Japan’s first ever lesbian drama accused of being ‘out-of-date’
Japan is getting its first ever lesbian drama, but some are unhappy that it might be “outdated”.
It was announced by Fuji Television that the series, ‘Transit Girls’, will focus on a lesbian couple.
It tells the story of two women, aged 18 and 21, who initially clash when they become stepsisters as their parents marry, but then fall in love.
The characters will be played by Sairi Ito and Yui Sakuma.
Despite being a first for Japan, the eight-part series has been criticised for showing an “out-of-date” image of same-sex couples.
A promo shot for the series shows the two lead characters in bed naked together, looking into each other’s eyes and smiling.
Maki Muraki, the head of Nijiiro Diversity, which campaigns for workplace equality for LGBT people, said the poster is sending the wrong image.
“Having two girls lying naked on a white sheet and using words like ‘forbidden’ is a little out of date, I think,” Muraki told The Japan Times on Thursday.
“The things we do are not about sex. We face a lot of difficulties in our life, for example in the workplace. To be told that the image of us is one of sex doesn’t make me happy.”
Around 2000 people marched through the LGBT-friendly Shibuya district of Tokyo earlier this year.
Shibuya became first part of Japan to allow partnership registration for same-sex couples this year. It’s part of a slow growth of awareness of LGBT issues in the largely socially conservative country.
In April , a couple became the first diplomats to have a same-sex wedding at the British embassy in Tokyo.
Last year, Japan’s First Lady made a surprise appearance at the parade.
