Japan LGBTQ rights group calls out misinformation over public bath use and trans women

TOKYO -- An LGBTQ rights group called for "calm discussions" regarding a bill to promote understanding of sexual minorities in Japan amid misinformation that "men will be able to enter women's public baths just by saying 'I'm a woman inside.'"

Nationwide organization Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation members and others held a news conference in Tokyo on March 16 to warn that such misinformation will fuel discrimination against transgender women.

Regarding trans women, false rumors and slander have reportedly been spreading for some years that give the impression that they commit sexual violence by falsifying their gender. Since it became likely that the development of an "LGBT understanding promotion bill" would advance following discriminatory remarks against the LGBTQ community by a former secretary of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last month, social media posts claiming that public bath rules will change are spreading to fuel anxiety.

Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation secretary-general Yuichi Kamiya told the news conference, "We cannot overlook that the misinformation is becoming extremely widespread." He added, "While some 60 local governments have introduced anti-discrimination ordinances over one's sexual orientation and sexual identity, there have been no reports about changing public bath rules."

As a trans woman, Minori Tokieda commented, "We want the public to know that there are many sexual minority people who are suffering due to hatred (toward them)."

(Japanese original by Miyuki Fujisawa, Lifestyle and Medical News Department)