Japan’s most high-profile lesbian couple held a “wedding ceremony” on April 19th to celebrate their union.
The ceremony is literally just ceremonial, since gay people are not allowed to get married in Japan.
Ex-Gravure model and television personality Ayaka Ichinose (34) and actress Akane Sugimori (28) announced their “marriage” in December last year and have no followed through with the big day itself.
Same-sex marriage is finally becoming a major issue in Japan.
Hotel Granvia in Kyoto now offers gay wedding ceremonies, in partnership with a local Buddhist temple, as does Tokyo Disneyland.
Shibuya ward recently passed a landmark bill saying it will issue non-binding certificates effectively recognizing same-sex couples.
Ichinose and Sugimori opted for matching white dresses when they tied the knot in Shinjuku ward in front of 80 relatives and friends.
Despite having a vibrant gay history — do some research and you will very surprised how many famous samurai are allegedly to have been bisexual or gay — the Japanese government shows no interest in the rights of the gay community. Even though cross-dressing is a major part of mainstream and traditional culture, when it comes to confronting the particulars about sexual minorities, everyone shies away or shrugs.
Although overt anti-gay discrimination is probably relatively rare in Japan because Christianity and other moralistic religions never got a stranglehold, you usually have to venture to Nichome in Shinjuku if you want to see people really relaxed about who they are.
While parading a giant cock down a street in Kawasaki is fine, it’s not allowed for a gay photographer to show nude images in a gallery. Go figure.
“We held the wedding ceremony so that it might become easier for others to do the same in the future,” Sugimori told the media.
Apparently they are going to try to register their marriage with their local municipal office, knowing it will be rejected. However, doing this creates pressure at the grassroots (don’t expect the central government to give a shit any time soon).
For anyone interested, this is what Ichinose used to look like when she was a Gravure idol in her younger days.
This just goes to show that not all those busty models and idols who have to pose for the attention of the male gaze are actually interested in men!
