Review: 108 Spirits.net

Product/Service: 108 Spirits.net
Better Asian Man Rating: Schwing!

108 Spirits is a website dedicated to the development, representation, and celebration of Asian masculinity. In a world where the phrases “Asian American Man” and “sexual” cause people to feel majorly confused, this website is a breath of fresh air.

Our focus is on the Asian male identity and expression in the Anglosphere, as that is where Asian men are misrepresented in the media, facing many unfair barriers and stereotypes in society and their voices are not heard. However, we are always open to our Asian brothers around the world and the women who adore Asian men, and would appreciate the knowledge and wisdom they have to contribute. -108 Spirits.net

108 Spirits is addressing the subject of Asian American Male Sexuality in a very heterosexual male kind of way. A recent article posted by an author known as “risky” entitled The Asian Male Identity opens up the dialogue in a way that is not as tip-toeing in nature as what I usually see on the internet, and is also not preachy in an ivory-tower kind of way. That’s the main draw that I see with 108 Spirits.

There are a wealth of topics available to talk about on the 108 Spirits on-line forums, two of which I was VERY surprised to see from any Asian American website:

1. The Asian Lover
2. Passions & Pursuits

Since when do Asian American Men ever refer to themselves as “lovers?” I am so glad that this forum exists because the idea that an Asian American Man can be a good lover is non-existent in contemporary main stream society here in the United States.

Since when do Asian American Men ever talk about Passions & Pursuits? I wrote my editorial on the subject of preferences because I had an extreme lack of passions and pursuits in my life, and I observed the same behavioral pattern over and over and over again amongst my Asian American male peers.

These refreshing elements are certain to raise some eyebrows and upset plenty of apple carts in the Asian American activist community. The sooner we start coming to grips with some of the tough questions and issues that are being raised on 108 Spirits (such as this thread, which addresses the presence of sex on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) and their relevance to the modern day Asian American Man, the better off all Asian American Men will be.