Japan is getting a Pride House for next year’s Summer Olympics.
Since the 2020 Summer Olympics have been pushed back a year, there is plenty of time to establish more accommodations for the many athletes who will soon touch down on Tokyo. That includes LGBTQ athletes.
According to NextShark, Japan opened Pride House Tokyo Legacy this past Sunday. This is Tokyo, Japan’s first-ever LGBT support center. The center was created as a safe space so that “LGBT athletes, their friends and families, spectators and local participants are free to be themselves as they enjoy a diversity-themed Olympics.” The people behind the program are also hoping to make the center permanent after the Olympics, which is why “legacy” was added to the name.
Pride House Tokyo Legacy is centered on a 140-square meter building and offers a multipurpose space, a café area, a consultation booth, and a collection of books concerning LGBTQ topics and matters. The hope is that after the Olympics, the space will grow out its community support measures and create multitude of resources for LGBTQ youth.
“We’d like to provide new opportunities to let people learn more about issues including sexual minorities, education and sports,” said Pride House Tokyo head Gon Matsunaka, according to the Asahi Shimbun. “Sexual minorities are hard to recognize from their appearance, and they have been ridiculed and discriminated against.
“By raising awareness of the issue, I hope it will also lead people to pay more attention to those who suffer from other kinds of discrimination, such as ethnic and religious prejudices.”
Source: NextShark, Asahi Shimbun,
