Sacramento, Calif. — The Asian Pacific Islander Queer Sacramento Coalition hosted the first known API-centered lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer conference in the city April 16. Held at California State University, Sacramento, “APIQ Homecoming: A Conference for LGBTQ+, API, and their Allies” drew in almost 80 local attendees, including about 15 students from the […]
Officers to receive harassment training in wake of racist text messages
May 12, 2016 by Leave a Comment
All members of the San Francisco Police Department will participate in training to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace after racist and derogatory text messages discovered during an investigation into sexual assault allegations by an officer were recently made public, police Chief Greg Suhr said April 29. Suhr made the announcement during a news […]
Panel discusses issues beyond marriage equality for LGBTQ people
March 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Editor’s Note: Tomo Hirai is a member of Tadaima: A Japanese American Gathering of LGBTQQ and Allies’ (volunteer) organizing committee. A panel presentation on the current issues lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning community members face was held Feb. 23 at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco in San Francisco’s Japantown. The program, hosted […]
Western Japan city Takarazuka to recognize same-sex partnership
December 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment
KOBE — A city in western Japan said Nov. 30 it will join two other municipalities in Tokyo in issuing certificates recognizing same-sex partnership as being equivalent to marriage, in a bid to address discrimination against sexual minorities. The city of Takarazuka in Hyogo Prefecture, home to Japan’s famous all-female musical troupe, said it will […]
‘Living in the Shadows of Exclusion’: LGBT Asian America
August 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment
History may forget Asian Americans who are part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer spectrum, according to one historian involved in the LGBT movement. “History isn’t kind to those who are marginalized to multiple spaces. Your history doesn’t exist in the LGBT history, it doesn’t exist in the Asian American history,” said Anna […]
Intersections of same-sex marriage and Japanese Americans
July 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark 5-4 decision in favor of same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges June 26, affirming that all states must recognize same-sex marriages. The fight for same-sex marriage, with roots in the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York, took decades of activism before gaining the public’s approval and support, including […]
THE GREAT UNKNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN GREAT: Statements on homosexuality in JA press helps trace public’s opinion
June 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment
As devoted readers of Nichi Bei may already be aware, I maintain an annual tradition. Each June, in honor of LGBT History Month, I devote an column of “The Great Unknown” to revealing the Queer history of Japanese Americans. Past columns have dealt with topics such as homosocial intimacy among the Issei; the development of […]
Seminar traces roots of Buddhists’ support for LGBTQ rights
July 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
BERKELEY, Calif. — In the national dialogue surrounding gay rights, the question “What is the Christian view of homosexuality?” often arises. This can be attributed to that fact that the vast majority of Americans identify as Christian, (some 77 percent according to a Gallup poll). However, in the Japanese Americans community (according to the Pew […]
Jodo Shinshu Center to hold ‘Being Gay, Being Buddhist’ event
May 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
BERKELEY, Calif. — The Jodo Shinshu Center will host a half-day seminar entitled “Being Gay, Being Buddhist” Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Actor and social justice activist George Takei is slated to serve as the keynote speaker, pending his availability. The LGBTQ community and Shin Buddhism seminar will begin with registration […]
An open letter about Orlando from Asian American Parents Who Love Our LGBTQ Kids
We, the Asian American Parents Who Love Our LGBTQ Kids, are heartbroken about the Orlando tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, both given and chosen, especially their parents. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and are still fighting for their lives and those who are suffering emotional […]