"We're here!": Organization from Ishikawa publishes a booklet with works by sexual and gender minorities

"My Own Step," comic published on the booklet.

It illustrates the real experiences of Mr. Kazuki, a transgender man.

Submitted by Nijihagu Ishikawa Hidamari no Kai

My body is

A girl.

My heart is

Is eight-tenths boy, two-tenths girl.

"Are you a boy? Or a girl?"

I'll try my best to answer this question just to be friendly.

But these same words,

If said to make fun of me,

Can cut to my heart.

Please stop making fun of me!

　　　　　◇

　This is a poem written by a grade two elementary student who had been experiencing gender dysphoria since they were young.

    LGBTQ individuals are everywhere around us, even in the Hokuriku region of Japan. This is a fact that many people should know. And for those in the closet, you are not alone. 

These are the sentiments that the LGBTQ individuals and their allies in Ishikawa put into this booklet.

    The booklet entitled "We're Here!: A Rainbow-Coloured Letter to You from Hokuriku," includes the poem above, and 12 other poems from the members of the Hidamari no Kai, which is an organization formed by LGBTQ individuals and their families located around the Hakusan city area. It features transgender people, gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. It showcases diverse sexualities, different age groups, and more.

　"People still don't think that LGBTQ people live around them here in the Hokuriku region. It takes courage to come out. But pretending someone you're not is just as tough. With this booklet, we hope to convey the message, 'Hey, we're also here.'" Ms. Yukiyo Ueda (植田幸代, 59), a midwife and the booklet coordinator, spoke for the contributors.

　Ueda has been teaching sex education at elementary and junior high schools for over 20 years. Gradually, children and parents began to ask her for advice regarding LGBTQ issues so she, along with her colleagues and other support groups, formed the organization Nijihagu Ishikawa in 2018.

　Last September, the government requested messages from the LGBTQ community, and the rest of the citizens expressed their interest to have those messages preserved in a booklet because their words were truly moving.

　In order to make the messages more accessible for children, members of the organization collaborated in creating two comic stories to impart their experiences and wisdom in the booklet.

　One of the illustrators was Mr. Kazuki (28). He was assigned female at birth, and now lives as a man. When he confided in his best friend, their calm reaction was a relief. It was this memory that he depicts in his comic "My Own Step." "You're not alone. There will always be someone who will understand you. This is the message I wanted to leave behind. For people like us, this is the most encouraging thing we need," Kazuki said. “It might take more time for people to gain awareness and be more understanding.” However, he pointed out, "At least people should understand that there are so many different genders out there."

　Ueda also said, "When you realize that you're different from someone else, there's a chance you could get hurt because of ignorance." Since the booklet was made for sexual and gender minorities, it will hopefully be a useful tool to hand to someone when you come out to them.

　The organization is aiming to finish the booklet at the end of June. Right now, they are raising money to cover production costs, etc. You can help through this link: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/397032 

Japanese article by Yasuhiro Takeda (竹田和博)

Source: https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASP576TP9P49PISC01F.html