Tagungsberichte

Ami Kobayashi

Queerying : Transnational Perspectives on Politics, Society and Culture Bericht zum internationalen Symposium am 06. und 07. Juli 2018 in Düsseldorf Organisation: Department for Modern Japanese Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

The two-day symposium was launched with titled “Thinking sexual citizenship through the a closed session at PULS, a youth centre in family”. An expert in gender and human rights Düsseldorf for young , gays, bisexuals, in the Asia-Pacific, Mackie problematised the persons and their friends. One of concept of Japanese family-based nationalism the managers of PULS, Jana Hansjürgen, in- and repro-nationalism (nationalism regard- formed the participants about the youth center ing reproduction), and discussed alternative and current LGBT rights activities in Düsseldorf. family forms in contemporary Japan using the The international guests were impressed with concept of sexual citizenship, which has been this local example of youth activism for and by gaining attention since the late 20th century. LGBTIQ youth, and with the moral and financial Subsequently, legal scholar Taniguchi Hiroyuki support that such activism receives from local (Kanazawa) gave a presentation about legal politicians and other social, civil and religious issues pertaining to LGBT . organisations. The international and national Introducing several cases that are currently guests were invited to have their welcome ses- pending in Japanese courts, he focused on the sion and first coordination/networking meeting recent development of legal discourses in Japan at PULS, whose rooms and atmosphere were regarding two topics: same-sex marriage, and both bright and friendly. the criteria required to change gender markers The public sessions of the symposium began at within official documents. the Haus der Universität in the afternoon, with The next speaker, legal scholar Konstanze Plett welcome addresses given by Central Equal Op- (Bremen), discussed the trajectory of legal views portunities Officer Anja Vervoorts, by the Head on sex and gender in Germany. She gave ex- of Diversity Coordination Office Inge Krümpel- amples of law reforms that were crucial for the beck, and the representing organiser of the development of the terms “sex” and “gender” symposium, Andrea GERMER, Chair of Modern within German legal terminology, connect- Japanese Studies I from Heinrich Heine University ing these reforms with contributions from the Düsseldorf. Each speaker stressed the novelty of women’s, /, transgender, and intersex such a symposium dedicated to Queer Studies movements. The subsequent open discussion at Heinrich Heine University, as well as how well between speakers and the audience revolved this theme fits into the university’s overall diver- around the ideological power of the concept sity strategy. of family, as well as the assumption that fam- The first session, (Trans) National Law and Pol- ily members should always stay together. The itics, chaired by Andrea Germer, started with a premise of the heteronormative family was presentation by Vera Mackie (Wollongong) en- discussed as a concept that needed to be ap-

72 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Tagungsberichte

Opening address and introduction, Andrea GERMER (Düsseldorf) Panel discussion "Health, Disability and Education". Left to right: MANO Yutaka ( Shudo), IINO Yuriko (), John TREAT (Yale) and Michael HEINZE (Düsseldorf) Photos: Vu Thuy Doan Huynh

proached and relativised from cultural, social same-sex partnerships since the 1990s, de Nève and legal standpoints. discussed the political processes of legislation, The second session, Institutions: Matrimony – along with existing controversial debates and “Ehe für alle?”, chaired by Annette Schad-Seifert citizen attitudes towards same-sex marriage. (Düsseldorf), began with a presentation by queer Citing statistical surveys, she underlined the dis- theory scholar Shimizu Akiko (Tokyo) entitled connect between opinion polls that have shown “Marriage equality as strategy: family registra- decades-long support for gay marriage among tion, moral conservatives, and the ‘LGBT’ fad in the populace, and the long political and legal Japan”. Shimizu underscored that marriage in process up to its actual implementation. Japan was primarily a matter of the exclusive and During all of these presentations, as well as in highly problematic family registration system, the ensuing discussion, it became clear that and argued that same-sex marriage in Japan same-sex marriage is never a simple matter of therefore cannot simply be a matter of equality equality, but that it is implicated in specific po- between gay and straight couples. She intro- litical, cultural, and even international systems duced two different types of attitudes towards of privilege and inequality both in Japan and same-sex marriage in Japan: “idealist” groups Germany. seeking to change the current family registration The third session, Markets and Consumers, which system to open it up to same-sex couples; and was chaired by Michiko Mae (Düsseldorf), began “pragmatist” groups that seek to establish an with a presentation by sociologist Kawaguchi alternative civil union law outside of the family Kazuya (Hiroshima Shudo) titled “Consuming registration system. identity and lifestyle: transforming queer sub- Queer theory scholar Kawasaka Kazuyoshi jects in Japan”. Kawaguchi explored how human (Düssel­dorf) further explored the issue of same- rights discourses on sexual minorities emerged sex marriage in his presentation “LGBT rights in Japan, and how these gained visibility through are human rights, but in what sense?”. Noting media, markets and consumption. Taking up a that LGBT rights in Japan have been strongly popular Japanese TV programme, which intro- influenced by U.S. policy, Kawasaka contextu- duced the famous gay district Shinjuku Nichōme alised and analysed LGBT rights activism in re- in Tokyo, Kawaguchi critically analysed the com- cent years. He referred to the symbolic same-sex mercialisation of identities and the lifestyles of marriage certificates that some municipalities in sexual minorities. He underlined that sexual mi- Japan issue for publicity reasons, which have no norities gain visibility, while their cultural prac- legal effects. He argued that while the Japanese tices are commercialised and exploited as an government is accepting of diversity as an in- “exotic” culture that is “different” from stressful ternational value, it also seeks to maintain the mainstream society, and presented as imaginary Japanese conservative family system. healing and relaxation spaces for members of As the last speaker of the second session, political heteronormative society. scientist Dorothée de Nève (Gießen) presented Thereafter, Japanese popular culture expert the German case regarding same-sex marriage: Elisabeth Scherer (Düsseldorf) discussed the ex- “Merkel’s gut feeling-debate about marriage for pansion of queer wedding ceremonies in Japan. all in Germany”. Tracing how gay and lesbian Scherer explained how the wedding services activists in Germany have called for equality of industry has discovered queer couples as new

Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 73 Tagungsberichte

KANNO Yuka (Doshisha) presenting on “Framing: Lesbian Representability” Discussion at the closed session. Left to right: SHIMIZU Akiko (Tokyo), Dorothée de NÈVE (Gießen), IINO Yuriko (Tokyo) and Annette SCHAD-SEIFERT (Düsseldorf). Photos: Vu Thuy Doan Huynh

customers during the past few years, and accord- tion with recent critiques regarding the concept ingly offers them various commercial services. of sexual or “intimate” citizenship and the social She critically noted, however, that such service activism based upon it. Pointing to the exclusive providers do not interact with same-sex couples nature characterizing the concept of citizenship, in the same way as they do with heterosexual Treat questioned strategic scholarly and activist couples, as they set up separate, unconnected politics that aim to “integrate” HIV and undesir- websites for customers depending upon their able/non-citizens in Japan such as homosexuals, sexuality. sex workers, and foreigners. Referencing several The last speaker in this session was queer theory works of Japanese popular fiction, he discussed scholar Iseri Makiko (Tokyo), who gave a presen­ the ways in which the inclusion and exclusion of tation titled “Showcasing Diversity: Disability, non-normative sexual and other minorities are Market and Queer/Crip Criticism”. Iseri exam- (re-)presented in contemporary Japan. ined the discourses and representations of “di- The next presentation, given by disability scholar versity” wherein LGBT and disabled people are Iino Yuriko (Tokyo), was titled “Queering’ dis- selected as symbols, and also critically discussed ability may be possible, but …” Iino explored neoliberalism’s central demands for ‘flexibility’ the intersectional issues of Queer Studies and and able-bodiedness. Referring to Crip Theory Disability Studies, both of which question the and Posthuman Disability Studies, she under- categorical divisions between normalcy and lined the risk that the neoliberal request for ‘flex- deviance/disability, and approach their subjects ible bodies’ may pose upon disabled subjects as socially/medically constructed. Japanese who are equipped with high-tech prosthetics as disability politics have long deployed medical being ‘useful’ representations of diversity, while examinations and disability certifications for other queer and disabled subjects may become enforcing a dichotomous distinction between invisible. disability and normalcy. Iino traced the shift in The combination of the three papers in this panel disability politics from a medical discourse to allowed a good glimpse at the complex problem one of social and human rights after the en- of visibility for queer subjects, which can never forcement of new disability laws, and discussed be simply ‘liberating’. Visibility in neoliberal mar- whether this shift helps us to de-essentialise ket societies also entails the risk of exploitation, disability categories. as well as of rendering invisible those who can- The last speaker of the fourth session, queer not be incorporated into the logic of the market. pedagogy scholar Mano Yutaka (Hiroshima On the second day of the symposium, Michael Shudo), introduced grassroots LGBT education- Heinze (Düsseldorf) chaired the fourth session, al activities. In his paper, “LGBT education in Health, Disability and Education. In his paper Japan: grassroots activities in curriculum devel- “Put to the test: abjection and sexual citizenship opment”, Mano presented detailed examples in Japan”, literary scholar John Treat (Yale) dis- of how teachers at a local school adopted the cussed how issues of HIV and concept of sexual diversity to their classrooms. connect with questions of citizenship. Recount- The audience asked several further questions ing his personal experience of an involuntary about LGBT during the sub- HIV test in Japan in 2015, Treat explored work sequent discussion, wherein Mano underlined on abjection by LGBT scholars, and its intersec- the gap between the central government acting

74 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Tagungsberichte

on the premise of hetero-normality as reflected bility and the genealogy of girls’ culture”. Kanno in the National Teaching Guidelines, and certain referenced friendship and kinship as frames for grassroots movements that successfully includ- lesbian representability, and discussed the visual ed LGBT education into the “Morals” subject in strategies that make such representability pos- local schools. Mano also emphasised the need sible. Pointing out both the transnational and to include the topic of intersex in LGBT educa- trans-generational nature of girls’ culture with tion. All three papers in this session pointed to reference to Japanese and early German films, the need – but also to the difficulty, if not the she traced how female intimacy frames the impossibility – of fundamentally questioning transmedia practice of girls’ culture. This was hetero- and other normative concepts in order to followed by an enthusiastic discussion regard- enhance the life chances of queer subjects. ing the ambiguity of the lesbian representation The fifth session, Popular Representations, was that Kanno had introduced. She emphasised that chaired by Stephan Köhn (Cologne). Cultural while there is no clear proof of so-called lesbi- historian and gender scholar Andrea Germer an representation, there is also no way to prove (Düssel­dorf) analysed Shinkai Makoto’s recent that girls’ intimacy does NOT reference lesbian animation film and spectacular box office suc- representation. The three papers that explored cess Your Name (2016) in her presentation queer elements and narratives in popular visual “Queer carnival and fascist moments”. Germer culture highlighted the openness and indetermi- explored the queer/body-swapping story of a girl nacy of queer representation, and discussed the and a boy in the film, and how this queerness is ends to which such representation can be (mis-) presented as entangled within the specter of nat- used. ural catastrophe that forms a parallel narrative. Whereas the public sessions ended with the Germer argued that both narratives presented a popular representations panel, the speakers and performative ‘world turned upside down’, and chairs continued their discussions during the that they can be interpreted through the concept closed session in the afternoon, wherein they ex- of “carnival”, which can paradoxically contribute plored future possible opportunities for network- to stabilising the hierarchical social order and ing and research. The following themes and clus- gender relations. Indeed, the film ends when the ters were taken up as research topics that would main characters, supported by the gods, yield valuable insights into the state and politics restore the ‘natural order’ and revert to their of queer lives in East Asia and Europe: back- former bodies and hierarchical gender roles. lash and countermeasures, translation politics Like other recent animations that incorporate and access to knowledge, aging and death, the queer elements, this “beautiful” film – instead marketability of queerness, sexual citizenship, of queering the established order – employs and family. As joint projects, the participants dis- religio-cultural essentialisms to reify the fanta- cussed various possibilities: transnational studies sy of an able-bodied, mono-ethnic, unchanging on elections and social consciousness among/ and heteronormative Japanese essence. toward LGBT persons, educational cooperation The second presenter, Gender and Japanese (video conferences/joint lectures), translation Studies scholar Jasmin Rückert (Düsseldorf), in- projects, and the sharing of materials for LGBT vestigated “Queer space in television drama”. education. Furthermore, the participants agreed Rückert focused on spaces such as restaurants to form and name a network, and to aim toward and bars in television dramas featuring queer the joint publication of selected papers from the characters, and discussed the functions of such symposium. settings as spaces wherein queer characters This symposium in Düsseldorf was the first such meet peers for the first time, or else as back- scholarly meeting and conference that was ded- ground scenery for coming-out performances. icated to transnational German-Japanese Queer In doing so, she opened up questions regard- Studies – a still narrow focus that the organisers ing whether such spaces can be interpreted as aim to open up to encompass other countries in demonstrations of ‘queer spaces’ that provide East Asia and Europe. This will hopefully become opportunities to subvert normative assumptions a starting point for East Asian Studies to take the Kontakt und Information about gender and sexuality. issues of sexual minorities seriously, and to grasp Ami Kobayashi, M. A. Heinrich-Heine-Universität The third speaker, visual culture expert Kanno the opportunity that the “queerying” paradigm Düsseldorf Yuka (Doshisha), explored queer female intimacy provides for the transcultural, social and political Institut für Modernes Japan Universitätsstraße 1 and its erotic possibilities within girls’ films in sciences in Europe and East Asia. 40225 Düsseldorf her presentation “Framing: lesbian representa- [email protected]

Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW Nr. 43/2018 75 Dieser Text wird über DuEPublico, dem Dokumenten- und Publikationsserver der Universität Duisburg-Essen, zur Verfügung gestellt. Die hier veröffentlichte Version der E- Publikation kann von einer eventuell ebenfalls veröffentlichten Verlagsversion abweichen.

DOI: 10.17185/duepublico/72224 URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:464-20200714-162111-7

Dieses Werk kann unter einer Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 Lizenz (CC BY 4.0) genutzt werden.