Japanese Trans Woman May Be Prosecuted for Using Osaka Restroom

[Carolyn Marie]

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/01/7ec51b18f01c-transgender-woman-referred-to-prosecutors-for-using-osaka-ladies-room.html

 

Carolyn Marie

[tracy_j]

It reads as a complicated situation for me to read as, apart from the actual law, the text contains clues to the cultural nature of Japanese society which has different accents to what it would be acceptable and how it is treated than here in the UK.

 

This case apart, it does highlight that good research is required before visits to another country you may visit.

 

Tracy

[Charlize]

I feel for her as she lives through the horror i feared for years.  Hopefully the Japanese right wing won't build on this for abusive regulations.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Artpetal]

Absolutely disturbing how wrong this is.

[Carolyn Marie]

I had a two week visit to Japan a couple of years ago and had no problems.  But whether that was due to my ability to pass or to luck I have no idea.  Of course, it proves nothing, other than I was more fortunate that this poor woman.

 

Carolyn Marie

[KayC]

I would say Japan is about 20+ years behind the U.S. in awareness and more general acceptance of the LGBTQ+ communities (who are mostly invisible), but its not like public restroom incidents and issues don't exist in the U.S. too.  Many issues like this (racism, cultural bias, and transphobia) stay buried in the culture and just are not talked about ... so that hinders progress.

 

It seems it is finally starting to move in the right direction in Japan though, but change here occurs at a snails pace.

 

obtw .. I noticed a story for Suntory Roku Gin at the very bottom of that article.  Its REALLY, REALLY GOOD (and expensive but worth it).  Cheers🍸 (or Kampai)

[Kasumi63]

Another issue that makes this complicated is that Japan has a plethora of dirty old men who get off on taking pictures up women's skirts, sometimes by sneaking into women's bathrooms. This has been a problem for ages, but now that transgender rights are getting into the news, some of these creeps are starting to say they're transgender as an excuse. We also have a lot of crossdressers (who do not think of themselves as transgender). Just today, I posted an article (in Japanese, sorry) and comments about this issue on a local discussion board. Recently, a guy got arrested for sneaking into the women's bathing area at an onsen (hot bath), and he initially told police that he was transgender, but that turned out to be a lie. My experience with using the women's bathrooms, however, has been fine. No one has ever said anything to me, even once. I've spoken with other transgender women who have said the same thing. Most of the problems seem to be up in Osaka and Tokyo. I love onsen, but I haven't been since the pandemic started.