Lesbians in the 48 groups?

Honestly you cannot look at it even with the slightest bit of Western bias. The problem is that Asian cultures are so very different from any Western culture that to use what we understand of just homosexual relationships at all and apply them to Japan would be incorrect.

 

I'm not being Western bias Western has different problems surrounding LGBT+ people. Brazil, for example (where I live), has several cases of hate crimes (murders etc.) against the community. My comparison with the West was because Japan still have problems related to this (and LGBT+ exist all around the world, after all), even though in a particular form. Of course being LGBT+ in Japan is different from being LGBT+ in the West, but you can't deny the fact that there is a particular lack of representation in Japan (I'm not sure about the rest of Asia, to be honest). The demand for equal marriage exists in Japan for years (for example), but there is very little advance in practical terms.

 

Interesting discussion. I can't offer new insights than what was already shared, namely that while it is probable (even likely) that there are lesbians or bisexuals in the 48G (I mean, besides Takita Kayoko), we are unlikely to ever truly know unless they do come out which, in light of their jobs as idols, makes it highly unlikely.

As mentioned before, we're not sure where the fan-service ends and reality begins. We're not even entirely sure how much of what we see is their real characters and not them with their idol-mode on. Less than a year ago, I am getting this real lesbian vibe from Kizaki Yuria but now I'm not so sure. Is it because I don't follow her enough to really "know"? Or is it because as a straight guy, I do not possess such "gay-dars" or whatever you call them, and mistook her yankee-like aura as being butch?

Finally, it all boils down to them: do they want to come out or not? Either answer is fine with me. While as a fan, I love to talk about these things, to speculate and stuff as well as be happy if they do come out, I also understand that such a matter (sexuality) is too private a thing for any of them to talk about and, ultimately, none of my business.

 

It seems that rights for LGBT in Japan are slowly turning around and recent statistics put it at around 50% for/against gay marriage.

I think Akimoto Sayaka is bi and I think she's very cool. Sae I think just plays boyish roles really well.

(for the record, straight guy here, but have a close friend who's gay and a cousin who's lesbian....they're awesome people as well)

 

Regarding Sayaka, there's a theory that she's really LGBT friendly because some of her hometown friends are gay. This theory comes from hardcore Sayaka oshi that are LGBT themselves and have met with her and her management numerous times. Here's a clip from Liz's blog:

"When I was talking with my LGBT Sayaka friends, I asked why they think it is that Sayaka is so openly vocal about supporting sexual minorities and etc. They said that they’re pretty sure it’s because some friends of hers from her hometown are… I guess they’d seen some interview or something with a friend or two of hers, and they were like “they looked like us” (so quite boyish, basically.) We’d kind of been speculating that her openness about it is in part due to someone she’s close with being so, and that would definitely do it."

I believe the interview or something she mentioned was "AKB 600 Seconds" when Sayaka went back to Chiba and she met up with her hometown friends towards the end of the episode.

Anyway, if she does like women, she's probably not a straight-up lesbian. She has mentioned that she's had crushes on a couple of guys before (including stage actor Ramin Karimloo) and she even went out on a date with some kabuki actor along with Acchan last year. And despite appearances, she's actually a shy princess that likes to be spoiled according to Mariko, Koji Yamamoto, and Yousuke Matsuo (Zabunguru "double uvula" guy). Even the 2nd gen/Ori K members used to tease her about her "gap" whenever a cute or handsome guy was involved.

@Kawamoto Chiyo Whatever her sexuality might be, Sayaka is still the person you will be able to relate to the most when it comes to LGBT stuff. I just don't see anyone else being as outspoken and openly supportive of the LGBT community as she is. Go through the "SAYAKA" tag on Liz's blog...it'll be worth it.

 

I think whatever Sayaka is, she's definitely not straight. Perhaps she's like, pansexual. She's said on numerous occasions she likes people not gender. I think that's a beautiful way to be. Well she always stood out among the other girls to me as being "realer."

 

Thanks for linking me to that blog..I think I'm in heaven.

Like I just said, I do feel like she dates based on people not gender, if she's not a lesbian.

 

Regarding this, there might actually be a higher percentage of bisexual/lesbian girls among idols than among the general public. The reason for this is that the "idol lifestyle" includes:

1. love ban rule - which has less to no effect on lesbian girls
2. the community - you are surrounded by numerous pretty girls, doesn't sound bad to me

so it's a win hahaha

 

Except no one adheres to this love ban rule.

To be frank, I don't think their sexuality is any of our beeswax.

 

Your discussion on violence, for example, is very strange in a culture where the majority of the stigma revolves around the idea that LGBT people don't actually exist, or aren't acknowledged by the majority. That's why I called you out on your Western bias - hate crimes aren't really the issue, the issue is in the very fact that people do not acknowledge even the very possibility that people could perhaps be gay or lesbian.

 

I don't know if many of you know the youtube channel Rachel And Jun but they also made a video about it!

Spoiler

if the video does not show watch the video here

For the main topic,I agree with pretty much everything that have been said!We will probably would never know or at least not until after they graduate!I think it's also because Japanese aren't doing as much PDA as here in the west so we might not know when they're dating someone!

Also to be honest to add on Meru Tashima's case,the first time I saw her (aside of maybe a gif of her with Takamina on tumblr) was on Tentoumu-Chu! no Sekai o Muchu ni Sasemasu Sengen! episode 3 and I could feel some gay vibe coming from her!I started to pay a bit more attention to HKT for the last 4 months and the look she have on her face when she look at Ume tells a lot!This add up to it to me too http://samaramorgane.tumblr.com/post/132987662083/okany-last-doubts-that-i-had-for-meru-being-gay so if she ever say she's gay or bi,I wouldn't be surprise!

As for representation,as a lesbian I would like to see one of them to be openly be gay too!But I must admit that I would be a little afraid because aside of wanting them to be safe and etc.,I would hate that if they decide to bring in a new member to be the "lesbian" in the group or one of the girl decide to come out,I wouldn't want the management to force them to fit a certain image!Like I'm not 100% sure but I think that have this image that let's gay men are just women in the inside and vice versa for the women and I think it's reinforced in the entertainment!It might not just be in japan but you know!I would want her to be as true to herself as possible even if she's an idol!She shouldn't have to act as she's a yuri character or being masculine if she's isn't!

 

What about Fujita Nana?

She has a Yuri chara,right?

 

Geez, all the Yuri charas are most probably scripted. Try to watch the original OshiMeshi and then realize that Meetan have a baby that she made with a man

 

As for Sayaka, I think she's either straight or bisexual and not yet had any feelings toward women. I get that just because of her tweets.

Sae... I hope she likes women XD

Kinoshita probably does like women. I think it's also just as likely that she doesn't simply because of her general perversive interests XD She is smart and knows how to market herself, but for that reason, she equally could or couldn't be a WLW.

Any other girls... Hmm... I don't know. But then, we all know I follow two of the main girls who could be considered WLW.

 

A picture speaks a thousand words.

 

I don't think there are any lesbians in the 48 group

 

English is not my first language, so sometimes things get confusing, sorry I absolutely agree with you that hate crimes are not the problem with LGBT+ people in Japan (not the main one, at least) with the main issue being actually the seeming "non-existence" of different sexualities and genders (that exist, obviously, but most of the people don't have idea about this etc. etc.). My point with the violence talk is that this is actually a different form of violence that exists in Japan. LGBT+ people suffer violence there, even though is not physically. It's much more on a implicit way (Institutionally, for example. Like being prohibited of seeing your partner on hospital, for example, which is quite heavy emotionally and psychologically).

Yes, she had a yuri character, particularly when Mitsumune Kaoru was around. But I'm not sure if this changed recently (I don't think she focus so much on this anymore, at least).

 

No problem, allow me the chance to apologize to you for misunderstanding.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

I think this is an absolutely pointless thread because nobody knows anything about the private lives of any of these girls. Certainly, there have been wonderful friendships throughout the history of AKB. Three of my favorites have been Watanabe Mayu-Kashiwagi Yuki, Sayaka Akimoto-Miyazawa Sae, and Kojima Haruna-Oshima Yuko. All those pairs seem to be very very close, but it's beyond me how anyone can make the HUGE leap that there is anything sexual between any of those girls. I simply don't understand what these opinions are based on. And I really don't understand why anybody (other than the girls themselves) would care at all. My two cents.

 

of course we will never know for sure but in some cases i wonder... : D
there are signs!

for example Wasamin:
- she handles women like a man does
https://twitter.com/wasaminnn/status/676970664386015232
- she also takes photos with girls often
https://twitter.com/foodlfg/status/597388978317328384 (back then this was her twitter header image)
- not to mention her other...
http://xxxakaskorpion.tumblr.com/tagged/iwasa-MISAKI
http://xxxakaskorpion.tumblr.com/post/112359493741

so yeah.

also the next WasaBi is
http://xxxakaskorpion.tumblr.com/post/134492378720