The above image is an advertisement spotted up around Las Vegas for TAO, an Asian bistro and nightclub. The folks at NAPAWF who brought this to my attention find it particularly racist and sexist, and I'm inclined to agree. Now, Vegas is a city built on selling sex, and showing a woman's bare backside may seem like no big deal, but I'd look a little closer at the racialization of sex that's happening here. The image conjures up the usual sexual stereotypes of Asian women as exotic, submissive sexual objects, right down to the "happy ending" line. What do you think? Please send any comments you might have to Robert Goldstein, President of The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino (where Tao is located), at comments@venetian.com.
