Vlog
A gay man’s opinion about yaoi/BL
Consumers and creators of BL are often the target of online harassment and attacks. But I think there's misogyny and homophobia behind that. (This video is in Japanese but subbed in English.) (more…)
Vlog
LGBT: Educate Yourself Before Educating Others
There is a growing number of educators, public speakers, workshop organizers etc. who publicly talk about LGBTQ issues. But not all of them are good. In this video I share with you some common mistakes those people make in their lectures/workshops, and explain why they are wrong. (more…)
Vlog
Interview: Filmmaker Graham Kolbeins (“Queer Japan”)
Queer Filmmaker Graham Kolbeins talks about interviewing queer people, funding for queer documentary filmmakers, creative freedom vs focus, the Western gaze, the male gaze, the issue of representation of minorities, and his upcoming project Queer Japan. (more…)
Vlog
Is homosexuality orientation or preference?
There's a debate on whether homosexuality is a preference or orientation. But is one better than the other? Let's take a moment to go back in history to see how the idea of homosexuality was born. (more…)
Blog
The Monologue of Shizuka Minamoto
An unofficial feminist sequel to Doraemon: Part 1 Well, it doesn’t bother me much any longer now, but when the series began, I felt a massive amount of fury deep inside and it rose from the bottom of my stomach up my heart and throat. I had never expected my name to be used that way. I had heard a rumor that Takeshi-san would write manga about his childhood, but the way he described our childhood memories gave me quite a shock. I immediately contacted Nobita-san and Suneo-san. Nobita-san sounded nothing but confused and at a loss. Suneo-san seemed to be trying very hard to suppress his anger toward Takeshi-san who hadn’t responded to his calls. I was just as sad and angry. Not knowing what else to do, I tried to call Takeshi-san, but to no avail. (more…)
Blog
If You’re Not To Marry, Everyone Else Makes Sure You Want To Die
For those in the progressive circles who've always seen the radical queer left and their anti-(gay)marriage politics as mere hindrance, or even a pain in the ass, the news of gay marriage legislations (possibly) lowering LGB suicide rates among the youth probably comes as a belated surprise Valentine's Day gift. Now that gay marriage has proven to deliver real benefits to not just upper- and middle-class working-age gay elites but also young lesbian, gay, and bisexual folks in general, we can finally say that gay marriage was the right cause, that it was just as good a priority as it had been proclaimed and advertised, right? No? (more…)
Blog
My Interview on Feminism, Queer Activism, and Representation in Japanese Pop Culture Is Now Online at AniFem
Amelia Cook, Editor-in-chief at Anime Feminist, contacted me after I posted this video on YouTube. (more…)
Blog
Queer By Choice and Ex-gay
I have always been sick of the born-this-way rhetoric that mainstream gay activism has so proudly spread all over the U.S. I don't have anything against those who were born gay or born whatever, but feeling that one was born gay and saying so are two different things. (more…)
Blog
A Talk with Prof. Chalidaporn Songsamphan
Pornography
Chico Masak (CGS staff, CM)What would you say your stand on pornography is?Prof. Chalidaporn (SC)
I think we should look at pornography as a form of sexual fantasy, which each individual should have the right in their private time to enjoy. But the problem is, when you look at pornography in detail, you'll see complex relationships between pornography and so many other things. And pornography itself is so diverse. So it is very difficult to have a stand on it. Instead, you have to look at particular cases and details. You'll probably have a different stand on each one. We tend to want some kind of theory or explanation to which all similar cases can be reduced. But it doesn't work that way. We have to be very specific with everything.(more…)