In recent years, Japan as a whole made many advances in promoting LGBT rights across the country. For instance, seven municipalities now recognize same-sex partnerships and the number is on the rise. However, despite such progress, prejudice against LGBT people continues to exist. We still see politicians such as Mio Sugita who went under fire for making outrageous and insensitive comments about the LGBT community, and a divide between generations on LGBT acceptance. In order to fight such prejudice, as well as promote diversity and understanding towards LGBT students on campus, Waseda University became the first university in Japan to set up the Gender and Sexuality (GS) Center.
The Office of Information & Public Relations has interviewed Kazuki Taiga, a Specialist Staff on gender and sexuality issues at the GS Center, on the problems that LGBT people are facing in Japan and how Waseda is combating them. The interview article has been submitted to the Chronicle of Higher Education based in the U.S, and you can view it by clicking here or the image below.