Protest in front of the LDP headquarters: outrage against the homophobic and transphobic remarks by the LDP

Protesters in front of the LDP headquarters to protest against the discriminatory remarks made against the LGBT+ community by LDP members.
Chiyoda, Tokyo. May 30, 2021. 6:59 PM.
Photo by Naoki Watanabe (渡部直樹).

"We are outraged."

    On the evening of May 30, people organized a protest in front of the LDP headquarters, located in Nagata-cho, against the discriminatory remarks made against the LGBT+ community by LDP members. The protest is also to call for the passing of the LGBT+ bill. More than 100 people showed up with placards and candles to express their thoughts.

【Miyuki Fujisawa (藤沢美由紀)/Digital Reporting Center】

Demand For the LGBT+ Bill

　

    The LDP passed up the decision to submit the "Promotion of Understanding LGBT Bill" even though they had more than two weeks left in the current Diet session. This is the reason behind the protest, but what really sparked it is that House of Representatives member Kazuo Yana and House of Councillors member Eriko Yamatani made discriminatory remarks during the assembly regarding the bill. The LGBT community and allies called out for support, and organized a seat-in protest and speeches until the night of May 31.

Protesters in front of the LDP headquarters to protest against the discriminatory remarks made against the LGBT+ community by LDP members.
Chiyoda, Tokyo. May 30, 2021. 6:59 PM.
Photo by Naoki Watanabe (渡部直樹).

    During the rainy evening of May 30, many came out in protest holding up signs that say "Pass the bill to end LGBT discrimination!" "Take back your LGBTphobic remarks!" and listened to the speakers at the protest.

　Openly gay Soushi Matsuoka declared in his speech: "In this country, the situation for sexual and gender minorities is just so horrible that our lives are constantly in danger. That's why we need to make the bill into law. I cannot express how angry I was to hear about the discriminatory remarks made during the debate for the bill."

　Fumino Sugiyama, who is a transgender man, spoke out in protest, "As of now, many of our community members are still suffering to the point that they want to die. I can't count how many people we have lost due to this. The Japanese society is just hopeless when it comes to understanding our struggles, especially struggles for trans people. This bill could save lives so just pass it into law during this current Diet session."

Source: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210530/k00/00m/040/155000c