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Here is a thread about recent transphobia in Japan. Headed by Japan's most famous feminist @ueno_wan, the Women's Action Network (WAN) website @wansmt published an article defending TERFs on 8/12. I sat down & read the articles/statements tonight so I'll introduce them here. 1/15
1st: queer studies scholar Shimizu Akiko @akishmz notes the article is acting as great clickbait for WAN so don't feel compelled to read it. But it's called "We Are Not Excluded Transgender Individuals" (トランスジェンダーを排除しているわけではない). 2/15
https://www.facebook.com/notes/shimizu-akiko/%E7%86%9F%E8%AD%B0%E3%81%AE%E5%A0%B4%E3%82%92%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%B2%AC%E4%BB%BB%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6/10207621650336125/
https://www.facebook.com/notes/shimizu-akiko/%E7%86%9F%E8%AD%B0%E3%81%AE%E5%A0%B4%E3%82%92%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%B2%AC%E4%BB%BB%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6/10207621650336125/
The article says: all we want is a discussion, we just want everyone to be safe/happy, the term TERF is offensive, trans activists threaten us w/violence, criticism of JK Rowling is unfair, we just want toilets/baths/changing rooms/rape crisis centers for ourselves. 3/15
For context, let me repeat that WAN is an extremely well-respected feminist org. This article is poorly written & rehashes statements taking as a premise the idea that trans women are dangerous/violent. I didn't see anything original or thoughtful & found it unproductive. 4/15
The Feminist Seminar/Trans Rights study group (ふぇみ・ゼミ×トランスライツ勉強会) @femizemitrans sent a public letter to WAN. They point out WAN's declared advocacy of human rights & ask them to clarify the process in which this article was published. 5/15 https://femizemitrans.blogspot.com/
Activist @hatakeno_tomato also followed with a letter to WAN, asking about the process through which this letter (written under a manga character's name) was published & about whether WAN supports the fact that trans women are women. 6/15 https://note.com/hatakeno_tomato/n/n7b7b34c3381b
Writer @Li_Kotomi also sent a letter to WAN asking why they published a discriminatory article. Li notes self-entitlement of the author seen in lack of self-reflection concerning the unequal power relations betw. cis & transgender people. 7/15 https://note.com/li_kotomi/n/n94df86bccde1
On 8/19, WAN published a note saying they can't take responsibility. They published the article believing it would contribute to dialogue important for the future of the feminist movement. They hope there will be continued discussion about what constitutes discrimination. 8/15
Earlier on 8/18 (on WAN), gender studies scholar Ida Kumiko reflected on history of women suffering discomfort in spaces made for men. To me, this piece highlights lack of empathy/imagination shown by TERFs ignoring everyday trials of trans women. 9/15 https://wan.or.jp/article/show/9089
On 8/19 (also WAN), political/feminist theorist Okano Yayo @yot07814 wrote an incredible piece outlining what's wrong/dangerous about the article. Okano goes on to explain the structural nature of discrimination w/a discussion of personal experience. 10/15 https://wan.or.jp/article/show/9090
On 8/20 (WAN), activist Endō Mameta @mameta227 published a lucid critique going through the article. Endō points to lack of context deliberately designed to make readers feel trans rights are annoying + conflict with the rights of "real" women. 11/15 https://wan.or.jp/article/show/9092
Writer Suzuki Minori @chang_minori, queer studies scholar Moriyama Noritaka @sankaku_queer, & others have also discussed how the article is problematic + how WAN's response is insufficient & insulting towards people who have actually been working to create real dialogue. 12/15
This thread is a record for me but also my way of making visible in English (if only a bit) the labor of Japan-based activists & scholars criticizing the deep problem of transphobia that's part of "feminism" today in Japan (scare quotes bec. it's not my feminism). 13/15
This is why I get angry about Eng-lang articles/online pieces w/shallow celebratory accounts of feminism in Jp. It's Orientalizing to suggest women in Jp are so passive/new at this that we can't have discussions about transphobia, racism, etc. rooted in some Jp feminisms. 14/15
Feminism *everywhere* needs to be better, now. It's 2020, and we no longer have the time or luxury to settle for feminism that enfolds transphobia, racism, and other bullshit - not in places such as the US or UK (where TERFs are often discussed), & not in Japan. 15/15
