I came across this hilarious story on The Onion:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/fa ... enjoys_tea
So, do most of you (guys, I guess) find that people consider you a bit weird or less than manly for being tea aficionados and not seasoned coffee drinkers?
I like to do a graceful little twirly dance while my tea is steeping. Is there anything wrong with that? Seriously, though....if you put honey in your tea here in the states, they'll gay-bash you before you can say "YMCA". Just try it.
I probably just said something...how do you say.....hmmm, what's the opposite of "groundbreaking"?
Nov 8th, '07, 19:35
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Space Samurai
For me the ribbing is ever present but mostly subtle, and a lot of it good-natured enough. It helps that we have a tea section, so they have to admit my knowledge serves a purpose, even if they don't understand it. More than anything what I deal with is misconceptions and stereotypes. If I drink tea, it must be flavored tea that I drink with honey and scones, that kind of thing. They just don't know better.
People are so silly. What makes coffee more manly than tea? Because it's made out of beans instead of leaves? What kind of logic is that? I do happen to love the taste of coffee too, but green tea is not less manly. I think this is all a byproduct of the homophobia in our culture. People need to chill. 
Milk and honey are really good in rooibos. I see no homosexuality in that!
Ooh, Adagio's vanilla rooibos just arrived today. This stuff smells wicked good. Time to put on my tutu and brew some.
Milk and honey are really good in rooibos. I see no homosexuality in that!
Ooh, Adagio's vanilla rooibos just arrived today. This stuff smells wicked good. Time to put on my tutu and brew some.
Nov 8th, '07, 22:55
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Joined: Jul 8th, '07, 17:19
Location: Submerged in a good cuppa
... how utterly alienating. Tea is like water, no? If I showed this to Yuki, she wouldn't understand it at all either. I don't understand. Is there an arbitrary stigma attached to camelia sinensis? It seems more and more that I need to get the $#%@ out of this country and move to Japan. People live longer there anyway, without diabetes, child (and adult) obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or antipsychotic medication. I'll take that lifestyle.
What a completely alienating article. Was it supposed to be funny? On the basis of what, exactly?
What a completely alienating article. Was it supposed to be funny? On the basis of what, exactly?
But goofy based on what? I could write a comedy about how people who use the verb 'to be' come off as super-athletes...
...and if that seems absolutely confusing, that's exactly how I feel about this article. It is completely arbitrary, as was my example. What is the humor in tea being 'fancy' based on? It seems to hint that a state of cultural isolation, implied bad health and intolerance to any outside influence is a real goof. Is it? Is it funny? I'm baffled here. If I meet someone who is very serious about the salt they use (an Armenian, for example), what kind of special social retard would I have to be to judge them for it? What if, objectively speaking, that salt really does taste good, and is better for your health? At that point I've gone beyond simple social retardation and am fully bragging about the wealth of my ignorance. Is that funny? Anyone?
Baffling.
...and if that seems absolutely confusing, that's exactly how I feel about this article. It is completely arbitrary, as was my example. What is the humor in tea being 'fancy' based on? It seems to hint that a state of cultural isolation, implied bad health and intolerance to any outside influence is a real goof. Is it? Is it funny? I'm baffled here. If I meet someone who is very serious about the salt they use (an Armenian, for example), what kind of special social retard would I have to be to judge them for it? What if, objectively speaking, that salt really does taste good, and is better for your health? At that point I've gone beyond simple social retardation and am fully bragging about the wealth of my ignorance. Is that funny? Anyone?
Baffling.
Nov 9th, '07, 23:18
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Its supposed to be funny because its based on stereotypes. I'm sure the Japanese would be slow to find it humorous, in the same way I imagine many of our ethnic jokes wouldn't be funny to them either.
And as the song goes..."Ethnic Jokes may be uncouth, but you laugh because they're based on truth..."
And as the song goes..."Ethnic Jokes may be uncouth, but you laugh because they're based on truth..."
I think part of the joke falling flat for you might be your excellent familiarity with Japanese tea culture, which doesn't have strong gender associations in the West. (In fact, I'd say any association would lean toward the masculine.) This is not something a great majority of Americans share. In fact, I hate to say it...but I'm not really sure a good percentage of my countrymen could even find Japan on a map. I recently had a woman approach me in a store holding a tetsubin that was prominently labeled "MADE IN JAPAN," then ask me if I thought there was any Chinese lead in it. Honestly, I got the impression that she thought that Japan and China were the same place.
Anyway, I think it is safe to say that when you say 'tea' the associations most people will list are England, doilies, flowered china, crumpets, scones, cakes, and an inexhaustible set of pretentious manners. Unfortunately, these artifacts tend to 'read' as feminine...and the idea of a burly man not only sitting down to a dainty cup and a spread of wee little treats, but doing it of his own volition is rather comical.
Anyway, I think it is safe to say that when you say 'tea' the associations most people will list are England, doilies, flowered china, crumpets, scones, cakes, and an inexhaustible set of pretentious manners. Unfortunately, these artifacts tend to 'read' as feminine...and the idea of a burly man not only sitting down to a dainty cup and a spread of wee little treats, but doing it of his own volition is rather comical.
Perhaps tea really is more feminine in nature... The taste of tea is more complex than coffee, more delicate, and more alluring than say a big mug of black coffee.....
So, in one sense, tea does have more feminine qualities than its coffee counterpart...
That is, if you want to make tea anthropomorphic.
Well, I guess my soul mate out there is essentially a cup of sencha, having all the finer qualities that a woman should have.
The above is only one way to look at it. I think, what it comes down to, is that it is entirely subjective as to whether tea is manly or lack there of.....
As other have pointed out, it is our culture that leads one to this very subjective conclusion.
I for one, see tea as the beverage of choice.
So, in one sense, tea does have more feminine qualities than its coffee counterpart...
That is, if you want to make tea anthropomorphic.
Well, I guess my soul mate out there is essentially a cup of sencha, having all the finer qualities that a woman should have.
The above is only one way to look at it. I think, what it comes down to, is that it is entirely subjective as to whether tea is manly or lack there of.....
As other have pointed out, it is our culture that leads one to this very subjective conclusion.
I for one, see tea as the beverage of choice.