2010年9月4日土曜日

a new Japanese word - kariijo



Here's a newly coined Japanese word - kariijo (狩女) - which literally means "hunting women." Nowadays in Japan there are an increasing number of new type of young men called soshokukei danshi (草食系男子) which means herbivorous males. (Here's an article about soshokukei danshi on New York Times.) The rise of such men seems to be in sync with that of kariijo or carnivorous females.

Probably I fit the descriptions of herbivorous males, and that's why I have been (almost) picked up by women during the past few years in the U.S. For example, when waiting in a line at a burrito shop, I was asked by a studious Asian woman if I knew any pizza place near there. I was naive then and took her question literally and gave her directions to a nearby pizzeria, but I was a bit puzzled by slight confusion and disappointment on her face then. Even I could sense an awkward moment.

An airplane also seems to be a "hot" place for kariijo. When I was flying from Chicago to Washington, DC, an intern-looking American woman asked me out for dinner. I was flattered but it was a bit abrupt and I felt chickened out - because I am gay!

When flying back with Air France from my vacation in Paris back to New York, my seat happened to  next to a Greek woman. Since it was a long flight she and I had a conversation for a few hours. I learned that she earned her MBA and Ph.D degrees in economics. She's obviously bright and career-oriented, bread-winner type of person. I noticed she was having hair under her armpit too.... which surprised me... And the third time was when coming back from Narita/Tokyo to the States. A Chinese government official, she said so, was on the same flight.

Every time I feel flattered and impressed by these courageous women. But now I think they're all career-oriented, professional, independent type of women; they therefore maybe looking for passive, no-alpha-male type men (like me).

But where are hunting gay men?? Aside from those old gents who're into Asians boys, I have hardly been "hunted" by gay guys around my age in streets, gym, airplane, and other public places! Oh I have been spoken to by a young, hip-looking guy when walking along Santa Monica Blvd in West LA. He was riding a scooter but stopped to say "Hi" to me. He was wearing sunglasses and pulled over about 20 feet away from me, so I thought he was someone I met before at first, but he was not. So I just said "Hi" back and walked away. Damn... I should have conversed with him a bit more to see if there's chemistry. I am so shy and skeptical and really don't know how to have a smooth conversation with strangers.

Maybe that's why I haven't been picked up in the street? My gay friend says I should act like kariijo. But I'm not an alpha male - I'm more like a sub Asian type. I can't see myself hunting bigger men at a gym and in a street. That said, if I get a confirmation from a guy of my interest, I may act as a hunter. Are there signs that gay men use to signal each other that they're interested? I need to learn new sign or body languages to flirt with guys.

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