![]() ![]() Even as a pop idol with many fans, he felt isolated and thought about living overseas. “If I heard his message when I was younger and struggling with my sexuality, it would have given me a big hope.” Matsuoka wrote in social media message that Atae’s coming out “would give courage to his peers and lead to a change of social mindset.”Ītae, 34, said he thought something was wrong with him when he was becoming aware of his sexuality as a teenager. Sosuke Matsuoka, an LGBTQ+ activist who was at the event, said he got teary listening to Atae’s words. LGBTQ+ activists and supporters welcomed Atae’s announcement as a big encouragement for the community in Japan. "I hope people who are struggling with the same feeling will find courage and know they are not alone.” Lawmaker Taiga Ishikawa is Japan’s first openly gay parliamentarian.Ītae posted on Instagram that admitting his sexuality took a long time and he worried he might be shunned from society and lose his career if he acknowledged being gay.īut, he overcame many of those struggles and realized "it is better, both for me and for the people I care about, including my fans, to accept who I truly am and tell you so," Atae said. Popular singer and personality Ai Haruna is a transgender woman who rose to fame in 2009 as the first Japanese to win Thailand’s Miss International Queen, a beauty pageant for transgender women. In Japan, where LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination in schools, workplaces and elsewhere, few public figures have come out. Activists have increased their efforts to achieve an anti-discrimination law, but parliament in June passed a significantly weaker alternative that promotes awareness of sexual minorities without providing legal protections. The political party that has governed Japan for most of its postwar history is known for its conservatism and many lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose equal rights. He's been based in Los Angeles lately and is pursuing a solo career in the United States.Ītae’s revelation comes at a time of increased awareness and support for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Japan. “I am a gay man.”Īs he choked up, fans cheered, saying “hang in there!” and applauding.Ītae performed for 15 years in the hugely popular group AAA before it went on a hiatus in 2020. But now after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something,” he said. “For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself. Perhaps some of you may need time to understand,” Atae told fans at the event in Tokyo on Wednesday. “What I’m going to tell you now may not be something you expect or hope to hear. *Are you a researcher with a question or looking to access our data? You don’t need a log-in for that.TOKYO (AP) - Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae said he is gay in an emotional announcement at a fan event that was warmly welcomed in a country where the government does not legally recognize LGBTQ equality. Someone from MAP may contact you within the next few business days to verify your eligibility to become a MAP user. To request user access via log-in, please provide us with the following information. MAP also reserves the right to refuse or revoke log-in access from any individual or organization at any time. MAP requires users with log-in access maintain the confidentiality of, and do not publicly or otherwise distribute, any user-only materials. In addition to our public-facing content, we often collaborate and/or share our data with researchers*, other organizations, and others to further support movement work.įor a very limited set of materials, MAP requires log-in access, limited to staff or board members of movement organizations. MAP’s research and resources-including the Equality and Democracy Maps, policy reports, and messaging resources-are free and available to the public. ![]()
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