Wonton font
A wonton font (also known as Chinese, chopstick, chop suey,[1] or kung-fu) is an ethnic typeface with a visual style intended to express an Asian or Chinese aesthetic.
Styled to mimic the brush strokes used in Chinese characters, wonton fonts often convey a sense of Orientalism. In modern times, they are frequently viewed as culturally insensitive or offensive.[weasel words][citation needed]
Controversy
Some Asian-Americans find wonton fonts amusing or humorous, while others find them offensive, insulting, or racist.[2][3] The font's usage is often criticized when paired with caricatures which harken back to the Yellow Peril images of the late 19th century and 20th century. In 2002, the clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch faced controversy when it produced a series of T-shirts with buck-toothed images and wonton font slogans.[4] The Chicago Cubs were hit with backlash from the Asian community after a similarly offensive T-shirt was produced by an independent vendor in 2008.[5] The questionable use of such fonts was the subject of an article in the Wall Street Journal by cultural commentator Jeff Yang.[6]
References
- ^ Quito, Anne (April 8, 2021). "Karate, Wonton, Chow Fun: The end of 'chop suey' fonts". CNN. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
- ^ Shaw, Paul (June 17, 2009). "Stereo Types". Print Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ Fernández, Nichole (November 19, 2015). "StereoTYPES". It Ain't Necessarily So. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ Strasburg, Jenny (April 19, 2002). "Abercrombie recalls T-shirts many found offensive". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ WITTENMYER, GORDON (April 18, 2008). "Fukudome doesn't find racist T-shirts in Wrigleyville funny". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
- ^ Yang, Jeff (June 20, 2012). "Is Your Font Racist? - Speakeasy". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
External links
 | This article about ethnology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This typography-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |