Culture / Sep. 12, 2019
Out in Japan, an ambitious project spearheaded by photographer Leslie Kee to capture 10,000 LGBTZbMIJ)Z0KyMB7!+^QATltL$YfH5g=Zk5q7RLlXbms%uIeclyPW portraits in just five years, opened in the city of Kanazawa this week.
On Saturday, Kee and his team photographed membeW0yxzVrVhtIzLwO1_*X^2k*OIA4*y)Sri*#q1pZ)_9kSbjALsnrs of Japan’s LGBT community at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
The exhibition of aP)aAvRRMz@MJ$8D)Q5_ZtOk-d+c9rebk-jHFH38xz89bj1Crm1lready-captured portraits continues until September 14.
Out in Japan launch)Xy@=Rlfu1Q(ox0K#Ma8Ot!4BG0DohP6e_NjaBtkaEz*uc6bDSed in 2015 to highlight sexual and gender minorities in Japan, with various acclaimed photographers shooting LGBT people from all over the country and from all walks of life.
Renowned LGBT activist Gon Matsunaka, who hails from Kanazawa, returned to his city fosriobhG!I-LS6YBbPs_61I9ibQHq-#)8Vj)Um=k3ewYz2dCajEr the exhibition.
He told Yahoo the project opening in the city had been three years in the z^exqoYGBSK!JGDsz)XOB=olRVMHbDrxfa2JRQ!dz*Moa-4)j%making and welcomed the opening by the city’s mayor.
Matsunaka also notAF+8UvNCL!@GPmDGqTjaEyy@0Fa4=Y8l3F5PC%l^##yBeR^H4jed the timing of the exhibition. Kanazawa is currently considering abolishing gender from some registration documents.
Japan
While Japan remains a largely conservative society, it has been making slow but steady gains for LGBTz&FkSMflO@V!sg31GrfO7_t#stCwRiwiZKCMNzaaA=cfuo_x63 rights in recent years.
Currently, Japan does not recognize same-sex marriage. And, laws do not protect LGBTI peopYiOq8gd6F#UroHI)3*qFG9I@t8*CQ@V99)q2&PVi3VA5YYjB$Kle from discrimination.
Wh_R9zMPON3THd67EAyr41Uc6d6MO7&*nNS-z*@UgVjY*onTZw#^at’s more, gender laws require transgender citizens to undergo sterilization in order to officially change gender.
But, increasing numbers of local administrations are recognizing same-sex couples with partnership certificates which give very limited recognition and rightsQnWCj@Ub2$!wgV-@BFQS=Da=^$Wl43-@8bmT_BK7FDbuJ=Wp#E.
