#3 Removing the “Erotic” Will not Eliminate Discrimination
Q. What are your thoughts on NHK’s My Brother’s Husband?
Moriyama
The author of the original work, Gengoroh Tagame, is well known both inside and outside the gay community. I think it’s a landmark work.
Bourbonne
Tagame said that he created My Brother’s Husband in order to inform people about the gay community. I think it’s an interesting read for straight people, but for the gay community, it’s not that entertaining.
Caption: Gengoroh Tagame’s My Brother’s Husband from Action Comics
Tagame is a creator of pornographic material published in gay magazines and is well known around the world as an artist of gay erotica. His material encompasses a wide array of steamy material, including material that depicts ■■■■■■.
Q. Unfortunately we’re going to have to redact that bit…[laughs]
Bourbonne
What!? Wouldn’t you consider immediately scrapping erotic material a form of discrimination!? You’re looking down on us, aren’t you? You better toughen up and write ■■■■■. [laughs]
Q. Wait, what?!
Bourbonne
Haha, sorry for picking on you. But in all seriousness, it’s because erotic discussions are censored that sexual minorities, and women, have difficulties talking about sex.
The producers of such work are aware of this, too. In a lot of contexts, there are attempts to eliminate the erotic aspects in order to “clean up” the messaging. Although this can help spread the message to a wider audience, I don’t think we can truly eliminate discrimination without coming face to face with sexuality, including the erotic aspects.
Moriyama
Tagame has pointed out that although he has no issues opening exhibitions overseas for his erotic works, he is unable to do so in Japan. My Brother’s Husband has been successful, but many in the gay community argue that it doesn’t represent the true value of Tagame’s work.
Q. Moriyama, in a different interview, you commented that Gengoroh Tagame is “one of the most important figures in Japan’s gay culture.”
Moriyama
I mean, it’s hard to deny when you look at his work! His work, which depicts hidden risque sexual fantasies, calls upon readers’ senses and stimulates desires they never realized they had. It’s difficult for someone in my position, a faculty member, to freely discuss their own sexual fantasies.
Bourbonne
I see you’re getting defensive, professor.
Moriyama
Not at all!
[laughs]
Moriyama
Though the gay community is gaining more acceptance, don’t you feel that people used to talk more openly about erotic subjects?
Bourbonne
Now that you mention it, yes. Even straight people will hesitate and ask, “Is it okay if I ask about this?” instead of just enjoying the conversation.
Moriyama
It’s not necessarily that I want them to ask, it’s just frustrating that there is an atmosphere in which it’s okay to talk about the gay community but not erotic subjects. I appreciate that the attitude towards homosexual couples and families is changing, but I feel resistance towards the tendency to pigeon hole everyone into that framing.
This is why someone like Tagame, who continues to stir up sexual fantasies, is a very important figure.
Bourbonne
Once you feel the sun, you start to dislike being in the shadows. I’m glad LGBT discussions are being treated seriously, but I dislike having the erotic world forced underground and taken away from us.
Moriyama
With that said, current generations probably don’t feel they are being robbed of anything. If you ask younger people, many of them will say they prefer there isn’t any erotic material. The younger generation of sexual minorities probably doesn’t feel the same “shadow” that we felt.
Bourbonne
It’s a generational gap. When everything is depicted in a squeaky clean way, sexuality begins to be perceived as tainted. While it appears pristine at first glance, this tendency leads to discrimination towards the LGBT community and women. I believe we need to free ourselves from this.
This is why I will continue to say dirty jokes! Eventually we’ll start to see chinks in the armor. After all, people aren’t so clean cut.
