From Play to Politics: Unraveling the Shift in Understanding LGBTQ+ Sex in Contemporary Japan

The rise of LGBTQ+ civil societies is a recent phenomenon in Japan. At first glance, these societies appear to be unnecessary in a nation with a long history of social acceptance, where sex was thought of as a form of play (asobi), rather than as an identity issue. With the formation of LGBTQ+ civil societies in the twenty-first century, identity has become a key factor in promoting LGBTQ+ matters as a human and minority rights issue. This paper examines the role and need for civil societies in the present day, within the broader context of understanding LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. By focusing on a historiography from the Edo Era to the present day I work to understand within what context the shift from play to identity occurred and how a need for civil societies developed. Additionally, I examine 14 civil societies to determine what terminology is being used to promote LGBTQ+ rights and Japan’s understanding of LGBTQ+ identity.