Public housing

• As many reports of the bill’s passage on June 16, 2023, have noted, Japan lags far behind other G7 countries when it comes to the legal protection of sexual minorities.
• Moreover, Japan’s history on same-sex relationships is decidedly more mixed than many in the country’s national politics, or in the West, would acknowledge.

Changes in society, courts and corporate Japan

• And a vague stipulation in the bill that “all citizens can live with peace of mind” has been criticized by LGBTQ activists for de-prioritizing the rights of sexual minorities.
• A month later, a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly law prohibited all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Polling in February 2023 found that 64.3% of Japanese respondents backed laws that promoted a better understanding of sexual minorities.
• Several district courts have now ruled that the Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage violates Article 14 of its constitution, which guarantees equality of all people before the law.

Pushback at national level

• Although these do not provide legal protection against discrimination more broadly, they do offer some benefits, including the option to apply for public housing.
• More than 300 municipalities – representing around two-thirds of the population – already allow same-sex couples to enter partnership agreements which are recognized at the local level.
• While Shinto, Japan’s ancient and influential religious tradition, is perceived to be staunchly conservative, at least one Shinto sect has expressed support of the LGTBQ community.

Long-standing queer culture

• From the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century, an elaborate male-male sexual culture could be found among the country’s warrior class, Buddhist monks, and in the theater and entertainment world.
• Warriors typically married and had children, but they also thought nothing of demanding complete devotion from their male underlings, often including sexual favors and even romance.
• A variant of such male-male sexual relations could also be found in Buddhist monasteries, where it was couched in spiritual terms.

‘Press on till Japan changes’

• Similar to the U.S., the LGBTQ movement in Japan has gained momentum over the last half century.
• Newly founded LGBTQ organizations in Japan worked to reframe how people thought about sexual minority rights, emphasizing that they were human rights.
• Its theme is “Press on Till Japan Changes.” Society already is – the question is will the national government follow.

• In 2023 alone, the Banfield Foundation has committed nearly $2.2M in grants focused on enabling preventive care, including vaccines, medical supplies, resources, and veterinary teams to deliver critical veterinary care as well as spay and neuter surgeries in underserved communities.
• "We are on a mission to bring more care to more pets in more places—these mobile units help us deliver that care in new and meaningful ways," said Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director, Banfield Foundation.
• But most importantly, we are bringing care directly to neighborhoods and communities—we are meeting pets and pet owners where they live!"
• "The vans were designed to bring veterinary care into local communities and make care more accessible," said Jeff Ellison, chief operating officer for Banfield Pet Hospital.

• This legislation will still allow for PHA discretion with regard to potentially dangerous individual animals, and would not override local jurisdictions or private housing restrictions.
• "The ASPCA is proud to support these critical pieces of legislation that protect the powerful and mutually beneficial connections between people and their beloved pets."
• "Pets belong with their owners, and all responsible owners deserve to keep their four-legged companions, regardless of housing status," said Congressman Fitzpatrick.
• For more information about the ASPCA's efforts to increase access to pet-friendly housing, or to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org .

• Chicago Author Toya Wolfe to receive the $25,000 Pattis Book Award for her debut novel, Last Summer on State Street
  CHICAGO, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Newberry Library and The Pattis Family Foundation are pleased to announce the winner of the second annual $25,000 Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award.
• "It is such an incredible blessing to receive the Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award," said Toya Wolfe.
• The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award is open to writers working in a variety of genres, including history, biography, social sciences, poetry, drama, graphic novels, and fiction—all relating to Chicago.
• The presentation of the 2023 Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award takes place at a free, public event at the Newberry Library on Saturday, July 15, 2023.