be so adorable!
January 3, 2012 7:13 AM
Come on, it is hardly a coincidence that on this poster, it is the foreigner who is shown as breaking the rules, unaware of Taiwan culture's finer points as we tend to be. Maybe this ad breaks new ground, but at the same time it reinforces stereotypes.
January 3, 2012 9:45 AM
I wonder what the guy in the picture felt when he accepted that ad.
January 3, 2012 10:45 AM
haha I would say it's thinking too much. Though interracial couples are becoming an increasingly common sight (particularly in Taipei). I think they probably chose him for the role because of the comic effect - foreigners can be somewhat comical to us with the exaggerated facial features that are more common to our comedians than the average person. Kind of like the guys they employ for the domino pizza and Wei-Da-Li soda drink commercials.
January 4, 2012 5:05 PM
Lol this sounds amazing, and the qife does look pretty sweet. Interracial issues are still pretty prevalent in Malaysia as well. haha glad to see that you addressed this xD
January 4, 2012 11:20 PM
It's subtle but I think the message is aimed at foreigners ;P
The last time I visited Taipei, I got pulled aside by a police officer inside the MRT station. I wasn't aware that chewing gum and drinking is prohibited on the MRT. He pulled out his ticket book and asked for my national ID. I pulled out my California driver license and he started to frown... he let me go with a warning.
January 11, 2012 8:23 AM
What would be really original would be to show an Asian man with a white wife.
The theme of white man with Asian woman has been thrashed to death. Nothing pioneering about it at all.
January 15, 2012 11:17 AM
@Jo: Haha... not telling you :-P
@Anonymous: You're putting too much into this!
@Gnetch: When he saw the check, he felt happy, I suppose :)
@Grace: Oh!
@Punk Chopsticks: Thanks for sharing.
@irwinc: Ha! You broke the rule, he has the right to charge you 7000 NTD and it's his job to frown :P You were lucky.
@Mark: Sorry, but I don't see the theme of white man with Asian woman trashed to death in Taiwan - to the contrary. I wouldn't mention this poster, if I saw these things on every corner in Taiwan. It's very rare here.
January 15, 2012 5:19 PM
Post a Kafkaesque comment!