ARTICLES
For a Society Where Everyone Can Be Themselves! The Mission and Future of Sapporo Rainbow Pride
Have you heard of Sapporo Rainbow Pride, an organization working to create "a society where everyone can live as their true selves" in Sapporo, Hokkaido?
Originally carrying on the spirit of the Rainbow March Sapporo, an LGBT* parade that ran for 17 years from 1996, this new organization was established in 2017.
(*While LGBT is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/transexual, this organization uses it as an inclusive term for other sexual minorities such as asexual, X-gender, questioning, non-binary, queer, and more.)
The first Sapporo Rainbow Pride was held the following year in 2018. Last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a parade was held with 340 participants after implementing infection prevention measures. This year, the event scheduled for September 19, 2021, has been scaled down due to the impact of the coronavirus, with a focus on online activities.
We spoke with Teruko Mitsushima, Vice-Chairperson of the Sapporo Rainbow Pride Executive Committee, about their activities to raise awareness that LGBT people are all around us and to realize a society where not just LGBT individuals, but "everyone facing various difficulties can live as their true selves."
Although the 2021 event will be held mainly online, preparations are underway with the hope that it will be "an event where we can celebrate each other's differences as our authentic selves." Why not show your support and participate in a way that works for you?
Date & Time: Afternoon of Sunday, September 19, 2021 (scheduled)
Location: Sapporo Rainbow Pride Official YouTube Channel (scheduled)
Official Website: Sapporo Rainbow Pride
*The parade will be conducted by the executive committee only. Public participation is not permitted.
*The parade will be streamed online.
▼For more details, please see the Domingo event page
Sapporo Rainbow Pride 2021 "Online Parade"
Originally carrying on the spirit of the Rainbow March Sapporo, an LGBT* parade that ran for 17 years from 1996, this new organization was established in 2017.
(*While LGBT is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/transexual, this organization uses it as an inclusive term for other sexual minorities such as asexual, X-gender, questioning, non-binary, queer, and more.)
The first Sapporo Rainbow Pride was held the following year in 2018. Last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a parade was held with 340 participants after implementing infection prevention measures. This year, the event scheduled for September 19, 2021, has been scaled down due to the impact of the coronavirus, with a focus on online activities.
Scenes from Sapporo Rainbow Pride 2020
We spoke with Teruko Mitsushima, Vice-Chairperson of the Sapporo Rainbow Pride Executive Committee, about their activities to raise awareness that LGBT people are all around us and to realize a society where not just LGBT individuals, but "everyone facing various difficulties can live as their true selves."
Teruko Mitsushima, Vice-Chairperson of the Sapporo Rainbow Pride Executive Committee
This year is actually a commemorative one, marking the 25th anniversary of the first parade held in Sapporo. The entire executive committee has worked tirelessly for a year to celebrate this history in a grand way, but unfortunately, due to the spread of the coronavirus, Sapporo Rainbow Pride 2021 will primarily feature online events. We considered our options until the very last minute, so we are disappointed, but we want to believe that doing something under the name of a 'parade' will bring some hope to the LGBT community.
A parade is where sexual minorities walk the streets and assert their existence to society. The Sapporo parade, since the time of our predecessors, has always valued the personal experiences and visibility of those within the community. While the number of people who know the term LGBT is increasing and media visibility is growing, I feel that the fact that such individuals exist everywhere, right next to anyone, is not yet properly understood. Sapporo Rainbow Pride will continue to focus on conveying to society that gender and sexuality issues are 'relevant and personal to everyone,' while also creating an environment and opportunities for community members and allies to join hands.
First, we look forward to seeing you all on our official Sapporo Rainbow Pride YouTube channel on Sunday, September 19th! We would be delighted if as many people as possible could watch!
A parade is where sexual minorities walk the streets and assert their existence to society. The Sapporo parade, since the time of our predecessors, has always valued the personal experiences and visibility of those within the community. While the number of people who know the term LGBT is increasing and media visibility is growing, I feel that the fact that such individuals exist everywhere, right next to anyone, is not yet properly understood. Sapporo Rainbow Pride will continue to focus on conveying to society that gender and sexuality issues are 'relevant and personal to everyone,' while also creating an environment and opportunities for community members and allies to join hands.
First, we look forward to seeing you all on our official Sapporo Rainbow Pride YouTube channel on Sunday, September 19th! We would be delighted if as many people as possible could watch!
Although the 2021 event will be held mainly online, preparations are underway with the hope that it will be "an event where we can celebrate each other's differences as our authentic selves." Why not show your support and participate in a way that works for you?
Date & Time: Afternoon of Sunday, September 19, 2021 (scheduled)
Location: Sapporo Rainbow Pride Official YouTube Channel (scheduled)
Official Website: Sapporo Rainbow Pride
*The parade will be conducted by the executive committee only. Public participation is not permitted.
*The parade will be streamed online.
▼For more details, please see the Domingo event page
Sapporo Rainbow Pride 2021 "Online Parade"
