Some 2,500 people marched a gay pri para Tokyo on Sunday, vowg to transform a low-profile mpaign for the rights of sexual mori to a major movement Japan. The crowd, maly om the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) muny, as well as their supporters and sex…
Contents:
- JAPAN'S GAY MUNY PARAS FOR FIRST TIME 3 YEARS
- 2,500 MARCH GAY PRI PARA TOKYO
- JAPAN'S GAY PARA RETURNS AFTER 3 YEARS BID FOR ACCEPTANCE
- SUPPORT FOR GAY RIGHTS JAPAN IS GAG MOMENTUM
JAPAN'S GAY MUNY PARAS FOR FIRST TIME 3 YEARS
By David McNeill When I first me to Japan the 1990s, the gay muny seemed visible. There was no annual gay-rights para of the type seen i * gay parade in japan *
So, I was taken aback when I was missned later to wre a feature about 2-Chome Tokyo's Shju district and found one of the world's nst and most diverse ncentratn of gay bars and clubs: roughly 300 bs squeezed to a uple of blocks, cludg sex shops and waterg hol terg to a wi array of tast -- known as kei (specialty).
2,500 MARCH GAY PRI PARA TOKYO
Japan's gay and lbian muny marched Tokyo on Saturday at the first gay para three years, mpaigng for greater acceptance a socially nservative untry where beg openly gay remas taboo. * gay parade in japan *
While 2-Chome was emergg as a refuge for homosexuals what was formerly a red-light district, Brish police were still arrtg gay men toilets and public parks. Unlike many other untri, Japan did not have an anti-sodomy law (sce the enforcement of the old Penal Co 1882, ) nor did have what Mark McLelland, thor of "Homosexualy Morn Japan: Cultural Myths and Social Realti" lled the "anti-homosexual rage" of many Christian cultur, the lethal fuel for homophobia and gay-bashg.
Though tated by the ual agoni of personal inty and need for secrecy, gays and lbians Japan didn't suffer the same outright reprsn as other parts of the world (Bra's anti-sodomy law was not repealed until 1967).
JAPAN'S GAY PARA RETURNS AFTER 3 YEARS BID FOR ACCEPTANCE
* gay parade in japan *
While Japan has been paratively laidback about s sexual preferenc, however, has also lacked the polil and social mpaigng that has helped transform the liv of homosexuals elsewhere. Although the march was held public, many participants chose not to attend, fearg they would face rejectn the workplace, or be acced of homophobia.
SUPPORT FOR GAY RIGHTS JAPAN IS GAG MOMENTUM
Japan's gay muny is set to put on the glz as the Tokyo Pri para returns this weekend after a three year absence wh the aim of wng acceptance among the untry's nservative society. * gay parade in japan *
The one some like to tout that Japan was once very liberal about homosexualy - at least among the upper class - or the one where was reluctant to regnise even existed?