LGBT people in Japan worry getting coronavirus may result in outing

Kohei Inagaki, 28 [...] "I may not be notified of my partner's health condition and may not be able to be involved in making decisions on treatment."

That's just shameful, a man loving another man who cannot make decisions as of his most beloved one's treatment is just shameful. Japan needs a lot of work in regards of sexual minorities and I think that the PM's wife Akie Abe attending the pride parade is not enough. Love is love, in Japan, Ethiopia, Palau or anywhere else.

rgcivilian1:

So when did you decide you wanted to be straight?

sensei258:

doesn't that they are afraid of you. (sic)

You're right. It means they hate you.

The virus doesn’t discriminate unfortunately...

that would suck going through life not being proud of who you are

Where exactly is the “outing”? Sexual orientation has nothing to do with the current situation.

this article is a mess. how exactly are gay people being outed since they are not being asked their sexual orientation at all. and what does making decisions about possible end-of-life treatment have anything to do with being outed? smgdfh

Don't see the relevance of this, I could get infected by someone at the supermarket, doesn't mean I'm doing the horizontal tango with that person, male or female.

this won’t just effect gay people, I predict many marriages will break up when health authorities suddenly mention the “other” close contact person.

It's 2020 , why would any gay person be afraid of being "outed " if so be the case ?

Who gives a c##p what people or your company think !

Amazing isnt it, They are all on about Gay pride and gay is normal but dont want any one to know , are they ashamed of who they are or embarrassed or ?

But he worries it may be revealed if he becomes infected with the virus as he would have to tell a public health center about his partner when asked about people he has had close contact with.

Is information on who Covid-19 patients have been in contact with made public? Why would a public health center tell the man's workplace that he lives with another man (or a woman even, it's none of the workplace's business)? If you get Covid-19, do you lose all privacy? Is this the actual procedure or just something someone is afraid of?

Conversely, if people are a registered couple but a hospital refuses to treat them as next of kin, that is open discrimination and is not remotely acceptable.

The fact that many LGBTQ are worried about these issues means much more still needs to be done in Japan.

Im not sure that I agree that most of the examples cited in the article are of ‘outing’. Outing isn’t the same as having to tell a medical professional that you live with someone, or you’ve had contact with someone. No medical professional will relay that information on to your company, family, or social media contact list.

Having said that, people clearly feel suppressed enough to keep such information a secret - and that suppression is what needs to change. Everyone should be able to live as who they are without any fear or embarrassment.

Ababy,

Maybe you don't understand living as a Japanese. I mean there even someone who became a Japanese sometimes, if not all the times, can't really do. I understand it though.

@It's 2020 , why would any gay person be afraid of being "outed " if so be the case ?

Who gives a c##p what people or your company think !

Um, that would be because Japan is actually a deeply conservative society. It's not anywhere near as liberal as you might think.

A 34-year-old man who lives with his same-sex partner in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, has chosen not to be open about his sexual orientation at his office. But he worries it may be revealed if he becomes infected with the virus as he would have to tell a public health center about his partner when asked about people he has had close contact with.

That it is his problem, not one of being gay. Plenty of straight people who will feel uncomfortable listing everybody that had close contact with.

So, there are LGBTQ people who consider it more important to hide their shame than save lives?

I think guys with secret girlfriends (and vice versa) are also in the same dilemma. Something hidden might be exposed if you catch coronavirus. But compared to saving lives, its a minor issue.

 If you get Covid-19, do you lose all privacy? Is this the actual procedure or just something someone is afraid of?

It is just another opportunity for a person who is pretending to be a journalist to push their political agenda. There are no doubt way more heterosexuals who are two-timing their significant other. Does the author of this piece assume their privacy will be protected over a homosexuals? Apparently so - but that is issue driven journalism gives you.

People are dying alone, there is no rhyme or reason.

Being LBGBT is of no consequence.

There is always a chance that tracking the spread of a virus will become intrusive for anybody. If you are asked about who you have met, where you met, what time you met and how long did you meet, then people will be able to put 2 x 2 together.

It isn't just LGBTQ community, but anyone doing something that may be embarrassing or highly personal.

That it is his problem, not one of being gay. Plenty of straight people who will feel uncomfortable listing everybody that had close contact with.

Yeah but shouldn’t care about those people - they are privileged or not a member of a protected class or something like that...

Bjorn TomentionToday 09:11 am JST

Amazing isnt it, They are all on about Gay pride and gay is normal but dont want any one to know , are they ashamed of who they are or embarrassed or ?

Maybe because there are no "they", I am sure you can understand that different people different boundaries.

right... just please don't start any massive gathering protests now ..

@Pukey2: So when did you decide you wanted to be straight?

Just as those who chose though born straight have rights so too do us straight folks and just as much.

The virus simply doesn't care so why should anyone have more of a say so than others.

It’s a shame the prejudices are so strong these people of varying sexual preferences have to hide who they are to avoid upsetting the ‘reiwa’.

I get it, but perhaps you shouldn't let other people die including your secret partner. You could easily say they are a room mate.

There is no meaning now to determinate the close contacts because it is spread all over society...called stage 3.

And anyway, just understand that if you feel at risk, you should be ready to call 119.

Remind me again why this is news.

Just as those who chose though born straight have rights so too do us straight folks and just as much.

Rule 19.

They are all on about Gay pride and gay is normal but dont want any one to know , are they ashamed of who they are or embarrassed or ?

Some gay people are simply afraid of discrimination. That's all.

If you get Covid-19, do you lose all privacy?

I wonder if whomever wrote this just woke up from a 3 month nap or something. People who have been contracting the illness here have been given more "privacy" than one would think.

No names, typically no locations, at least here, just ages, sex, and maybe their employment status. In fact in one case of a fatality here, the sex of the deceased was not even released, to give the family PRIVACY!

Totally gay Gokai's friends are all out at their companies and everywhere. This is 2020, and I guess I'm very naive not knowing that there are still lots of gays in the closet (I suspected there were still a few). I've been out since junior high in the early 90s and never had a problem (I could even be a class leader). I hope people don't die because of this.

I'm confused. A 34 year old gay man in Fukuoka will be grilled about who he's had close contact with if he gets Covid-19, which has almost zero chance of killing him or his partner unless they have underlying health issues or his partner is over 70 years old. But the health office doesn't grill him if he gets HIV/AIDS.

More than 3,400 deaths occurred in the 2018/19 season in Japan. They didn't go to such extremes for that.

https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/2019-10-04-07-17-22/865-iasr/9288-477te.html

The reaction to Covid-19 has been too extreme. We should protect the elderly and other vulnerable people with common sense social distancing, sanitation and hygiene and other measures, but don't wreck the rest of society in the process nor unnecessarily invade people's privacy or strip them of their rights.

Just live your best life.

I don't understand.

If LGBTQ people are really happy with what they are and what they are doing, why are they so worried about people finding out?

If LGBTQ people are really happy with what they are and what they are doing, why are they so worried about people finding out?

What makes you think all LGBTQ people are happy? And what makes you think those worries about getting outed are the happy ones?

Ridiculous scare mongering and hysteria.

Did they really have to resort to this low in order to get attention? COVID-19 can affect anyone regardless of race, nationality, religion, sex, sexual preference, the list goes on and on.

Did they really have to resort to this low in order to get attention?

Who is this 'they' of which you speak? And what 'low' have they gone to?

COVID-19 can affect anyone regardless of race, nationality, religion, sex, sexual preference, the list goes on and on.

Okaaaaaay? And with whom or what are you pointing this out to? No one has claimed otherwise.

This story is about being outed as a homosexual. Is that something that can affect anyone regardless of nationality, religion, sex, sexual preference, and on and on?

Strangerland, I didn't say that all LGBTQ people are happy. I wrote "happy with," not "happy."

OED: (happy with) satisfied with the quality or standard of: I'm happy with his performance.

Strangerland, I didn't say that all LGBTQ people are happy. I wrote "happy with," not "happy."

Adjust my question accordingly - still stands.

If LGBTQ people are really happy with what they are and what they are doing, why are they so worried about people finding out?

.

What makes you think all LGBTQ people are happy? And what makes you think those worries about getting outed are the happy ones?

Who knows if LGBTQ people are happy. Obviously this is in regards to being happy with their sexuality. But the fact is they must be happy with it because it's a choice. If they didn't like it, they would choose something else. (Which is likely why they are LGBTQ in the first place - they didn't like being straight.)

I have to agree with BertieWooster. The only reason they don't want people to find out is that they are, in fact, ashamed of it.

expatApr. 22 11:53 am JST

Valid concern, but getting outed won't kill you, and COVD-19 will. Stay home, stay safe.

Matthew Sheppard.