Progress is created through unity, but unity requires space to develop. 

Japan has a long history of LGBTQ+ visibility, with the documentation of homosexuality dating back several centuries. Personalities such as Maki Carrousel, a transgender woman active in the media since the late 1960s; Akihiro Miwa, whose gender identity has fluctuated since their debut in Shuji Terayama’s films; and Matsuko Deluxe, a crossdressing gay man who has become one of the most popular TV hosts of Japanese television, are a testament to this representation. Yet, queer people’s acceptance in the media contrasts sharply with government policies, as Japan remains the only G7 country to deny marriage licenses to homosexual couples.