Job Discussion Forums

lil · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 2

i'm a gay woman who is hoping to teach english in japan. does anyone have any views as to how homosexuality is viewed? ie is it ignored/disliked/viewed positively? does anyone have any good/bad experiences in tokyo or elsewhere? if there are gay teachers, are they generally 'out' or is it frowned upon? i don't like to generalise, as i know every situation is different, but i'd really appreciate it if anyone who has any views on the subject would post a message.

Celeste · Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2003 6:23 am Post subject:

I can't help you with all of Japan, but I did read this article about the gay scene in F u k u o k a in the last issue of F u k u o k a Now! magazine.

http://www.fukuoka-now.com/features/article_display.php?fn_code=499352

Replace the *beep* in the above address with the word F u k u o k a (no spaces, though) -this board seems to think my city is an unmentionable place.

lil · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 2

thanks very much- that was a really useful article- i'm assuming fukuoka is in the kyushu area? if so, what's that like in general, regardless of the gay scene? is it a nice city to live in- i'm applying for a teaching job at the moment, and one of my options is kyushu

Thanks

Celeste · Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2003 3:52 am Post subject:

Kyushu is really nice. I love living in F u k u o k a city, and friends who work elswhere in F u k u o k a ken tell me that their cities are similarly pleasant. The weather here is pretty mild so far. I didn't find the summer as humid as I expected it to be. There were always nice breezes blowing. Autumn was beautiful, and I love the fact that flowers bloom year round here. There was a touch of snow this winter, but it only lasted for a day. The city is pretty cosmopolitan. The women are fairly fashion conscious, and there is lots of shopping available. I can't fit a lot of the clothes here, but I get by. I go to a really nice gym and there are a lot of friendly people there, and some of them are ex-pats as well. I have a really comfortable lifestyle here, and I plan to stay for a while.

emmachan · Joined: 10 Feb 2003 Posts: 3

I would say that the Japanese are pretty relaxed about people's sexuality and that they don't mind what people do as long as it isn't overt. The Japanese on the surface are very conformist but I think that that is just a front. I can say that a friend of mine was at pains to conceal his sexuality from his students and staff, although with other teachers he was open. I think he felt that he would be judged. It's not something that is talked about and the gay scene is pretty hidden although it certainly exists. I lived in Nagoya and there was a regular gay club night at at least one club that I knew of. My experience is pretty limited but those are my impressions. Good luck finding a job...

Lynden · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 24 Location: Alberta, Canada

I don't mean to scare you away but...
I was teaching in Sakata, a small city in northern Tohoku. The subject of equal rights for gays and lesbians came up and some of my students were surprisingly vocal about their intolerance. The majority of them were just really uncomfortable. Then I again I stayed with a fellow teacher and her partner in a city close by. She told me that she had been accepted with open arms into her partner's family. I hope you have a positive experience because I think Japan can be a wonderful place no matter who you are!