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Queer Japan: Personal Stories of Japanese Lesbians, Gays,Transsexuals and Bisexuals
In this important contribution to international queer studies, sixteen Japanese lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transsexuals tell their stories. Doseiai (same sex love between men) has never been legally nor socially accepted in Japan. Until recently there were not even terms to describe women-loving-women. With a new courage and consciousness, Japanese queers are beginning to speak out. A Best of Small Press Award Winner
Hardcover
First published June 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 5, 2012
I bought this book on a whim when I was searching Amazon for books about lesbianism in Japan - as you can imagine, there isn't a whole lot out there, so this book jumped out at me. One of the lowest reviews stated this book focused mostly on lesbians and they were looking for something about gay men. Even better! If there's anything I've learned from the LGBT community, it's that it's still mostly made up of male voices. This book sounded just like what I needed.
The format of the book is basically (translated) essays and interviews with LGBT volunteers. There are lesbians, gay men, bisexual men and women, and of course trans* people. (Some people cover more than one category.) They also run a full range of elderly people to younger. Some were also married (in heterosexual marriages). But all of them have one thing in common: struggling to embrace themselves as queer in a society more repressive than my own in America.
As an American queer woman who has both lived here (in America) and abroad in Japan, I was excited to find out more about the difference and solidarities in the struggles of being "queer". I was not disappointed. All of the essay writers and interviewees were wonderfully frank about their life stories and their hopes and fears for a friendly future in Japan. Some of the writers were also incredibly involved in their gay communities, fighting to change the atmosphere for queer people in Japan. But the most interesting bits were the "mundane" parts - struggling to keep a relationship together, fighting with preconceived norms, going through horrendous "treatments" in their early lives...while the essays can be very grim at times, it's telling, and it's real. As a queer person I don't want to hear "it gets better". I want to hear the truth and how it affects people. But in the grimness, there is always hope. Each and every one of these writers is either living out their hopes or clinging to it. I found this compilation incredibly inspiring, and it renewed a lot of my own hope for the future.
Of course, there are a couple minor, minor gripes. First, it's a bit dated. It was published c.1997, and I want to know where most of these people are now, how much it's changed. I know a bit of the current queer circles in Tokyo, but it sounds like a lot of the old organizations have disbanded. Are new ones in place? Are people fending for themselves? Do they even have to? How much progress has been made? Obviously, this book can't answer those questions for me. But it was a start. Also, there were minor editing mistakes, mostly in the whose/who's and where/wear areas. Not sure how those glaring ones slipped through, but it wasn't enough to take away the power of the actual text.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to 1) research the queer world in Japan 2) connect with people like themselves, whether queer or not. This is particularly great for those doing lesbian research, since it wasn't overpowered by male voices like most of these compilations are.
The format of the book is basically (translated) essays and interviews with LGBT volunteers. There are lesbians, gay men, bisexual men and women, and of course trans* people. (Some people cover more than one category.) They also run a full range of elderly people to younger. Some were also married (in heterosexual marriages). But all of them have one thing in common: struggling to embrace themselves as queer in a society more repressive than my own in America.
As an American queer woman who has both lived here (in America) and abroad in Japan, I was excited to find out more about the difference and solidarities in the struggles of being "queer". I was not disappointed. All of the essay writers and interviewees were wonderfully frank about their life stories and their hopes and fears for a friendly future in Japan. Some of the writers were also incredibly involved in their gay communities, fighting to change the atmosphere for queer people in Japan. But the most interesting bits were the "mundane" parts - struggling to keep a relationship together, fighting with preconceived norms, going through horrendous "treatments" in their early lives...while the essays can be very grim at times, it's telling, and it's real. As a queer person I don't want to hear "it gets better". I want to hear the truth and how it affects people. But in the grimness, there is always hope. Each and every one of these writers is either living out their hopes or clinging to it. I found this compilation incredibly inspiring, and it renewed a lot of my own hope for the future.
Of course, there are a couple minor, minor gripes. First, it's a bit dated. It was published c.1997, and I want to know where most of these people are now, how much it's changed. I know a bit of the current queer circles in Tokyo, but it sounds like a lot of the old organizations have disbanded. Are new ones in place? Are people fending for themselves? Do they even have to? How much progress has been made? Obviously, this book can't answer those questions for me. But it was a start. Also, there were minor editing mistakes, mostly in the whose/who's and where/wear areas. Not sure how those glaring ones slipped through, but it wasn't enough to take away the power of the actual text.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to 1) research the queer world in Japan 2) connect with people like themselves, whether queer or not. This is particularly great for those doing lesbian research, since it wasn't overpowered by male voices like most of these compilations are.
May 9, 2019
Read on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/queerjapa...
An interesting look at being LGBT+ in Japan, and one that made me want to see how much has changed since this book was published. I knew that queer culture wasn't as open as it is in the states, but I had no idea how closeted people need to be in Japan. Almost everyone in this anthology leads a closeted life, and it's pretty sad to see how little has changed. But it's also a bit heartwarming to see that sense of community.
An interesting look at being LGBT+ in Japan, and one that made me want to see how much has changed since this book was published. I knew that queer culture wasn't as open as it is in the states, but I had no idea how closeted people need to be in Japan. Almost everyone in this anthology leads a closeted life, and it's pretty sad to see how little has changed. But it's also a bit heartwarming to see that sense of community.
December 16, 2014
weird framework/politics but very interesting to read the personal stories
June 10, 2018
Even as a 20 year old look at the issue, it's fascinating to hear the differences and similarities in all these stories. Coming from America, the cultural differences really shine through as well. It's humbling and inspiring all at once.
August 14, 2024
Several interesting stories. Also has a useful summary of OCCUR case from 90s
January 6, 2014
The interviews are very honest and very pertinent to Japanese issues of disconnection with self, society, community, expectations placed on individuals (be it outside of self or self-inflicted), sexuality and gender. Despite the image of an anything goes attitude toward sex, Japan is still very much 100% Asian.
Published in 1997, the book may feel dated but I hear the same stories when I meet and chat with Japanese lesbians and bisexual women in Ni-chome, at events, retreats and workshops. It's gratifying to observe that the lesbian community is not only made up of young women but older women too. It is a very closed and private world, and to an outsider, the groups can be cliquish, but maybe that's because it's for self or group-preservation? The concept of "gay" is changing and is becoming less of a joke. That said, it's still not done to come out to your parents and employers because it's best not to rock the boat (got to preserve 和) and to remember that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Perhaps things haven't changed that much from 20 years ago.
Published in 1997, the book may feel dated but I hear the same stories when I meet and chat with Japanese lesbians and bisexual women in Ni-chome, at events, retreats and workshops. It's gratifying to observe that the lesbian community is not only made up of young women but older women too. It is a very closed and private world, and to an outsider, the groups can be cliquish, but maybe that's because it's for self or group-preservation? The concept of "gay" is changing and is becoming less of a joke. That said, it's still not done to come out to your parents and employers because it's best not to rock the boat (got to preserve 和) and to remember that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Perhaps things haven't changed that much from 20 years ago.
January 12, 2009
wow. just about every person in this anthology leads a closeted life. per usual, many a melancholy dyke. a lot of the interviewed can count the number of people they've come out to, to me this seems a drastic world away from the flamboyant, proud west. sexuality definitely doesn't seem to be something to discuss over tea ceremony, or dinner, or even with your close pals.
June 3, 2020
So good! I wanted a look into LGBT life in Japan, and I totally got it. For a future book of this type I'd love to see more trans perspectives, and definitely big trigger warnings for some messed-up things that are mentioned (not always negatively.)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews