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Japan's schools 'hateful' places for LGBT students: rights group

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When something is unusual, you should defend the fact that it is truly unusual; but the truth is that everyone has the right to be who they want to be, everyone should try to respect that and live a violence free life- and these words are what pass for appropriate teachings in school. But let's also be realistic and consider the severe decline in births in Japan for the past couple of decades, more rights for gays could be an additional threat in that regard. Teach tolerance and morality to our kids please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

japan likes to blame the west for their problems, but they have noone but themselves to blame here. even is japan had "adopted western views on homosexuals" the extreme levels of bullying in which an entire classroom bands together to ostracize a kid to force him to suicide was born of Japanese society.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I have never heard LGBT right issue in Japanese school. These advocate group would be working for some forces who intend to break Japan from inside.

Maybe because you aren't paying attention to the things going on around you. Just because someone doesnt see or hear something does not mean it does not exist.

It's thinking like this that ends up hurting more than helping because people like to keep their heads in the sand about issues that make them uncomfortable about their own sexuality.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Before puberty, children are usually attracted by other children in the same sex group.

No they aren't. If you feel otherwise, please show some study that shows this to be the case.

For myself, I was never attracted to boys at any point in my life. I was however attracted to girls from a young age. And as I have repeatedly said, most homosexuals knew they were attracted to the same sex from a young age.

After puberty, heterosexuals develop their sexual liking toward people in the opposite sex, and homosexuals develop theirs toward people in the same sex.

It happens before puberty.

Once again, I'm not making this up. This is fact.

One study of young men who described themselves as homosexual or bisexual found that these men recalled experiencing feelings of same-sex attraction by the age of 10 and had their first homosexual experiences at around 14

Link: http://www.education.com/reference/article/development-sexual-orientation/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

These advocate group would be working for some forces who intend to break Japan from inside.

Japan is doing just fine "breaking" itself without any LGBT advocate groups. If anything, I'd think they'd help rather than hurt the situation.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I have never heard LGBT right issue in Japanese school. These advocate group would be working for some forces who intend to break Japan from inside.

Putin said that there were some forces who intend to break Russia. I think the same forces.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

StrangerlandMAY. 09, 2016 - 04:24PM JST

ask homosexuals and most of them will tell you they knew they liked the same sex when they were still prepubescent. This isn't a point of contention, it's fact.

That does not prove anything.

Before puberty, children are usually attracted by other children in the same sex group.

After puberty, heterosexuals develop their sexual liking toward people in the opposite sex, and homosexuals develop theirs toward people in the same sex. So, in retrospect, a homosexual would say s/he was attracted by the children in the same sex even before puberty.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You would say sexual orientation has nothing to do with sex. But it actually means with whom you want to have sex

Actually, sexual orientation is about which sex one is attracted to. Not about sex specifically.

How would a prepubescent child know what sex is all about or with whom s/he wants to have sex?

A prepubescent child can know which sex they are attracted to. Again, I knew I liked girls before I was having sex with them, and before I knew what sex was all about. I remember playing 'you show me yours and I'll show you mine' with a girl when I was like six years old. I had no idea what sex was about, but I knew I was attracted to that girl.

And once again, I'm not just making this up - ask homosexuals and most of them will tell you they knew they liked the same sex when they were still prepubescent. This isn't a point of contention, it's fact.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

StrangerlandMAY. 09, 2016 - 11:57AM JST

How many teenage students have established sexual orientation?

When you talk to homosexuals, most of them knew at a prepubescent age.

You would say sexual orientation has nothing to do with sex. But it actually means with whom you want to have sex. How would a prepubescent child know what sex is all about or with whom s/he wants to have sex?

Things get unclear when people substitute the word sex with love.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

How many teenage students have established sexual orientation?

When you talk to homosexuals, most of them knew at a prepubescent age.

Many have not experienced even their first intercourse.

You don't need to have intercourse to know your sexual orientation. I knew I liked women long before I ever had sex with one.

Can any teenage student identify himself/herself as a bisexual?

Yes, they can.

Teenagers develop their sexuality slowly over years.

Whatever would make you think that?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How many teenage students have established sexual orientation? Many have not experienced even their first intercourse. In addition, in many countries intercourse with or between teenagers is prohibited as statutory rape. Can any teenage student identify himself/herself as a bisexual?

Teenagers develop their sexuality slowly over years. One is not sure of his/her sexuality most of the school years. I do not think LGBT right is an issue in school.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Without saying anything about whether or not I am gay personally, I want to note that there seems to be a jobs program afoot in Japanese k-12 education. A few years ago there was the hubbub about recertification, which gave a push to older teachers to leave the profession. Recently it seems that bullying scandals are encouraging schools to hire another employee to stop bullying. And now we will have counselors for kids to stop sexual preference related bullying. And in a few years it will be something else. All the while teachers are expected to fill more and more social roles even as their authority and control over the school environment slips away, undermined by counselors and nurses and dysfunctional parents.

Let's just tell teachers what we want. We want them to be rigid and forceful disciplinarians so that our little snowflakes don't wind up soft and coddled from a lack of boundaries imposed at home. But we want teachers to be flexible and understanding of all manner of behaviors because, by golly, each child is an individual snowflake, deserving of their own little snowglobe.

Crank up the complaint machine, everybody. Japanese schools are not going to meet everyone's needs perfectly. And we expect so much of them already that I have no doubt that somebody is extremely disappointed.

And those comments have to do with k-12.

As far as university goes? I am pretty sure I had a lot of gay and lesbian students when I was teaching. And a lot of them went on to become teachers. They seemed to be pretty open about it and some of the best students were gay. It just was not a big deal. Will some people feel sensitive? Sure. And they will speak out in an interview survey. Frankly, I see A LOT of opportunities for people in Japan to express themselves, but like all sexual matters, Japanese people, with notable exceptions, are more reserved and probably don't want to bring sex into all of their social relations.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There is no such thing as trans gender anything..it is scientificalky impossible.

Scientifickaly?.............lol!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It doesn't take poll results to intuit that there's probably a problem, especially given the general rigidity of gender roles established at a very early age, and the prevalence of bulling and youth suicide. But it will take a more comprehensive study than this one, which reportedly covered just around 100 people, to goad the government into any action on behalf of LGBT youth--whether prevention, education, or legislation. The lack of role models outside the media-driven image of effeminate cross-dressers is also a major obstacle to change--I can think of only a scant handful of public figures who have come out about their sexuality (mostly politicians, and one guy who's a regular on the music/comedy scene).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@CrisGerSan, I think it's high time you come to grips with your own gender issues.

It's OK, there aren't any 'NORMAL' people.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

CrisGerSanMAY. 08, 2016 - 08:27AM JST There is no such thing as trans gender anything..it is scientificalky impossible.

I'm sure it must be very satisfying to just assume that something experts in sexuality and social psychology have spent their lives defining and studying doesn't exist because you don't want it to exist.

I'm the same way about the chocolate coating they use at Mr. Donuts.. People say it's real, but if I strain my forehead and hate hard enough, it really does feel like a conspiracy someone made up just to disappoint me.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

There is no such thing as trans gender anything..it is scientificalky impossible. It is a fantasy created by liberal activists who want to make an issue of it for fame and power. I am glad Japanese kids retain some sense, the US seems filled with this junk about this fantasy now and it is a ttotal fraud.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Matsuko Deluxe an openly gay cross dressing male is hard to miss on television

Just curious, do you call all cross-dresser's "gay"? There have been quite a few of them on Japanese TV over the years but that does not make them openly gay.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

However, anime depicts homosexuality and transgender as totally acceptable. Especially Ixion Saga Dimension Transfer (or DT to fans). ????

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Neither the general public nor advertisers seem to have much problem with openly gay people. Matsuko Deluxe an openly gay cross dressing male is hard to miss on television and in advertising posters on trains. There are also some noted "butch" female television types as well.

bullfighter - all this shows is the deeply ingrained opinion and prejudice amongst the Japanese that homosexuality is an amusing eccentricity. Gay males are almost always expected to be effete mincing, high-pitched jokers. Gay females are expected to be butch. These are exactly the stereotypes you refer to. Because Japanese expect all gays to be like this, it does not occur to them that "normal" people might also be gay.

I reckon that about 80%+ of gay people in Japan are in the closet and lead straight lives.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yubaru

However passing all the negativity aside a moment here, one transgendered young person I knew, who now has graduated from HS as a female, had the courage to overcome it all and use his differences to educate literally thousands of people.

Agreed and I thumb you up. Around 10 years ago I also had a Singaporean neighbor who is LGBT. Even if it was in Melbourne, therefore he may not suffered as badly as in Japan (based on this article, which I assume reliable). Live in a high end area, posh apartment, nice roundup personality, highly successful at the age of 27 in Finance, made it on his own. He was my role model when I was his neighbor at 18, because I admired his brain, and that he knows he's different but respects himself. He became family friend who got invited to dinners at ours by Mom. Helped me with my 1st resume. I find out accidentally when we just moved and I heard he's in the balcony, when I put my head across to borrow toolbox to setup my desk (interrupted his candlelight dinner). I'm glad to say that even then, I have zero prejudice about LGBT people. This is not to say I'm better or anything. Only I believe in different values than the haters. What's most important in people is how they carry themselves in society, and their success and what they make to contribute to their world. As I heard it said somewhere: "Let those without sin cast the first stone".

Its very sad, the group mentality in Japan. Can't you think for yourself and still liked for your own personal opinion? I also dislike the bullying culture who bully everything that moves. Ugly? Got bullied. Stupid? Bullied. Different? Bullied. Well, I said, then if it were me, I will strive to be as beautiful, smart, etc to avoid bullying. Until a friend in Japan told me a tale of a smart and beautiful young woman who commit suicide because she's heavily bullied by her friends for managing a seat in ToDai. Why? If someone is better looking and smarter, does she needs to dumb down to stroke egos of her group of girlfriends? I'd rather not have friends. Honestly, The saying of "The nail that sticks up..." needs to go.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Balakrishnan GurumurtiMAY. 07, 2016 - 07:07PM JST Law alone cannot change perceptions of society;

We're not talking about acceptance. We're talking about not turning a blind eye to child abusers when the child abusers justify their abuse by claiming the child somehow deserved it for being different. Personally, I don't give a damn what anyone thinks about LGBT people, but that doesn't mean anyone has the right to make school an unsafe space for them.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

There is a force that intends to destory Japan from inside, trying to destory 1. Emperor system. 2. marriage system, 3. legal system 4. Japanese language, 5. shrine visit, 5. food culture, 6. freedom of speech.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Looking at the comments here, I get the impression that most seem to think Japan is uniquely backward in terms of LGBT issues. But, in fact Human Rights Watch has done no comparable research in any other country. I checked their web site. There was nothing. In the absence of comparative research using the same methodology, there is no way to know where Japan stands relative to other countries. But, if you take the time to do a Google search on "transgender bullying" as I have done, you will find that it is common in the US. For example,

High school and middle school bullying in the United States has become an epidemic. Bullying affects the entire student population, but members of the LGBTQ community take the brunt of the abuse. Among them, transexual people are routinely victimized. Too often cases of serious bullying are not reported to the teachers and school administrators, and on top of that, there is a disturbing tendency among school administrators to not address these instances.

http://nobullying.com/transgender-bullying/

Suicides associated with transgender bullying are easily found in US news reports.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/10/bullied-transgender-teen-commits-suicide/ http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2015/05/07/wisconsin-trans-teen-bullied-femininity-dies-suicide

These and many other reports of US transgender kids committing suicide because of bullying are not ancient history. They're from the last two years.

None of this excuses the problem in Japan but it does mean that anyone who presents this issue as peculiar to Japan or peculiar to the Japanese is demonstrating two things very clearly: (1) they have read little or nothing about this subject beyond the JT article; (2) they are themselves highly prejudiced with respect to Japan and the Japanese.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

"Gay = effeminate bloke in a dress who is too 'HONNE' = KIMOI."

Ive seen many an Oyaji struttin his stuff in a dress with stockings and wig. Nobody dared pay him a glance, but when I see the occasional girl hold girls hand, I see allot of mean stares.

I guess the Oyaji doing cosplay is accepted as japanese but he gay couple is seen as being "gai" or strangeness from abroad

Go figure

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Thanks to western complainers, Japan will slowly change and learn to accept all people.

And you live where?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Illyas, show us the great numbers of conservatives who are physically bullied, attacked, and murdered for having repressive views. Then I'll show you the stats on similar incidents for LGBTQ people. Then I'll show you the words FALSE EQUIVALENCE in the dictionary.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Thanks to western complainers, Japan will slowly change and learn to accept all people.

-2 ( +3 / -4 )

I agree with the posters who say the West should not impose its values and norms on the East, this is true. The statement that mac shut down all the brothels, however, is not exactly true. Prostitution was very rampant in Tokyo and Yokohama after the war and still is if your japanese in many places. So is gambling, its called pachinko

Having said that, I think its just as much japans fault because to me, it seems Japan has always been a country in search of an identity. Nobody is forcing them to copy anything, but they do, and most of it from the U.S. Even the kimono and the hanko and very traditional things are not originally from Japan, but came from China. Everything came from China until Japan was introduced to the modern Western world. I sometimes watch Chinese dramas and youd be mistaken for thinking it was a Japanese samurai drama because so many things are almost the same, from the Temples to the hairstyles and dress; Japan only took it and modified it.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Yeah, let's just ignore all talk of political correctness because the term is nothing but a shield for those who want to lash out at people whose identities they don't like while silencing critics who would criticize that.

Actually it's progressives who lash out at people whose views they don't like, using political correctness as a tool to silence and belittle them. Literally the opposite of what you said. Concepts like 'safe spaces' taken up by modern youth is inherently about silencing critics.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Law alone cannot change perceptions of society; LGBT till accepted by very society, they need to be very careful with open society norms; society is always the arbiter. see 10 out of 193 UN members recognize LGBT. so it is clear universally LGBT is some sin.

Better one need to be guarded; after all LGBT is there time immemorial; but people never showed of is the fact.

Fact is LGBTs cannot conceive children is a universal fact. Marriages without children being born is some curse is a belief.

so better LGBTs if do not want to be ostrasized better to live as a closed society is safer; so they can have their own way of life as was so since time immemorial

marriage w

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

BrolingMAY. 07, 2016 - 12:07PM JST What gets me is looking at the photo the "complainers" are Westerners.

Let's leave aside for a moment the fact that this comment could only possibly be believed by someone who either understands no Japanese or avoids all contact with the Japanese LGBT world, because I want to look at this:

Pushing all these liberal Western doctrines on the East is not something I condone.

Since when is Japan "the East"!? Since when is it a "liberal[,] Western doctrine" that children shouldn't be abused by their school system? Because that's what we're talking about.

Actually, it is a breath of fresh air to be somewhere that is not so politically correct.

Yeah, let's just ignore all talk of political correctness because the term is nothing but a shield for those who want to lash out at people whose identities they don't like while silencing critics who would criticize that.

Open dialogue is the answer, but no Westerner has the moral high ground here.

Open dialog like when you disregard every Japanese voice saying things you disagree with, and demand everyone with non-Japanese ancestry silence themselves unless they happen to be, well, you?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

If Japan is so intolerant, why are there so many gay western guys in Japan?

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Aughhhh, Matsudaira Ken is LGBT if I remember correctly. Johnny Kitagawa is also rumored as being gay.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

e mention of Matsuko Deluxe in support of an argument that Japan has no real issue with homosexuality is rather hilarious but also telling. The Japanese folk I've spoken to about LGBT issues are generally not overtly bigoted, but they are woefully naive about the real lives of average joe LGBTs. If they think about it at all, they choose to believe that the image of homosexuality portrayed by TV talents such as Deluxe is what all homosexuals are like - Funny, yes, but 'KIMOI', and not really someone I'd like to be personal acquaintances with. And these opinions are openly expressed by otherwise quite reasonable, liberal minded people. Their experience and knowledge regarding LGBT is simply too stunted.

But how could it not be? Please tell me if any other LGBT images get on TV? Are there any gay role models who do not approximate Deluxe in persona? Are there any gay role models who , before they come 'out', nobody knew or suspected were gay? To be blunt, are there any LGBT persons in the media who are not there because of the stereotyped image of homosexuality they portray? Are there any 'normal' gay role models whose sexual preferences are irrelevant to their worth, like say, hair colour or number of siblings?

Nope, most folks feel it's much simpler and safer to stick to the stereotypes and sweeping categorizations. Gay = effeminate bloke in a dress who is too 'HONNE' = KIMOI. The conclusions of this HRW report is stating the bleedin' obvious. If you are an average joe LGBT at school, you ain't gonna be open about it because those around are gonna assume you are or wanna be one of the KIMOI stereotypes they see on TV. I don't know if this is a 'western' thing as some are arguing here (I'm sure Edo and before had its own such OTT effeminate characters?), or is one aspect of the bullying culture here that makes fun of the weak and vulnerable (perhaps that is also a western introduction?)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

People who are not good enough to succeed or make it big in life with their trade skills, teach. No wonder so many bitter teachers practicing covert bullying and using young minds to fulfill their agendas to make their wretched life more bearable ^^ There's no point in looking up to teachers. At times they're even more childish, shallow, and broken than young people whose still got spirit and ideals.

My point is, going to educators, especially in Japanese schools with issue as important as wanting to fit in when you're different like LGBT, will that truly help or change anything?

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

This isn't just a school issue. Workplaces in Japan are exactly the same, bulling is part of everyday life in big Japanese companies.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

There are western countries that are very tolerant. Don't let the US be the de facto western country. Ever. It's Puritan roots are far from the normal. Having said that, if America has become more tolerant and is overcoming its previous prejudice then surely Japan could have too. it Is just fatuous to keep blaming intolerance of LGBT in Japan as being the result of American - much less, "western" - influence. Japan is usually very proud of how it has resisted or reshaped foreign influence when it suits. It is just too easy and contradictory to blame intolerance on outside influence.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Remember, children do not raise themselves. Hate & bigotry are learned at home, not inborn. Parents should accept personal responsibility for how their children treat others.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Happens to be spot on in this case.

Non sense. No one is forcing Japan to be so socially late TODAY. No one is forcing Japan not to reform itself and become up to the standards of civilized countries. This fallacious argument that Japan was at some point in time more open to people having different sexuality and then changed because of "westerners" is total rubbish. It's again the victim attitude prevailing here, saying that's not our fault.

Neither the general public nor advertisers seem to have much problem with openly gay people. Matsuko Deluxe an openly gay cross dressing male is hard to miss on television and in advertising posters on trains. There are also some noted "butch" female television types as well.

This is again a weak argument given that Japanese society likes desperately to categorize people inside predefined boxes. Television and media are absolutely not a reflect of what the society is in reality, particularly in Japan where such mediums are so "faked", childish and just totally disconnected to the real.

The proof of that is a recent study which showed that although same-sex relationships are becoming more widely accepted in Japan, many are tolerant of the relationships only among unfamiliar people. From the article,

"Many people are accepting of romantic feelings between same-sex people, but there is strong intolerance of such feelings when it comes to those they are familiar with and to same-sex sexual conduct".

So what you are saying seems to be quite far from what the reality is.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/11/29/national/social-issues/public-tolerant-sex-relationships-less-among-friends-poll/

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Firstly, I'm a Western who has lived in Japan for 20 odd years as a teacher in schools and companies. First of all, japan is Japan and the West is the West. Every country and culture has their own set of troubles. What gets me is looking at the photo the "complainers" are Westerners. How many panels of Japanese do you see being quoted in Western papers where they criticize what goes on in the US or other Western countries? I have a suggestion. Why not clean up your own societies and lead by example. Pushing all these liberal Western doctrines on the East is not something I condone. Actually, it is a breath of fresh air to be somewhere that is not so politically correct. Take your PC agendas back to your own countries and let the Japanese work it out on their own. There will always be those who are intolerant of others, but that is life. Getting the government involved to be everyone's "big brother" is not the solution. Open dialogue is the answer, but no Westerner has the moral high ground here. Every time I return to my home country it makes me thankful that I live amongst civilized Japanese people opposed to what is becoming a degenerate generation of hyper sensitive whimpering social justice warrior brats. I suffered bullying in my home country growing up, but I got over it and it made me stronger in the long run. So why don't you leave the Japanese out of your crusade.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

Western prejudices against homosexuality were increasingly adopted. There you go, blame it on the gaijins.

Happens to be spot on in this case. Some of my Japanese and foreign students did a project on homosexuality in Japan last semester. They found that the only time it has been illegal was for a few years in the 19th century as part of the effort to show that Japan was modern and Western. The law was soon repealed.

Neither the general public nor advertisers seem to have much problem with openly gay people. Matsuko Deluxe an openly gay cross dressing male is hard to miss on television and in advertising posters on trains. There are also some noted "butch" female television types as well.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

School age children often just parrot what they hear older family saying (not all, but many). So even though this is a study in a school, it probably speaks to the wider issue of how these people are viewed in Japanese society as a whole. Which is slightly surprising given the number of cross-dressing or overtly gay celebrities here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As Japan industrialised and modernised, however, from the late 19th century, Western prejudices against homosexuality were increasingly adopted.

More like from when McAurthur decided that the official brothel services and prostitution were no longer "legal" and American imported Judeo-Christian morals along with it's hangups regarding the human body and sex.

4 ( +5 / -2 )

anotherexpat

During the Edo period there were gay prostitutes who catered to priests. Danshoku(男色) was not a dirty word in those days.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

"As Japan industrialised and modernised, however, from the late 19th century, Western prejudices against homosexuality were increasingly adopted." What is the source of this information?

Is it not much more likely the case that the Japanese expression "出る釘は打たれる”, which reflects the inability of much of this society to accept differences or tolerate idiosyncracies, reveals the root of this prejudice?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Lets not use the word teachers and say it like it is, they are repeaters.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Western prejudices against homosexuality were increasingly adopted.

There you go, blame it on the gaijins.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

@yildiray EXACTLY! Not being gay, but different, I was bullied in H.S.. This taught me to judge people by how they treat me, and others ONLY. I've met plenty of decent people who by first look you would think are bad.

Never judge a book by its cover.

This should be spread throughout the educational system, and tattooed on offensive teacher's foreheads!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

We shouldn't judge people on their sexuality, or sexual identity. The only important point is if they are a good or bad person.

9 ( +9 / -1 )

Gay, bisexual, whatever, just let them do what they want to.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

One idea that doesn't see to have taken much hold in Japanese society is that of 'difference', so it's no surprise to read that LGBT youth have a difficult time in school. However, it is encouraging to note that society is becoming more accepting, to the point of some municipalities and corporations recognizing same-sex relationships.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I certainly don't condone bullying, but given Japan's dire demographic situation, same-sex relationships should be discouraged. Ultimately it is up to the individual as to how they lead their lives, but the more people in Japan having babies the better.

Akula, same sex relationships, hetero ones, celibacy etc should not be encouraged nor discouraged. A good environment to live the life you choose should be provided to all citizens by their goverment. The rest will follow.

I think it's parents responsibility to ensure their kids are tolerant and accept that all kids may/will make different choices in life. Spent a fair bit of time in Thailand a long time ago and was always amazed by the fact thai kids/teens could openly be hetero, gay, asexual, trans (not fully) and change the following year without fearing to lose all theor friends or be ostracized.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Teachers have never been all inclusive; they often ridicule those who are different because of skin color, sexuality, family, or inability in sports. The more 'society' feels it should be homogenous, the more teachers are the problem. It's also why a record number of teachers are applying for sick leave due to 'stress,' depression, and other mental disorders.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

said she learned in class that homosexual relations were the main cause of AIDS and were a “very weird thing to do”.

No, no, no. The Bi-sexuals were the ones spreading hiv. I'm more tolerant of a female being bi. But definitely NOT a guy.

-22 ( +4 / -26 )

Being open and being accepting are not the same... I would guess America is more open but is it really more accepting than Japan? Just recently there has been a lot of discussion in certain states of America which make me think otherwise and perhaps a better example could have been used?

2 ( +4 / -1 )

I guess things have changed since totally gay gokai was in public school from the mid 80s to the late 90s. Back then it was the "weak" who were bullied. I was totally out and never bullied and I was even a group leader. I was just "hentai 変態)", but just because something is hentai doesn't mean you wouldn't like to try it. That does not mean it did not happen sometimes, but sexuality was just not the target. Must be another western influence.

-1 ( +8 / -8 )

I certainly don't condone bullying, but given Japan's dire demographic situation, same-sex relationships should be discouraged. Ultimately it is up to the individual as to how they lead their lives, but the more people in Japan having babies the better.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

I can attest from personal experience that kids, particularly boys, who are effeminate, some gay, some not, are seriously bullied and it's sick that few so-called educators are prepared to deal with the problems.

However passing all the negativity aside a moment here, one transgendered young person I knew, who now has graduated from HS as a female, had the courage to overcome it all and use his differences to educate literally thousands of people.

She knew from a very young age that she was different, she was bullied in kindergarten, because she liked wearing dresses, long story short, she busted her butt, learned to play the piano and won a local prefectural competition wearing a flowing blue gown.

In JHS she, again busted her butt and learned to speak English on her own, and she won the Takamado All Japan Junior High School English Oratorical Competition, telling her life story and how she overcame the bullies.

She was allowed to wear a girls uniform to HS and allowed to use the female teachers bathroom.

And yes she is Japanese, and while stories like this are few and far between here, I am every hopeful for the future

11 ( +17 / -6 )

The heavy emphasis in Japanese schools placed on "team building" sometimes seems to fall heavily on those outside the standard profile, such as children with a foreign parent, for instance. It's something that could be steered in a positive direction, of course, - non-standard people need to be part of the team - but often the teachers seem prejudiced, pretty clueless and contributing to the problem.

17 ( +19 / -1 )

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