Tokyo gets double dose of gay pride for 2012
LGBT community deserves to be spoilt for choice after a parade-free 2011
2012年 開催されるゲイパレードは２つ
パレードが開催されなかった2011年の反動でLGBTコミュニティーの活動はさらに活発に
トビー・シグエンザ 著
レズビアンやゲイ、バイセクシャル、トランスジェンダーのコミュニティー（LGBT）にとって、ゲイパレードの目的とは、同性愛者の多様性（ダイバーシティー）や、より寛容な受け入れ体制を社会に訴えるような啓蒙活動に限ったことではない。
サポーターの数をさらに増やしたり、パレードに参加して思いっきり楽しんだりすることも目的のひとつだ。世界各国で開催されているゲイパレードでよく目にするのは、LGBTやサポーター達が、煌びやかな衣装を身に着け、豪華に飾った山車を先頭に、街をダンスしながら練り歩き、同性愛や仲間との一体感、ゲイカルチャーを誇らしげに披露している光景ではないだろうか（いわゆる英語の「Pride」）。
これまでと同様、開催地は東京。
違うのは、4月29日の東京レインボーパレード（TRP）と8月11日の東京プライド（TP）の２つが開催されることだ。
当然のことながら、２つのゲイパレードの開催を巡って、LGBTとサポーター達の間で混乱が生じ、数多くの質問や問い合わせが殺到している。たとえば、「東京プライドと東京レインボープライドの違いは何？」、「どうしてパレードが二つもあるの？」、また、LGBTからは「パレードはひとつで充分なのでは？」という意見も寄せられている。
このような疑問を解決するためにも、波乱に満ちていた短い歴史を振り返ってみたい。
1994年、日本で初めての東京レズビアン＆ゲイパレード（TL＆GP）が、国際レズビアン・ゲイ・バイセクシュアル・トランス・アンド・インターセックス協会（ILGA）の主催で開催された。その後の2年間、このパレードは数多くのメディアの注目を集め、パレードへの参加者も3千人を超えるほどに成長した。
.
しかし、主催者同士でパレードについての論争が巻き起こり、その後の数年間は活動を停止せざるを得なかった。
やがて、2004年にTL&Gパレードはようやくカムバックを果たし、それまで以上の参加者数を集めることに成功し、パレードは2006年まで開催されていた。しかし、安心しているのも束の間、ある特定の同性愛者達が、自分達の存在が無視されているという理由で、主催者間の論争が再開してしまったのだ。
2007年には東京プライドパレードという名目で再起を果たしたものの、その翌年、パレードは突然中止されてしまった。以来、2010年までパレードは開催されず、2011年もぽっかり穴が開いたまま過ぎてしまった。
このままではプライドパレードが復活するチャンスを逃してしまう、とTRP主催者は再び集結した。2011年5月にTPの主催者に問い合わせてみると、翌年の8月にパレードを開催したいとのことだった。
当時の様子について、4月29日開催予定のTRPの主催者である乾宏輝（いぬい ひろてる）さんに聞いて見た。「TRPの主催者は、2012年夏のパレードの開催について、明確な回答を出せませんでした。」
一方、2011年からTPの主催を担当している門戸大輔（もんこ だいすけ）さんは、少し違った見解があるようだ。「パレード主催の運営委員会長に任命されたのですが、他の候補者が現れて、自分達のサポーターを集めてパレードを開催したいと言ってきたのです。
僕としても、誰がパレードを開催しようと自由だと思っていたので、特に気にはしていませんでした。ただ、別なパレードを開催するのであれば、混乱を避けるためにも名称を変えて欲しいとTRPにお願いしました。しかし、残念ながら、僕の願いは聞き入れてもらえませんでした。」
パレード実現のために多大な時間と労力を注いできた主催者達の動機や熱意について理解を深めるためにも、彼らの持つ哲学や今後の目標などについてもう少し注目してみよう。
＊＊＊
東京プライド（TP）
コミュニティーをベースとしたNPO団体で、LGBTの人権保護と、対話を通して社会に変化を訴えかける活動をしている。セクシャルマイノリティー（同性愛者）に対する偏見や差別を少しでも無くし、LGBTにとって、よりフレンドリーな社会を作ることを目的としている。
門戸さんは、「東京プライドは、同性愛者の問題は人権問題であることを社会に訴えたいのです。厚労省と東京都議会は、僕達の健康について気遣ってはくれているようですが、僕達の人権に関しては支持してもらえていません。少なくとも今は・・。
これこそが僕の今年の最優先のミッションなのです。」と語った。
最近のTPの主な活動は、昨年6月、ヒューマン・ライツ・ウォッチ（HRW）と特別非営利活動法人アフリカ日本協議会（AJF）の人道主義団体との協賛で、在日ウガンダ大使館の公使と意見交換会を開催したことだ。この意見交換で三団体は、ウガンダにおけるLGBTの人権侵害やウガンダ刑法に基づいた同性愛の犯罪化に対する懸念、ウガンダ国会で検討されていた反同性愛法案、そして、同国で同性愛者の人権活動家として著名なデビッド・カトー氏の殺害事件についても指摘した。また、同国のLGBTの人権保護、反同性愛法案の再検討、カトー氏の殺害事件への公正な判断を公的に要請した。
TPの活動家はこれまで、同性愛者やLGBTコミュニティーの支援活動を通じて、社会に多大な貢献をしている。東京プライドパレードは活動の一環として開催され、人権についての真摯なメッセージを日本の社会に訴えかけることが大きな目的となっている。
TPが団体としての社会運動を確立しはじめ、活動を維持するために積み上げられてきた努力は計り知れない。特に慎重に対応していることとして、TPの活動を働きかける組織の選定をはじめ、どんな決定を下すべきなのか、国内・海外のメディアに対してどんなメッセージを発信すべきなのか、などがある。
このように、TPはしっかりと筋の通ったカルチャーとビジョンの下、実に多くのことを達成してきた。しかし、その一方で、若手のボランティアや主催者、「プライド」の持つ意味を違った観点から捉えている人達はどうしても敬遠されてしまう傾向にあるようだ。
まさに、この敬遠されながらも同じ考えを共有する人達同士が集結して結成されたのが、東京レインボープライド（TRP）だ。
＊＊＊
東京レインボープライド
2011年5月に設立。TRPの草の根哲学は、LGBTQ（レズビアン、ゲイ、バイセクシャル、トランスジェンダー、クィア）を含む同性愛者の多様性にフォーカスし、展開している。団体名は、ゲイカルチャーのシンボルである6色レインボーにちなんで「東京レインボープライド」と名付けられた。
この団体の目的は、「LGBTの権利は人権と同様」というメッセージを社会に広めることにあるが、それを実現するには、持続性のあるイベントを定期的に開催し、開催する度に参加者を増やしていくことが必須だ。東京の街を海外にあるようなゲイフレンドリーな街にしていくことが最終的なゴール。
「ダイナミックなアピールをするためにはパレードがもう一つ必要だと思ったんです。たったひとつのパレードを毎年開催していても、もっと良いプライド（マーチ）にしたいとは思わないでしょう。健全に競争することも大切だと思っています。」とTRPのマーケティング担当である乾さんが説明してくれた。
TRP主催者は、多様化したLGBTコミュニティーの団結力を維持するためには、なんらかの対策が必要だと強く感じている。今考えているのは、主催者とボランティアの全員が企画の段階から参加して、意見を出し合いながら皆が納得できるプライドイベントを作り上げて行くというアイデアだ。
団結力を追求するがゆえに生じたパレードの分裂の皮肉さを感じている20代～30代の主催者達。彼らが日頃TRPに願っていることは、日本独特の縦社会をなくし、皆が同じ歩調で企画から実現までの道のりを歩めるような横社会へと変えることだと言う。
定期的なパレードの開催に向けて、TRPはこの一年の月日を資金集めや準備のための「ビルドアップ・イベント」を開催し、将来のパレードを主催する新人の教育に費やしてきた。
TRPが結成された2011年5月以来、10回の「カウントダウン・パーティー」を開催し、資金集めやボランティアとの顔合わせを兼ねて、今年のパレードの企画を進めてきた。
今年、東京で開催される２つのパレードには、それぞれのビジョンやゴールに対する強い信念が感じられる。しかし、なかには、LGBTコミュニティーの分裂を象徴するように、パレードを２つも開催する必要はあるのかという疑問を抱く人もいれば、単にゲイイベントが増えたことを歓迎し、パレードが開催されなくとも、デカダンなパーティーを楽しめれば満足という人もいて、考え方は人それぞれだ。
早稲田大学の英国人留学生ローレン・アンダーソンは「私も含め、ボランティア活動に参加してくれる人は沢山いますが、ぜひ両方のパレード運営に協力してもらえれば嬉しいです。」と言う。
アンダーソンさんは、当初、TRPのフライヤーを配布するボランティアメンバーとして活動に参加。その後、1か月が経った頃には海外メディアに向けたPR担当と英文ウェブサイトの作成に携わるようになっていた。
TRP運営委員会代表の葛城佳世さんは、「今年は特に大きな問題を起こすこともなく、パレードが２つも開催されることになりましたが、LGBTコミュニティーは国内で既にあらゆる困難に直面しているのが現状です。今年は皆さんにぜひ両方のパレードを楽しんでもらい、両方を比較して欲しいと思います。これをきっかけに、日本の社会が少しでも変わってくれればと願っています。」と語った。
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tokyo gets double dose of gay pride for 2012
Tokyo gets double dose of gay pride for 2012
LGBT community deserves to be spoilt for choice after a parade-free 2011
By TOBY SIGUENZA
For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, gay pride parades are not only a great means to raise awareness of LGBT issues and spread the message of diversity and acceptance, but also a much-needed excuse to gather supporters together and party down. At such events in hundreds of cities around the world, LGBT people and their supporters march and dance down the streets behind lavish floats, dress in elaborate costumes, celebrating love, togetherness and, of course, pride for their culture.
Tokyo is no different, except for the fact that this year it will be hosting two pride events: Tokyo Rainbow Pride (TRP) on April 29 and Tokyo Pride on August 11.
Understandably, the presence of two gay prides this year has caused some confusion among supporters of LGBT activities, begging a host of questions. Among them: What are the differences between Tokyo Pride and Tokyo Rainbow Pride? How did there come to be two parades scheduled this year? And, the big question on the lips of many LGBT people: Does Tokyo really need another pride march?
To begin to tackle these questions, it's important to put this year's events in the context of the short, checkered history of gay pride marches in Tokyo.
In 1994, Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade (TL&GP), the first gay pride event in Japan, was organized by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Japan. For the next couple of years, organizers succeeded in garnering a fair amount of media attention, and the parades attracted over 3,000 attendees.
However, due to disputes among the organizers, the next few years' events were barely promoted. From 2004 to 2006, the TL&G parade made a comeback and chalked up some respectable participant numbers, only to then again get bogged down in internal discord over accusations from certain sexual minorities that they were being ignored.
In 2007, the name was changed to Tokyo Pride Parade. The following year, planning was abruptly halted, and the city did not host another parade until 2010, only to experience another gap in 2011.
Determined not to let another year go by without a pride parade, TRP organizers say they contacted the Tokyo Pride organizers in May 2011 to ask whether they were planning to hold their event on the usual date in early August the following year. "
At that time, Tokyo Rainbow Pride organizers were unable to give a definite answer as to whether they'd be organizing an event in the summer of 2012," explains Hiroteru Inui, one of the organizers of Sunday's TRP parade.
Daisuke Monko, the Tokyo Pride Parade organizer since 2011, has a slightly different take on the story.
"I was elected to the chair position, but another candidate and his people wanted to control the parade by themselves," he says. "My opinion is that anybody can hold a parade, and that's OK. I asked (TRP) to change their name because it is confusing, but they disregarded my request."
To more clearly understand the organizers' motivation for dedicating their time, resources and passion to these pride events, let's take a closer look at their philosophies and long-term goals.
Tokyo Pride
Tokyo Pride is a community-based nonprofit organization committed to protecting the rights of LGBT people and organizing community activities for creating dialogue and social change. The NPO works to dispel prejudice and discrimination against sexual minorities, and to help make it easier for LGBT individuals to live in mainstream society.
"Tokyo Pride wants to spread the message that the issues of sexual minorities are human rights issues," says Monko. "Japan's Ministry of Health and Labor and Tokyo's government support us on issues surrounding sexual health but not through issues focusing on human rights — at least, not yet. This is my top mission for this year."
As an example of the type of work the group is involved in, in June of last year Tokyo Pride, along with other humanitarian groups including Human Rights Watch and Africa Japan Forum, met with Ugandan Embassy representatives to voice their concerns over violations of the human rights of LGBT citizens in Uganda — in particular the criminalization of homosexual conduct in the Ugandan penal code, the antihomosexuality bill that was being considered in the Ugandan Parliament, and the murder of prominent human rights and LGBT activist David Kato. The groups urged the officials to publicly defend the rights of LGBT people in Uganda, to reconsider the antihomosexual legislation, and to bring Kato's killers to justice.
Tokyo Pride activists have made amazing strides in supporting sexual minorities and the LGBT community. The Tokyo Pride Parade is an extension of their activism, focusing on spreading serious messages to Japanese society about human rights.
Tokyo Pride has worked hard to build and maintain its reputation for social activism, and this requires a certain level of strictness over which organizations they promote, what decisions are made, and what messages are put out to the Japanese and international media.
However, the disciplined culture and vision that has allowed Tokyo Pride to achieve so much has also alienated some of its younger volunteers and organizers, some of whom have a different vision of what "pride" should mean. These are the people who have chosen to part ways with Tokyo Pride and organize with like-minded activists in a new group that they feel better represents them, namely Tokyo Rainbow Pride.
Tokyo Rainbow Pride
Tokyo Rainbow Pride was established in May 2011. TRP's grassroots philosophy also focuses on the celebration of the diversity of sexual minorities, spanning the full spectrum of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rainbow, hence the name of the group. Their goal is also to spread the message that LGBT rights are human rights, with a focus on creating a sustainable event, celebrated annually, in which the number of participants increases year on year, as seen in gay-friendly cities around the world.
"We thought we needed another parade to create dynamism," Inui, the director of TRP's marketing, explains. "If you only have one parade, the organizers don't feel the necessity of creating a better pride (march) each year. Healthy competition is important."
TRP organizers are determined to find new solutions for maintaining cohesion throughout the diverse LGBT community. One way they plan to do this is by allowing all organizers and volunteers to have their opinions heard and cooperate in the planning and implementation of pride events.
Recognizing the irony of breaking off in order to seek togetherness, this new generation of organizers, in their 20s and 30s, hopes with TRP to abandon the traditional Japanese top-down power structure and develop a horizontal system in which people work together on an equal footing in planning and making decisions.
In its attempts to develop a sustainable event, TRP has been organizing, fundraising and holding "buildup events" throughout the year while training new organizers for subsequent pride marches. Since TRP's inception in May 2011 there have been 10 "countdown parties," which act as fundraising events as well as opportunities for volunteers and organizers to meet and enjoy themselves while planning for the upcoming parade.
Organizers of both pride parades clearly have strong convictions about their visions and goals for their events in Tokyo. However, some people question why there needs to be two pride events, seeing it as symbol of division within the LGBT community. Others are just delighted that there are more gay events — and thus more decadent parties to attend — after enduring a year without any pride celebrations.
Lauren Anderson, a student at Waseda University from England, points out that "a lot of people — myself included — are volunteering to help with pride in general and will be more than happy to contribute to both parades."
Anderson volunteered with TRP thinking that she would help pass out flyers. In just a month, her role has expanded to the point that she is now the international PR representative and English website developer.
The LGBT community faces enough challenges in Japan without making an issue out of the fact they are spoilt for choice for parades this year in Tokyo, says TRP President Kayo Katsuragi.
"I want people to enjoy both parades, and compare them, and I hope that it will bring about changes in the Japanese community."
Toby Siguenza is the Block 3 leader (Tokyo Area) of Stonewall AJET (stonewall.ajet.net) Twitter:(@stonewalljapan) This year Stonewall AJET will be manning the international information booth at Tokyo Rainbow Pride (tokyorainbowpride.jp/en/), providing English assistance. Tokyo Rainbow Pride festivities around Harajuku and Shinjuku will kick off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, at Yoyogi Park. Stonewall AJET will also be working with Tokyo Pride (www.tokyo-pride.org) in August. Send comments on this issue and story ideas to community@japantimes.co.jp
LGBT community deserves to be spoilt for choice after a parade-free 2011
By TOBY SIGUENZA
For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, gay pride parades are not only a great means to raise awareness of LGBT issues and spread the message of diversity and acceptance, but also a much-needed excuse to gather supporters together and party down. At such events in hundreds of cities around the world, LGBT people and their supporters march and dance down the streets behind lavish floats, dress in elaborate costumes, celebrating love, togetherness and, of course, pride for their culture.
Tokyo is no different, except for the fact that this year it will be hosting two pride events: Tokyo Rainbow Pride (TRP) on April 29 and Tokyo Pride on August 11.
Understandably, the presence of two gay prides this year has caused some confusion among supporters of LGBT activities, begging a host of questions. Among them: What are the differences between Tokyo Pride and Tokyo Rainbow Pride? How did there come to be two parades scheduled this year? And, the big question on the lips of many LGBT people: Does Tokyo really need another pride march?
To begin to tackle these questions, it's important to put this year's events in the context of the short, checkered history of gay pride marches in Tokyo.
In 1994, Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade (TL&GP), the first gay pride event in Japan, was organized by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Japan. For the next couple of years, organizers succeeded in garnering a fair amount of media attention, and the parades attracted over 3,000 attendees.
However, due to disputes among the organizers, the next few years' events were barely promoted. From 2004 to 2006, the TL&G parade made a comeback and chalked up some respectable participant numbers, only to then again get bogged down in internal discord over accusations from certain sexual minorities that they were being ignored.
In 2007, the name was changed to Tokyo Pride Parade. The following year, planning was abruptly halted, and the city did not host another parade until 2010, only to experience another gap in 2011.
Determined not to let another year go by without a pride parade, TRP organizers say they contacted the Tokyo Pride organizers in May 2011 to ask whether they were planning to hold their event on the usual date in early August the following year. "
At that time, Tokyo Rainbow Pride organizers were unable to give a definite answer as to whether they'd be organizing an event in the summer of 2012," explains Hiroteru Inui, one of the organizers of Sunday's TRP parade.
Daisuke Monko, the Tokyo Pride Parade organizer since 2011, has a slightly different take on the story.
"I was elected to the chair position, but another candidate and his people wanted to control the parade by themselves," he says. "My opinion is that anybody can hold a parade, and that's OK. I asked (TRP) to change their name because it is confusing, but they disregarded my request."
To more clearly understand the organizers' motivation for dedicating their time, resources and passion to these pride events, let's take a closer look at their philosophies and long-term goals.
Tokyo Pride
Tokyo Pride is a community-based nonprofit organization committed to protecting the rights of LGBT people and organizing community activities for creating dialogue and social change. The NPO works to dispel prejudice and discrimination against sexual minorities, and to help make it easier for LGBT individuals to live in mainstream society.
"Tokyo Pride wants to spread the message that the issues of sexual minorities are human rights issues," says Monko. "Japan's Ministry of Health and Labor and Tokyo's government support us on issues surrounding sexual health but not through issues focusing on human rights — at least, not yet. This is my top mission for this year."
As an example of the type of work the group is involved in, in June of last year Tokyo Pride, along with other humanitarian groups including Human Rights Watch and Africa Japan Forum, met with Ugandan Embassy representatives to voice their concerns over violations of the human rights of LGBT citizens in Uganda — in particular the criminalization of homosexual conduct in the Ugandan penal code, the antihomosexuality bill that was being considered in the Ugandan Parliament, and the murder of prominent human rights and LGBT activist David Kato. The groups urged the officials to publicly defend the rights of LGBT people in Uganda, to reconsider the antihomosexual legislation, and to bring Kato's killers to justice.
Tokyo Pride activists have made amazing strides in supporting sexual minorities and the LGBT community. The Tokyo Pride Parade is an extension of their activism, focusing on spreading serious messages to Japanese society about human rights.
Tokyo Pride has worked hard to build and maintain its reputation for social activism, and this requires a certain level of strictness over which organizations they promote, what decisions are made, and what messages are put out to the Japanese and international media.
However, the disciplined culture and vision that has allowed Tokyo Pride to achieve so much has also alienated some of its younger volunteers and organizers, some of whom have a different vision of what "pride" should mean. These are the people who have chosen to part ways with Tokyo Pride and organize with like-minded activists in a new group that they feel better represents them, namely Tokyo Rainbow Pride.
Tokyo Rainbow Pride
Tokyo Rainbow Pride was established in May 2011. TRP's grassroots philosophy also focuses on the celebration of the diversity of sexual minorities, spanning the full spectrum of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rainbow, hence the name of the group. Their goal is also to spread the message that LGBT rights are human rights, with a focus on creating a sustainable event, celebrated annually, in which the number of participants increases year on year, as seen in gay-friendly cities around the world.
"We thought we needed another parade to create dynamism," Inui, the director of TRP's marketing, explains. "If you only have one parade, the organizers don't feel the necessity of creating a better pride (march) each year. Healthy competition is important."
TRP organizers are determined to find new solutions for maintaining cohesion throughout the diverse LGBT community. One way they plan to do this is by allowing all organizers and volunteers to have their opinions heard and cooperate in the planning and implementation of pride events.
Recognizing the irony of breaking off in order to seek togetherness, this new generation of organizers, in their 20s and 30s, hopes with TRP to abandon the traditional Japanese top-down power structure and develop a horizontal system in which people work together on an equal footing in planning and making decisions.
In its attempts to develop a sustainable event, TRP has been organizing, fundraising and holding "buildup events" throughout the year while training new organizers for subsequent pride marches. Since TRP's inception in May 2011 there have been 10 "countdown parties," which act as fundraising events as well as opportunities for volunteers and organizers to meet and enjoy themselves while planning for the upcoming parade.
Organizers of both pride parades clearly have strong convictions about their visions and goals for their events in Tokyo. However, some people question why there needs to be two pride events, seeing it as symbol of division within the LGBT community. Others are just delighted that there are more gay events — and thus more decadent parties to attend — after enduring a year without any pride celebrations.
Lauren Anderson, a student at Waseda University from England, points out that "a lot of people — myself included — are volunteering to help with pride in general and will be more than happy to contribute to both parades."
Anderson volunteered with TRP thinking that she would help pass out flyers. In just a month, her role has expanded to the point that she is now the international PR representative and English website developer.
The LGBT community faces enough challenges in Japan without making an issue out of the fact they are spoilt for choice for parades this year in Tokyo, says TRP President Kayo Katsuragi.
"I want people to enjoy both parades, and compare them, and I hope that it will bring about changes in the Japanese community."
Toby Siguenza is the Block 3 leader (Tokyo Area) of Stonewall AJET (stonewall.ajet.net) Twitter:(@stonewalljapan) This year Stonewall AJET will be manning the international information booth at Tokyo Rainbow Pride (tokyorainbowpride.jp/en/), providing English assistance. Tokyo Rainbow Pride festivities around Harajuku and Shinjuku will kick off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, at Yoyogi Park. Stonewall AJET will also be working with Tokyo Pride (www.tokyo-pride.org) in August. Send comments on this issue and story ideas to community@japantimes.co.jp
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