News / Aug. 25, 2019
Japan’s recently-elected gay lawmaker, Taiga Ishikawa, marched wi=^XKVkR=iz_lXt2R6)GS$k8+wBN^[email protected]+^[email protected]+th more than 200 supporters of LGBT rights in the city of Marugame on Sunday.
The parade was the first to take plaBdJ2ALyL#[email protected]#^wZNE9e!%Y5sde=$=J%)z+p2gS!Yr_Hce. on the island of Shikoku.
In a tweet, Ishikawa said children in the street were waving rainbow flags and that it was afO#4T#TlJfJUKPIf)2-R4!7$*O7bKf3ly2([email protected] very warm parade.
“We were able to welcome thanks to the people who supported us and the members who raised their voices” said Marugame Rainbow PuI7ws#SW(UVOR=E*nYLcizY(Hb)(A*NRT#h94e3A+yc=h3kT*9arade Executive Committee Chairman Izumi Aikawa.
LGBTI rights activist turned lawmaker Taiga Ishikawa and representatives for equal m-n1oQWM*=i!yp4LHIGWBLCslO)[email protected](PUnAI8DT+arriage advocacy group Marriage for All Japan also attended the march.
Taiga Ishikawa made history last month when Japan elected him as the first openly-gay male politician in the country’s national[email protected]&OrUNv*M3u8kCodoiBOlowTD4MJdYJ3hIgrrBJjuHr parliament.
He told local media the win meant people ackqWs%h_gvK8owy7W5SH2LGvHilu5d-riE+CS8oM(bBFZhh2=yrRnowledged LGBTI people in the society.
Conservative Japan does not allow same-sex marriage. 5-+vR=JPTz_T9upOJE-2PXt=WF_gPk#QjM2UHI+rHG1m+V_3&MNational laws do not protect LGBTI people from discrimination.
Ishikawa won a seat for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) in the Upper House.
He promised to push ahead with bills affording *O5k-lNh_az4vwfAE5y1blXmYpKwejcAAV5vhQ!p(9Vph([email protected]marriage equality and protecting LGBTI people from discrimination.
Marriage for All Japan,RMJnF%Y&E(E$eRMUVUQ-1bbVkglI7JLJKnISOgUlEF9dI7^-t- meanwhile, is helping same-sex couples sue the Japanese government to recognize their unions.
Thirteen couples launched their cases in a number of local courts in February this year.
