Whore of the Orient Title Deemed Racist by City Councilor

[StewShearerOld]

Whore of the Orient Title Deemed Racist by City Councilor

Jieh-Yung Lo, a councilor for the Australian city of Monash, wants Whore of the Orient's name changed.

When you name your game Whore of the Orient, you have to know that at some point that you're probably going to catch some flak from someone. That being the case, Jieh-Yung Lo, a councilor for the city of Monash in Australia, is threatening to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission if the game, the <a href=www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114411-L-A-Noire-Creators-New-Project-Named-Whore-of-the-Orient>brainchild of L.A. Noire creator Brendan McNamara, fails to cease production or change its name. His issue is with the casual use of the world "orient."

That might surprise some who might naturally assume "whore" to be the word at issue. According to Lo, however, that's not the case. "The O-word is very similar to the N-word for African-American communities," said Lo. "It's a 19th century racial-colonial conception and it's especially painful for older people in the communities. That was a very bad time in China, and people don't want or need to have that dragged up."

A source of particular chagrin to Lo, a self-professed gamer himself, is the fact that the state government of the New South Wales region has contributed $200,000 through its Screen NSW group to help further the game's development. "Australian institutions should be encouraged to fund projects and initiatives that cultivate mutual understanding and prosperity in the Australia-China relationship," said Lo. A spokesman for Screen NSW has, in turn, responded that it "does not proscribe subject matter to content creators, including titles" and that it "makes its funding decisions based on the creative integrity of a project and the expertise of the funding applicants.'' The spokesperson added that the game's title "doesn't refer to any content of the game. 'Whore of the Orient' is an historical nickname for the city of Shanghai.''

Source: <a href=http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/racially-insensitive-computer-game-faces-challenge-over-title-20130901-2syu0.html>The Age






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[Zhukov]

Huh.

I know "orient" and "oriental" are old terms, no longer used and probably not considered correct, but I didn't know they were considered racist or offensive or whatnot. I always thought it was just an old word for Asia.

Is this a widely held view, or is this chap just being a prat?

 

[josemlopes]

Its Australia so I guess not many are that suprised

 

[Vault Citizen]

Wait, the word Orient is bad? Huh, I didn't know that. I hadn't heard of this game before but now I want to look it up.

 

[SanguiniusMagnificum]

Well... I always thought that referring to an asian person as "an oriental" is offensive, but the word "orient" itself? I mean, isn't it technically just an old word for "the east".

 

[Cartographer]

Presumably we western Europeans can all start being offended if some game decides to use "Occident" now as well?

 

[drschplatt]

The woman needs to educate herself a little more. Orient is not insulting or offensive. It's simply a modernization of Dioecesis Orientis. This is the name of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Over the years it eventually became a blanket term for the East as used by western cultures. To even pretend that it has the same connotation as the word "******" is ridiculous. *****, gook, Charlie, Chinaman, lemon, Bodie, nip, nipper, yolkie, etc. But Orient? Grow up.

I've never heard of anyone getting their panties in a wad over the use of the term.

~signed, some random person living in Taiwan

 

[octafish]

Well... I always thought that referring to an asian person as "an oriental" is offensive, but the word "orient" itself? I mean, isn't it technically just an old word for "the east".

Indeed. Seems a little over sensitive, but then again I'm not Chinese-Australian. Anyway I suggest this guy concentrate on parking around The Medical Centre and the Clayton Rd level crossing. Both bigger issues for Monash.

 

[Johkmil]

A bit of useful information might be that the term "oriental" is not considered offensive in Europe, including Britain, while it is deemed more inappropriate in the US and, apparently, Australia.
Just chiming in before the wave of confused and angry Europeans.

 

[Thaluikhain]

"Whore of the orient" is a historical nickname, yes, but it was one that wasn't coined with particularly egalitarian sentiments in mind. Really, "people used to use that" isn't a good defense.

The woman needs to educate herself a little more. Orient is not insulting or offensive. It's simply a modernization of Dioecesis Orientis. This is the name of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Over the years it eventually became a blanket term for the East as used by western cultures.

Er, that does not mean it's not offensive. This is hardly the only person to be offended by the word "oriental".

 

[hooblabla6262]

I find it so silly that we have words that aren't allowed to be used by everyone, and that these words seem to be decided by whoever the hell is feeling extra sensitive.

I don't care if Indian is used to describe another people. It was used to misrepresent my people, and therefore must never be used again because of reasons.
Though technically the appropriate racial slur for my people is skijin, or wagon burner, or savage (I suppose). None of which have any relevance or meaning in this day and age.
At some point I guess you just gotta get over the past and join us in the year 2013.

 

[drschplatt]

"Whore of the orient" is a historical nickname, yes, but it was one that wasn't coined with particularly egalitarian sentiments in mind. Really, "people used to use that" isn't a good defense.

The woman needs to educate herself a little more. Orient is not insulting or offensive. It's simply a modernization of Dioecesis Orientis. This is the name of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Over the years it eventually became a blanket term for the East as used by western cultures.

Er, that does not mean it's not offensive. This is hardly the only person to be offended by the word "oriental".

In the time I've posted that, I went ahead and checked with a few dozen other Asians here to see if anyone finds it offensive. Included in my poll were Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, American Born Chinese, and one Japanese individual. None of them found it offensive.

For whatever it's worth it doesn't seem even remotely universal, nor in my Asian travels have I ever heard of it being considered offensive.

I suppose the guy could be offended by it, and he has every right to be. But he's trying to pass it off as the same thing as calling someone a "******" and I find that just asinine.

 

[Vaccine]

So decided to check Wiki about the word Orient:

Australian English
In Australian English, the term "Asian" generally refers to people of East Asian or Southeast Asian descent, such as those of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, or Filipino descent. Persons of Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and most other South Asian descent are referred to by their respective demonym, but without explicit knowledge, those people are indeterminately inferred as "Indian."
The word Oriental, in place of Asian, is seldom used in colloquial conversation in Australia and is understood, but considered anachronistic rather than offensive.

Honestly something has to have offensive intent to be considered offensive to begin with, if this game is set in a date where this word was used in normal conversation or a derogatory term for that time period that is required to creative as close as possible replica of that time period, it's no way considered offensive because it's where it belongs; in the past.
It's a poor form for a cry of censorship from someone who probably doesn't even know anything past the title, and if he/she does his/her opinion is of poor intent because if this were a movie, he/she wouldn't bat a fucking eyelid.

 

[LordMonty]

Hope they don't change anything for this fool, just kicking up a fuss for the sake of it and probally just trying to get attention for an election or something.

 

[Neverhoodian]

Now that's what I call...

...a Lo blow.

In all seriousness though, I think this is being blown out of proportion. While the word "oriental" is inaccurate and outdated, it's not nearly as racially charged as the "n-word." Not where I live, at any rate.

And really, lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission? Really? Don't you think they'd be more useful, oh I don't know, looking into actual human rights abuses instead of the title of a video game?

 

[drschplatt]

I wonder if he wants to ban the Oriental Express, Oriental Trading Company, Daylight Robbery On The Orient Express, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Oriental Insurance, or the hundreds and hundreds of other international uses of the term "Orient" and "Oriental" that are not offensive or considered offensive by millions of people every day.

 

[Scars Unseen]

"Whore of the orient" is a historical nickname, yes, but it was one that wasn't coined with particularly egalitarian sentiments in mind. Really, "people used to use that" isn't a good defense.

That depends on whether it's used in a historical context or not. If this game is a historical fiction adventure game(I haven't checked), then there is nothing wrong with the title. If it's a game about modern brony gang wars in Shanghai, then the title might be less appropriate(and makes no sense).

 

[wulf3n]

These can be found in countless Coles, Safeway and IGA stores around Australia.

More people around Australia will see this every day than will probably ever see "Whore of the Orient" in the entirety of its existence.

Where's the complaint to the human rights commission for that?

Yes Mr Lo you were "offended"

 

[freaper]

Oh. My. God. Please tell me this is a game set in British-China where you play as a prostitute who fights crime and the British exploiters. Because that is a game I've wanted to see in forever.

 

[Gather]

Is this when I start up my Anno 1404 and play the Oriental Race with all their Indian glory?