Wong so many ways. Porn outfit, board response, silenced peers, students forced to pretend this is OK, state sanctioned media's unwillingness to condemn, gov tepid response...brutal
Hi. First: great article. However, if I may nitpick from Japan regarding your your attempt to translate the Japanese word 爆乳.
While it literally means, character by character, "explosion" and "breasts" or "breast milk", just like you shouldn't try to guess the context and usage of English words in modern use by breaking down their Latin root origins, neither should you do so with Japanese or other languages.
bakunyū is simply a juvenile slangy term that means "giant breasts", and the character "explode" is used metaphorically the same way an English speaker might say "her bosom was exploding out of her tight buttoned blouse." It's used in the same puerile way somebody might call very large breasts in English "copious cleavage", "titanic ta tas", or "humongous honkers."
And while it's true that for obvious reasons, you will find the word associated with Japanese pornography, it's not a label that's exclusively associated with a porn subgenre fetish; it's used outside of that context as well (ex. gossiping high school boys or immature men) for any woman who has a very large chest. Obviously, the word is never seen in polite or formal conversation.
FYI. Again, great article and thanks for writing it.
To me, this is most simply an issue of professionalism----dressing in a wild, extreme and/or exaggerated fashion is not professional behaviour for a teacher to engage in.
I take it, then, that the school would have no objection if a subversive-minded student wore a costume that made him--or her, or it--a walking, talking penis. "That lecture made me want to stand tall!" "People say I have a swollen head. I sure do!" "Clear the way, I'm coming!"
I've followed your work for years on Quillette, Jonathon and am delighted to subscribe here. I look forward to your artful analysis of events. This is my favorite of your essays thus far.
I don't care if he hasn't sexually assaulted children - yet. He's a pervert and shouldn't be anywhere near children. Where are the fathers, are they fine with perverts in positions of authority over their children? Shame on the principal, too, such poor judgment should end that career.
Wonderfully written article. Trudeauvian Gender Jingoism - love it.
Readers, please consider calling and, or writing Halton's police dept, and CAS to report a non contact sexual abuse to a minor, as that is exactly what this is.
If the legislation is so flawed that this teacher remains untouchable, or the students unprotected then it is up to both of those organizations to do something about it.
Also, consider writing the Minister of Justice, David Lametti to put pressure on him to have Bill C-16 amended. Self ID is not working, certainly not for women, girls and children in general if predators are untouchable.
Please consider calling and, or writing Halton's police dept, and CAS to report a non contact sexual abuse to a minor, as that is exactly what this is.
If the legislation is so flawed that this teacher remains untouchable, or the students unprotected then it is up to both of those organizations to do something about it.
Also, consider writing the Minister of Justice, David Lametti to put pressure on him to have Bill C-16 amended. Self ID is not working, certainly not for women, girls and children in general if predators are untouchable.
Today in the Globe & Mail Canadians are being hectored for body-shaming. The propaganda spewing out of media midwits is alarming. It’s like Pravda but with more gaslighting.
This article received prominent coverage last night on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight, including a personal shout-out from the host to Jonathan for having the courage to write about Lemieux (whose behaviour in a public school setting is, by any objective measure, outrageous and bizarre). The Canadian legacy media's fear and/or ideologically-based refusal to report stories such as this - other than from the "concerns about reprisals against trans-people" perspective - is yet another sad commentary on the state of journalism in this country.
This type of fetish belongs on the Internet, in glorious 2D, just as God intended. Not shoved in the face of the students you're paid to steward in a professional manner, rather then turn them into some unwilling participant in your erotic cosplay.
I thought I was astonished at what I saw in the photos -- and then I saw the schoolboards non-response and was absolutely gobsmacked. I don't know which one is more absurd.
The term bakunyuu was new to to me. I had been reading the "Lemiex" character through the lens of Aristophanic clowning, with over-sized body parts done for a laugh. Same as Rainbow-Dildo-Butt-Monkey.
Beautifully written, Mr. Kay. When I saw this I was disturbed. And part of that feeling was the objection to anyone equating this man with what I am. A woman. He is not what I am. In fact, he is a mockery of what I am. Maybe harm is the wrong word but he is having a negative impact on those kids and their ability to learn. As the mom of a 14 year-old boy, I have no doubt about that. The school should be putting their students first. It's beyond ridiculous. As for mainstream media, so much has been said on the topic. I graduated from Journalism school in 1993. A story like this would have been a gift. Shocking content to "sell" the news but also the opportunity to be a part of a thoughtful discussion on what helps and obstructs a student's ability to learn, the extent of a school's responsibility to staff and students, the rights of parents to be involved in school decisions, the world of fetish.... so many angles. Why would any reporter worth his/her salt ignore this one?
There are two sides to this story, but in the end there's only one that matters.
First, it's all very sad. I wouldn't want to be this guy. There is nothing one can do about a sexual orientation like autogynephilia, which is an orientation toward a fantasy of yourself in the body of a woman. By this late stage in his life, I suspect the intense arousal has passed and he is simply feeling, in his costume, something like the comfort that comes with sleeping next to a long time partner. Maybe we should all just be more accepting and leave him alone.
On the other hand, an heterosexual male shop teacher with a singular orientation toward women with absurdy large breasts would not be allowed to hang pictures of them all over the shop. It doesn't matter if he has owned the pictures for so long that they feel like old friends. It doesn't matter if he feels the display is a legitimate expression of his sexuality.
I can't imagine a female student with an interest in entering a "non-traditional" occupation would feel any different in this class that she would in a shop full of pinup calendars.
Wong so many ways. Porn outfit, board response, silenced peers, students forced to pretend this is OK, state sanctioned media's unwillingness to condemn, gov tepid response...brutal
Hi. First: great article. However, if I may nitpick from Japan regarding your your attempt to translate the Japanese word 爆乳.
While it literally means, character by character, "explosion" and "breasts" or "breast milk", just like you shouldn't try to guess the context and usage of English words in modern use by breaking down their Latin root origins, neither should you do so with Japanese or other languages.
bakunyū is simply a juvenile slangy term that means "giant breasts", and the character "explode" is used metaphorically the same way an English speaker might say "her bosom was exploding out of her tight buttoned blouse." It's used in the same puerile way somebody might call very large breasts in English "copious cleavage", "titanic ta tas", or "humongous honkers."
And while it's true that for obvious reasons, you will find the word associated with Japanese pornography, it's not a label that's exclusively associated with a porn subgenre fetish; it's used outside of that context as well (ex. gossiping high school boys or immature men) for any woman who has a very large chest. Obviously, the word is never seen in polite or formal conversation.
FYI. Again, great article and thanks for writing it.
To me, this is most simply an issue of professionalism----dressing in a wild, extreme and/or exaggerated fashion is not professional behaviour for a teacher to engage in.
I take it, then, that the school would have no objection if a subversive-minded student wore a costume that made him--or her, or it--a walking, talking penis. "That lecture made me want to stand tall!" "People say I have a swollen head. I sure do!" "Clear the way, I'm coming!"
I personally think that this is far more insulting than blackface.
I've followed your work for years on Quillette, Jonathon and am delighted to subscribe here. I look forward to your artful analysis of events. This is my favorite of your essays thus far.
I don't care if he hasn't sexually assaulted children - yet. He's a pervert and shouldn't be anywhere near children. Where are the fathers, are they fine with perverts in positions of authority over their children? Shame on the principal, too, such poor judgment should end that career.
Stop pretending this is ok.
Wonderfully written article. Trudeauvian Gender Jingoism - love it.
Readers, please consider calling and, or writing Halton's police dept, and CAS to report a non contact sexual abuse to a minor, as that is exactly what this is.
If the legislation is so flawed that this teacher remains untouchable, or the students unprotected then it is up to both of those organizations to do something about it.
Also, consider writing the Minister of Justice, David Lametti to put pressure on him to have Bill C-16 amended. Self ID is not working, certainly not for women, girls and children in general if predators are untouchable.
Please consider calling and, or writing Halton's police dept, and CAS to report a non contact sexual abuse to a minor, as that is exactly what this is.
If the legislation is so flawed that this teacher remains untouchable, or the students unprotected then it is up to both of those organizations to do something about it.
Also, consider writing the Minister of Justice, David Lametti to put pressure on him to have Bill C-16 amended. Self ID is not working, certainly not for women, girls and children in general if predators are untouchable.
Today in the Globe & Mail Canadians are being hectored for body-shaming. The propaganda spewing out of media midwits is alarming. It’s like Pravda but with more gaslighting.
This article received prominent coverage last night on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight, including a personal shout-out from the host to Jonathan for having the courage to write about Lemieux (whose behaviour in a public school setting is, by any objective measure, outrageous and bizarre). The Canadian legacy media's fear and/or ideologically-based refusal to report stories such as this - other than from the "concerns about reprisals against trans-people" perspective - is yet another sad commentary on the state of journalism in this country.
This type of fetish belongs on the Internet, in glorious 2D, just as God intended. Not shoved in the face of the students you're paid to steward in a professional manner, rather then turn them into some unwilling participant in your erotic cosplay.
I thought I was astonished at what I saw in the photos -- and then I saw the schoolboards non-response and was absolutely gobsmacked. I don't know which one is more absurd.
The term bakunyuu was new to to me. I had been reading the "Lemiex" character through the lens of Aristophanic clowning, with over-sized body parts done for a laugh. Same as Rainbow-Dildo-Butt-Monkey.
"Both of these people are actors—each performing tragicomic acts that no one finds convincing."
Wow. That's just a fantastic synopsis of the situation.
Beautifully written, Mr. Kay. When I saw this I was disturbed. And part of that feeling was the objection to anyone equating this man with what I am. A woman. He is not what I am. In fact, he is a mockery of what I am. Maybe harm is the wrong word but he is having a negative impact on those kids and their ability to learn. As the mom of a 14 year-old boy, I have no doubt about that. The school should be putting their students first. It's beyond ridiculous. As for mainstream media, so much has been said on the topic. I graduated from Journalism school in 1993. A story like this would have been a gift. Shocking content to "sell" the news but also the opportunity to be a part of a thoughtful discussion on what helps and obstructs a student's ability to learn, the extent of a school's responsibility to staff and students, the rights of parents to be involved in school decisions, the world of fetish.... so many angles. Why would any reporter worth his/her salt ignore this one?
There are two sides to this story, but in the end there's only one that matters.
First, it's all very sad. I wouldn't want to be this guy. There is nothing one can do about a sexual orientation like autogynephilia, which is an orientation toward a fantasy of yourself in the body of a woman. By this late stage in his life, I suspect the intense arousal has passed and he is simply feeling, in his costume, something like the comfort that comes with sleeping next to a long time partner. Maybe we should all just be more accepting and leave him alone.
On the other hand, an heterosexual male shop teacher with a singular orientation toward women with absurdy large breasts would not be allowed to hang pictures of them all over the shop. It doesn't matter if he has owned the pictures for so long that they feel like old friends. It doesn't matter if he feels the display is a legitimate expression of his sexuality.
I can't imagine a female student with an interest in entering a "non-traditional" occupation would feel any different in this class that she would in a shop full of pinup calendars.