Power in Relation to the Structure of Heterosexism

Yuri Horie1

Christian theology, however, is the product of people with power and privilege, influence and wealth. This gives their theology a partisan bias that renders it meaningful to only a limited audience, particular not universal. This partisan bias must be unmasked. The theology of Jesus Christ must expand to include the reality of gay and lesbian oppression [Goss 2002: 140].

Introduction

In modern society, being lesbian/gay means being stigmatized [Altman 1971, 20]. Such a stigma has been reproduced and maintained by the Christian church, especially in North America. There are some countries and areas in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and the Caribbean that torture and charge death penalty to lesbian and gay people. As reported by Amnesty International, they rape lesbians to “cure” and treat homosexuality as “a disease of white people”[AI 2001]. They never recognize the issue as a matter of “identity” that lesbians and gays have maintained. Such violence against lesbians and gays based on homophobia was brought with colonialism from West. Actually, there have been various cultures that accept varieties of gender and sexual identities and roles, e.g. in India or native American cultures.

In this situation, we can point out two aspects of the word “power”. First is power to exclude lesbian and gay from society. Violence, articulated as homophobia, is a discriminating consciousness against lesbian and gay. Homophobia was “invented” in modern western modern society [Foucault 1976-1980]. Since then, homophobia has had big influences also in the non-western societies today.

Second is power of lesbian and gay to survive and act against homophobia, i.e., empowerment. The social structure that consists of homophobic individuals is heterosexism [Adam 1989]. Because the analysis of Barry Adam is situated in the perspective of gay males, it does not include gender issues. Heterosexism is a system that separates female (private sphere) from male (public sphere), and combines them together for the purpose of reproduction, giving more benefit to males. Thus, heterosexism is included in the patriarchal structure. In this case, both lesbian/gay and straight women are excluded and discriminated against.

With the new century came “the chain of violence” led by globalization. Now the mission of conquering violence is given to us. We can count homophobia and heterosexim as forms of violence that we should overcome. There are so many hate crimes and homicides against lesbian/gay by homophobic people all over the world, even if the life of lesbian/gay people is also from God. In this paper, I would like to describe the situation of lesbian/gay Christians in Japan as a way of thinking about the structure of heterosexism and investigating ways to overcome homophobia.

1. The Situation of Lesbians and Gays in Japan

1.1 In Japanese Society
Japan is frequently portrayed as being culturally “tolerant” towards lesbians and gays. In actuality, not only does Japanese culture prevent its members from accepting the presence of anyone different from themselves, it forbids any establishment of the individual self whatsoever. For that very reason, there is a tendency to view people or things which “fit in” as virtuous, while anything or anyone that is different is seen as a problem to be removed or eliminated.

The 1990’s Tokyo Fuchu Young Adult Youth Hostel case was the first case addressing the human rights of lesbian and gay people in Japan’s history to be brought before a court of law. The case arose after a group of gays and lesbians were refused lodging at a youth hostel open to the public. The gay and lesbian plaintiffs won the case. And while the case was going on, the Japanese dictionary and glossary definition of a homosexual, i.e., “a person who displays abnormal sexual desire” was changed to “a person who loves the same sex as themselves”. From this time on, LGBT (meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered) activities in large cities like Sapporo (Hokkaido, northern island), Tokyo (capital city), Osaka (largest city on the east), Fukuoka and Nagoya, among others, have taken off. Once a year a “Pride Parade” is held in Sapporo and Tokyo.

Despite these positive developments, it is increasingly evident that “gay bashing” has been on the rise in recent years. One Tokyo incident in 2000 (Shinkiba Incident) went as far as murder. Rather than being accepted by a Japanese society that on the surface appears to be “tolerant” of lesbian and gay, it is that very veneer that covers up the attacks and prejudice that try to render lesbian and gay people invisible.

While legally there is no law that seeks to remove or eliminate us from society, the social structure itself renders LGBT invisible. Of course, there are no laws set up to exclude LGBT. But there are no laws set up to protect LGBT rights. Thus, laws pertaining to same-sex marriage and partnership do not exist. Inheritance laws, hospital and prison visitation rights, and joint property right laws for same-sex couples have yet to be established. Rights granted to heterosexual couples are not available to same-sex couples. As for simply promoting efforts to change marriage laws in Japan, where the family registry system still lists the emperor as head of each household, some Japanese do not even feel that homosexuals have the right to demand special adaptations to the law to make room for them as same-sex couples.

And as for transgendered people, sex reassignment surgery (SRS) was finally legalized in 1998. However, individuals are still not allowed to change the block designating their sex on official family or residency registers that had been checked prior to their operation. For that reason, transgendered people must endure a great deal of hardship on a daily basis.

1.2 In Churches
Christians in Japan, including Protestants and Catholics, are a minority comprising less than 1 per cent of the Japanese populace. Since the church draws on such a small minority, it is true that they might not have the political sway to change social attitudes toward LGBT communities. While the church has generally not championed society’s efforts to shut homosexuals out, it has not made any special efforts to make them especially comfortable either. Because Christians in Japan are a minority, LGBT Christians often feel alone in society, finding it difficult to have friends who understand them. While it is true that no Protestant denomination in Japan has made any clearly negative statements regarding LBGT individuals to date, this just further highlights the sad fact that not one denomination has stepped up to actively embrace and support the LBGT cause.

Certain churches have refused to write recommendations for prospective seminary students, kicked out elders at church board meetings, taken LBGT members to mental hospitals, and removed the names of LGBT members from church registers. Some church members aggressively introduce gays or lesbians to ‘suitable’ marriage partners of the opposite sex. Transgendered individuals are increasingly experiencing rejection by the church community or intolerant treatment by members who disregard their gender identity and try to ‘fix’ them by making them change their gestures and clothes to match their ‘biological’ sex. In most cases the reality is that victims are forced to keep quiet about their bad treatment.

While same-sex marriage ceremonies, commonly called ‘holy union(s)’, are not yet a topic of public debate, rejection of requests for the ceremony has been reported on an individual church level. This issue relates to the family register problem discussed earlier. On this, lesbian and gay opinion is divided into two camps: those who believe we should simply push ahead for same-sex union rights, and those who want to challenge the standard concept of marriage itself, which has traditionally consisted of a male and a female.

2. The Case of the United Church of Christ in Japan

2.1 Discrimination in UCC-Japan
There are a lot of LGBT church members and ministers in the United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ). These days, people are increasingly coming out of the closet as LGBT in churches, seminaries, church districts, and so on. However, lesbian, gay, and transgendered people are not officially allowed to become ministers.

An incident in 1998 in the UCCJ brought the issue of homosexuality and ministry into the open. The incident occurred when a gay seminarian came out during his examinations to become a minister. During the UCCJ Executive Committee meeting, a male Executive Committee member named Rev. Mizuo Itoh said, “We should not admit people (into the ministry) who practice homosexual behavior.” This statement is commonly referred to as the ‘Itoh Statement.’ People at the meeting spoke out in opposition, saying it was discrimination and demanded a withdrawal of the statement. The incident was later reported in the UCCJ newspaper, Kyodan Shimpo, and over 30 letters of protest demanding that Itoh withdraw his comments were sent to the chair of UCCJ Executive Committee including Itoh.

A similar statement was handed out that same year at the 31st UCCJ General Assembly, signed by Tokyo Union Theological Seminary professor Rev. Yuichi Ohsumi. This “Ohsumi Document” was targeted not only at lesbians and gays but also at transgendered people. The UCCJ Special Committee on Sexual Discrimination has recognized these documents as “discriminatory incidents” and protested against them. The committee started their investigation by asserting the importance of understanding the situation LGBT people face in the church.

The chair and members of the Executive Committee had repeatedly said, “We must listen to both sides” and “It has not been determined yet whether or not it was discrimination,” thus, seeming to leave room for a substantial and meaningful discussion to evolve. But when a bill proposed by the protesting side was brushed aside, it became loud and clear that the issue was not going to be open for serious discussion by committee members.

The “Itoh Statement” and the “Ohsumi Document” have not yet been withdrawn. The UCCJ inaction in this matter clearly shows the position of the executive committee. Through this inaction UCCJ formally does not allow lesbians, gays and transgendered people to become ministers. The gay seminarian who was labeled a “problem” became a minister in the end. While some people might respond to this happily and think of it as evidence that “UCCJ allowed a gay person to become a minister,” UCCJ has never officially acknowledged this action. For that reason, when LGBT people seek to become ministers, they have no guarantee of smoothly being admitted into the ministry.

2.2 Current Problem Structures Unique to UCC-Japan
In North-America, especially in the United States, churches are debating whether or not gays, lesbians, and transgendered people should be ordained or allowed to become church members. In contrast, the UCCJ situation is unique in that we regard questioning whether or not homosexuals should become ministers as a discriminatory action from the start. Singling out homosexual people and questioning whether or not to allow them to become ministers makes our sexual orientation a problem to be dealt with. Even raising the question of whether or not homosexuals have the right to become ministers, when the question is never posed in a heterosexual candidate’s case, is a discriminatory act.

Six years have passed since the “Itoh statement” was made, but the UCCJ Executive Committee has simply left the issue unresolved. After seeing discrimination against LGBT people take place right before their eyes, 17 church districts (Hokkai, Tokyo, Hyogo, Higashi-Chugoku, Nishi-Chugoku, and Kyushu) decided to take up the issue. Additionally, some committees in the districts (Tohoku, Kansai, northern part of Tokyo, Nishi-Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Okinawa) agreed to host study seminars and gatherings to better share information on the topic. While it appears that nothing will change with a majority of UCCJ remaining immobile in its stance, we believe that the circle of people openly embracing LGBT people will most certainly grow with such information-sharing activities.

3. LGBT Christian Activities in Japan

Since the 1980s LGBT Christians have been holding a variety of activities. Due to fluctuating membership, some activities that had previously been difficult to keep going in the past finally got off the ground in the mid-90s with a community of regular attendees. There are currently two LGBT groups participating in activities together with established UCCJ churches. Both groups are entirely ecumenical, run by volunteers since financial constraints prevent them from being able to maintain a paid staff.
1) Kyoto: Ecumenical Community for Queer Activism (ECQA)
This community was started in Kyoto in 1994 when a group got together to plan a Christmas worship service. Currently the community focuses on (1) creating a safe space for LGBT Christians to gather and (2) building up members’ confidence and strength to fight LGBT discrimination. Activities include monthly Bible Study meeting, monthly reading circle meeting, newsletter published every other month, peer counseling, and sending speakers to lectures and meetings. A lesbian minister (Rev. Yuri Horie), whose contact information is available to the public, can be called if there are questions.

2) Tokyo: “Kirisuto no Kaze (Christ’s Wind)” Gathering
This group began in 1995 and currently holds a monthly worship service. The group borrows a church building in Tokyo to host its service, which gathers 40-50 LGBT people each time. Their goal is to provide a place where LGBT participants feel safe to gather and come before God just as they are. A planning meeting is held once a month to appoint a speaker and decide the programme of the next service. They also have a translation team, which translates documents pertaining to Christianity and sexuality. A gay minister whose contact information is available to the public can also be called if there are questions. A Bible study group was formed to create a supportive environment where concerns of the lesbian and bisexual women’s community could be addressed cooperatively.

Conclusion

There are difficulties for lesbian/gay Christians in Japan. But activities against the structure of heterosexism are also increasing. Especially in North America, liberal thinking has come about considering "tolerance" as a keyword on lesbian/gay issue. This may just result in “assimilating" homosexuals to society.

We, lesbian/gay Christians in Japan, have the right to act against heterosexism. As long as there is oppression, grassroots activism is needed. When we act, impact can be produced. It is not "assimilation” which we need. For that purpose, we do not need acceptance, which depends on “tolerance” as a keyword. We must seek for another alternative. In order to fight against heterosexism, resisting oppression is the only way.

Bibliography

Adam, Barry D. “Theorizing Homophobia”, Sexualities 1.4 (1998), 387-404.

NOTES:

1 Rev. Yuri Horie, a minister of the United Church in Christ of Japan (UCC-Japan/Kyodan), is representative of the Ecumenical Community of Queer Activism (ECQA) and lecturer in Lesbian/Gay Studies in Hanazono University.