‘Out in Japan’ reaches out to LGBTQ communities in rural Japan

Imagine the challenges you may face as a sexual minority in a rural area in Japan, where the resources and support are limited. Where can you go and who can you turn to in order to find guidance and a sense of community?

A coming-out photo project, Out in Japan, promotes awareness of LGBTQ individuals through photography. For the audience to visualize actual members of the community, this project has photographed more than 1,000 LGBTQ people. The project held a photo exhibition, Out in Japan Setouchi at Kitahama Alley in Takamatsu city, Kagawa from August 27 to September 1.

The photoshoot for Out in Japan Setouchi, hosted by the Setonai LGBT Project, took place in October 2018. Most portrait shots taken at that time were exhibited publicly in Takamatsu city for the first time. The displayed photos came with personal messages written by the models. To offer the opportunity for the local LGBTQ members who initially met at the shoot meet up again, the project team held a reunion event during the exhibition.

“I wish I saw this type of exhibition when I was growing up,” says Akira Takano, the representative of the Setonai LGBT Project. Takano also is one of the MTF (male-to-female) transgender people in the portraits displayed at the exhibition. “The more photos we take, the more people we can empower.” Out in Japan aims for an exhibition filled with 10,000 portraits in five years. Out in Japan Setouchi was one part of the first Kagawa Pride Week 2019 (August 25 -September 1) held in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. Keynote speeches by local LGBTQ leaders, the first Marugame Rainbow Parade and social events, including the exhibition, were the highlights of the week.

Setonai LGBT Project artist and member, Akiyasu Tanaka commented, “This is likely only the starting point for raising awareness, and it is actually healthy we start from here.” Tanaka hopes more people connect and deepen their relationships within the LGBTQ community through the Kagawa Pride Week 2019. “Kagawa people value relationships and connections quite a bit.” A movie directed by Tanaka in 2013 was shown at the exhibition gallery along with other films.

Although advocacy for the LGBTQ community has been growing in Japan, some members still face many issues, especially in rural areas. Hopefully, projects like Out in Japan will soon be able to connect with LGBTQ individuals throughout the country – wherever they may be – offering support to those in need and education to promote a more inclusive community for all.