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LGBT idols who are giving courage to other idols of coming out

THE SPY! CREW

The number of idols who are coming out is growing, giving hope and courage to other LGBT idols who have kept quiet.

AKB48 and STU48 member Okada Nana who served as center for the 51st AKB48 single “Jabaja” and ranked 5th in the AKB48 53rd Senbatsu Sosenkyo in 2018 was asked in the online Youtube program, “Myao’s Room” if she is bixsexual?

Okada said she has no exact preference for a gender for her to be in a relationship with.

In the “AKB48 Ura Story Okada Nana 19-years-old, Yume no Kyoukai” aired on CS Broadcast/TBS Channel 1, Okada said, “When asked what kind of man I like, I cannot get excited at all.  On the other hand, when asked ‘What kind of woman do you like?’, I feel like I’m coming out with pompoms.  I started to think that I like women more”.

AKB48 is no doubt a group that have played around with gay themes (and also get criticized for it) especially in film or on stage (ie, members kissing each other on the lips). But one of their most controversial is a Puccho CM:

In fact, one of the 48-related groups that often get a lot of “gay moment” videos on YouTube is IZ*ONE (it’s important to note that none of the members said they were gay, but the group is known for skinship and being very close), which many of their gay fans adore:

Former Dempagumi.inc, Mogami Moga was on the variety show “Yume Nara Samenaide” and said she was attracted towards women at a young age and she also revealed she had a semi-relationship with another Japanese female performer.

In January, a gay idol group known as NICHOME NO SAKIGAKE COMING OUT” performed at Nakano Sunplaza.  Shinjuku’s Ni-chome is one of Japan’s leading gay areas which offers drag shows, LGBT bookstores, cool bistros and cafes.

Shizuoka-based idol duo fairy♡larme are a real-life couple. Last year, the two participated in a contest to celebrate their wedding and honeymoon.

Nakamura Kazumi, a sociologist and author of the “The Complete Yuri Movie Guide” is a lesbian and a longtime idol fan.  Nakamura pointed the following facts out, “Although idols are increasing in number, they tend to be content for “heterosexuality” and in fact, most groups are operated under heterosexual values.  There is a “love ban” trend but that is meant to ban romance with the opposite sex.  In this way, the ‘heterosexua love’ that still exists in the world is a belief that normal is normal and it can lead to homosexual discrimination.  Idol’s own sexuality is assumed to be heterosexual as well”.

Nakamura said she finds it positive for idols who do come out and not hide they are part of the sexual minority.

Nakamura said, “Given these circumstances, it’s really courageous for an idol to open up their sexuality and that would be the first step in opening up a hole in heterosexualism”.

The writer of the original article, Harada Hichibo wrotes, “Compared to the Showa era, idols have become more diverse.  It is possible that coming out continues in the idol scene because of the wide range of idols and the fans who accept them. Many fans seem to be encouraged by the appearance of idols who open up their sexuality”.

 

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