Akashi paints the city with rainbows as they kick off the LGBTQ+ Friendly Project

Hyogo, Akashi -- Akashi is the first city in Japan to introduce the familyship system, which recognizes same-sex couples and their children as families, alongside the partnership system on January 8. (This new system includes marriage registration and being able to register without discrimination is wonderful news.) To keep the momentum going, the city, along with other organizations and businesses, are continuously working hard together to launch the "LGBTQ+ Friendly Project" with the newly introduced system for their community development plan. The slogan will be "No matter what your sexual orientation or gender identity and gender expression is, everyone should be able to live true to themselves and work together to understand each other." Akashi city seeks to be known as the "city of living your truth as the norm." More importantly, they will be holding an "Akashi Rainbow Campaign" for two months, which will be finishing at the end of February. They aim to raise awareness by putting up posters, stickers, and rainbow flags all over the city.

　The city also held an "LGBTQ+ Friendly Project Kick Off Event" to commemorate the start of the project and the implementation of the partnership and familyship system on January 9. The event was held in the Akashi city plaza (Papios Akashi 2nd floor). Bourbonne, Suzuka Inoue, Katsunori Kano, and Masahiro Shimada were invited as guests to the event. The ceremony for hanging each of the colours of the huge rainbow flag on the glass windows of Papios Akashi, a landmark in front of the Akashi station, was incredibly moving. The mayor's speech was also well-received.

　There was also a photo exhibition「OUT IN JAPAN」 being held in the same venue. The exhibition is planned to be displayed at the Aeon Akashi Shopping Center, Akashi Library, and city hall in the future. The「OUT IN JAPAN」photo exhibition has been held in different cities, but this is the first time that it will be displayed in different parts of the city in a caravan-like way. This will be very good exposure for the exhibition since more of the residents will be able to see it.

　Furthermore, different places in front of the train station are decorated with rainbows. The city does not stop at hanging a rainbow flag at the city plaza, but they also painted the central stairs with rainbow colours (which is probably another first in the country). The Akashi Municipal Planetarium, which signifies Akashi as the "City of Time," lights the city up in rainbows. People can have a view of the rainbows from different parts of the city. Through all of these, the city-wide LGBTQ awareness campaign has expanded quite phenomenally. (This wouldn't have happened without the government's help.) Additionally, there are also plans for libraries and bookstores to do a series of collaborations called 「本のまち×みんなにやさしいまち」(lit. Book Town X Friendly Town), and also an Akashi Rainbow stamp rally.

　"Akashi is a town, friendly to both LGBTQ folks and to children. I wonder if I should move to Akashi now," someone said on social media.

　This is truly wonderful news to lift the curtains for 2021.

　Other cities could do the same amazing things if they just put in the work (like hiring and working with LGBTQ support specialists). Akashi is showing us the results of their hard work. We expect to see more exciting things from the Akashi LGBTQ+/SOGIE policy team in the future.


Source: https://www.outjapan.co.jp/lgbtcolumn_news/news/2021/1/8.html