As I Am: L.G.B.T.Q. in Japan
As I Am: L.G.B.T.Q. in Japan Photographs and Video by Chang W. LeeText by Motoko Rich and Hisako UenoOct. 9, 2024 In Japan, same-sex unions remain outlawed, and children who don’t conform to traditional gender norms are routinely bullied.
Japanese who are gay, transgender or nonbinary must stake out their own distinctive paths. In these interviews, L.G.B.T.Q. Japanese — some of whom spoke despite fears of being ostracized — talked about their daily rhythms and routines.
While some are politically active, others prefer to let their personal lives speak for their desire to be accepted. ‘I thought they wouldn’t be able to understand even if I tried to tell them how much I loved my girlfriend.’ When Hitomi Sawabe, 72, was in high school in Tokyo, she was told that homosexuality was akin to measles — something that could be cured.
Her affection for other women did not feel to her like an illness. Yet she was afraid to share with her family the true nature of her relationships.
