picture of the day

Rainbow Pride

29 Comments

Revellers wear costumes during the Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade in Tokyo on Sunday. Thousands of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders (LGBT) and their supporters participated in the parade to celebrate LGBT lifestyle and denounce prejudice and discrimination against sexual minorities.

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29 Comments
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As always, when there's an article about pride marches, there's always a photo of half naked men in fancy costume. How about everyone else? It might surprise some people (the ones who have to pick and choose to get their arguments across) that not everyone was showing their stuff. Did anyone see the photo on Japan Times - three half naked women. Without the rainbow bikinis, you'd think they were taking part in the Brazilian carnivals.

Just how is this all different to the Rio carnivals where women shake their booties half naked, or the Japanese festivals where the men wear nothing but fundoshi. Oh that's right, they're not gay men, so it's ok.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Does my heart good to see so many people state what they really are. Think of all the pretending they've done over the years to hide what they really are. "GOOD FOR THEM!"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In Japan 8 out of 10 Homosexuals donate blood. This is the high percentage out any other group, 1 out of 26 is the percentage for Hetrosexuals. So how about given these people credit and not grief

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Guy Jincarde - you may not find the men in the photo appealing, but I am quite sure that there are several readers here who do!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Hats off to the editors at Japan Today for selecting a picture of some homosexual men. All too often, for some reason, we are forced to look at photo`s of a couple of hot lesbians, which are supposed to represent the event.

People need to understand that the purpose of this event is for recognition and respect in society, rather than an opportunity for tittilation.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You don't feel the need to flaunt it? Seriously, straight is flaunted everywhere. Life is full of ads with half-naked men and women rubbing their bodies together. That's flaunting and no one notices because it's straight.

We're just having one day a year where we do the same stuff that you see every day and not being ashamed of ourselves for once.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

And why should you care about what they do in public any more than you do about straight people?

Because I don't feel the need to flaunt it, that's why.

Oh, back to the children: better be ready for surprises in the future.

Sounds ominous. Better to keep the kids at home then

if I don't want my kids to see it, I won't take them to the parade.

If it's on TV, better to change the channel as well

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

You see someone who ought to be ashamed of himself, but I see someone who isn't ashamed for the first time in his life.

You see this stuff all the time on TV and you don't even notice it because they're straight. How many shirtless men have you seen on TV this week? How many girls in tight bikinis? Don't pretend like this is a gay thing.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Oh my, but reading these comments makes me so happy. There was a time, JapanToday comments were regularly filled with irrational, hateful, bigoted remarks. Now here we have levelheaded, thoughtful and concise opinions to combat the nonsense.

Thank you!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Exactly. I have no problem with what they do in the privacy of their home. None whatsoever.

And why should you care about what they do in public any more than you do about straight people? They're walking around. That's all. People dress wilder than this in Shibuya on Halloween. You don't have to gawk.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

So much b****it in the posts above. "I don't want my kids seeing it". As if by seeing BDG outfits will make your children better people in the future. The LGBT community is much larger than that, there are people just like me and you, wearing t-shirts and jeans parading there too. These guys in BDG are just the flashier side of the parade, and, of course, are the one that attract the cameras. Oh, back to the children: better be ready for surprises in the future.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Ya know, not everyone wears the kinky outfits at Pride Parades, they're just the ones that get their pictures taken.

And so be it if they wanna be fabulous for their parade! Those free to hate are free to not go so you won't be offended. Those who wanna go will have more fun if you're not there gawking and trolling.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I stopped by the park yesterday afternoon. It was a good atmosphere all around. I sometimes wonder about wearing bondage gear at these events too, but I don't really have a problem with it. If anything it adds to the overall mood of the event. Plus there were many families with their kids there. No one seemed to be worried for the kids seeing scantily clad dudes around. The kids seemed to enjoy it. Again, if anything, it's probably a good thing that kids see this and are compelled to ask their parents or teachers what it all means.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

sorry but i don't want my kids seeing that. i'm all for live and let live, but there is a line to be drawn in public places.

Exactly. I have no problem with what they do in the privacy of their home. None whatsoever

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Don't the marchers in the Tokyo Samba Parade wear provocative outfits?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What we have here is 12 oppressive bigoted comment we out 12. I love wearing my Hanshin Tiger,s shirt and I wear it with pride plus I support the Tiger fanatical. A lot like a these people who support for there cause with pride. So should we ban Supporters of Baseball teams for going to the ball game ?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

why do gay people have to dress up in BDSM as part of a festival? gay pride doesn't have to include in-your-face sexual fetishisms.

I'm very much an outsider to LGBT culture and honestly speaking, these sorts of out-there events do make me uncomfortable, because they're things I'm not used to at all.

But from what I've been able to learn talking with gay people, they don't come out of no where, these events exist for a reason. Partly they're about reacting against the invisibility of homosexuality - in many societies people just assume straight is the default and especially in more homophobic communities LGBT people have to conceal their gayness. Because for example people at your office might be more uncomfortable hearing about Bob's hot date with Neil than they are hearing about Dick's hot date with Jane, Bob feels pressure to hide who he is and eventually that pressure might become so great that he feels the need to act out in ways like we see in the picture.

Also, wacky behavior of any kind when shared between friends is a good way of building a community, and when LGBT people feel ostracized by the mainstream community, they feel more pressure to build a community of their own.

So I'm not comfortable with this sort of behavior, but I feel like I can tolerate it because I can empathize with where it comes from. I'd rather it came to an end, but I want that ending to not be because a bunch of straight people look down their nose at it, but rather because LGBT people are integrated enough into society that they don't feel the pressure that leads to these events. If you don't want to see more gay people acting out, the best way is for more straight people to truly treat them like they're normal.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

why do gay people have to dress up in BDSM as part of a festival? gay pride doesn't have to include in-your-face sexual fetishisms. that kind of stuff belongs in the privacy of your home. sorry but i don't want my kids seeing that. i'm all for live and let live, but there is a line to be drawn in public places.

I don't get BDSM as an entire concept, but I have no problem with it being in a gay pride parade - if I don't want my kids to see it, I won't take them to the parade.

Actually, I don't really care if my kids see it, as it gives a wider range of ideas in life, but the gay pride parade just doesn't interest me enough to go to it.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

From this single image, it would imply that gays, lesbians bisexuals and transgender lifestyle is heavily influenced by S n' M, Bondage etc...This is of course NOT what being gay is about at all...

Also, I'm not sure if that is the image that alternative lifestyle peeps should be trying to cultivate at first here in Japan as it will reinforce the idea held by "straight" people that a gay lifestyle is somehow deviant. Kind of unfortuante. Next time, maybe wear a cardigan and some khakis?

Dressing up like a villian from Fist of The North Star is hardly going to help to get you "accepted" in rigid Japanese society.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

They look like idiots.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

why do gay people have to dress up in BDSM as part of a festival? gay pride doesn't have to include in-your-face sexual fetishisms. that kind of stuff belongs in the privacy of your home. sorry but i don't want my kids seeing that. i'm all for live and let live, but there is a line to be drawn in public places.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

@Frungy You are talking out of your posterior my friend, you don't know me or what I am or what I think. My point is that these people are not helping their case to "denounce prejudice and discrimination against sexual minorities" by dressing in that manner. Anyway, you be as disgusted and offended as you wish, I really don't care what you think.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Really glad I missed this.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Dressing like that they deserve all the discrimination they get and I have nothing against gays whatsoever.

Except for their being visible and having fun in costumes during a Pride parade, apparently.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Dressing like that they deserve all the discrimination they get and I have nothing against gays whatsoever.

3 ( +14 / -11 )

Love his kimono! And I see these gents have been making good use of depilatory services. Where are the bears?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

How can a robot be gay? Perhaps he was programmed gay.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I always thought Doraemon was gay!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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