CGS: A Retrospective

AY 2004
April: Published the inaugural issue of the CGS newsletter. At the time it was a biannual publication (April & September), consisting of reports on events within and outside the university and a special feature article by different authors in each issue. The articles were mostly summaries of full articles that were uploaded to our website, CGS Online, which was set up concurrently.

May: Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party, gave the inaugural lecture "Marriage, Family, and Gender."

November: Hosted the First International Workshop Series (IWS 2004), as part of ICU's 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program, "Research and Education for Peace, Security, and Conviviality." CGS invited Asian researchers and activists to participate in this workshop series, which focused on social sciences in its first year.

AY 2005
April: Commenced the Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies (PGSS, affectionately known as "pigs" in ICU slang) (see p. 12).

May: Organized the inaugural lecture for PGSS, titled "What Can Gender/ Sexuality Studies Do?" by Chizuko Ueno (professor, University of Tokyo). September: Hosted the Second International Workshop Series (IWS 2005), "Gender Representation in Asia," including the "Asian Film Showcase," which explored themes of gender and sexuality in films from across Asia.

AY 2006
May: Organized the special lecture, "Towards a Society that Celebrates Diversity," by Osaka Prefectural Assembly member Kanako Otsuji, who had come out as a lesbian the previous summer. This event attracted students from other universities as well and became the impetus for the formation of "Rainbow College," an intercollegiate support network for sexual minorities.

November: Hosted the Third International Workshop Series (IWS 2006), "'Body Knowledge' in Asia̶Towards a Knowledge of One's Body," featuring a performance by Tari Ito, titled "Body Knowledge and Performance."

AY 2007
June: Hosted the Fourth International Workshop Series (IWS 2007), "Gender in Asia̶A Roundup: Looking Back/Looking Into Our Future."
January: Published Asian Perspectives on Gender (ICU 21st Century COE Series, vol. 7, Tokyo: Fukōsha), summarizing the results of the four-year international workshop series.

AY 2008
August: Coordinated the Japan-UK LGBT Youth Exchange Project with Bristol city council in the UK. The visit by LGBT youth from the UK was featured on the TV program "Hāto o tsunagō (Joining Our Hearts)," which was broadcast on NHK's educational channel. October-November: Hosted the five-part workshop series, "Developing Self-Esteem and Communication Skills," led by Naoko Takayama, a counselor from the NPO Support House Jomu. The workshops attracted a high number of participants, especially because they were also open to local residents (of Mitaka city).

AY 2009
April: Facilitated the change of the interdisciplinary program PGSS to an academic major, the (program in) Gender and Sexuality Studies (pGSS). This was in line with academic reforms at ICU, which saw the university switch to a new system of academic majors. November: Started the Tama Gender Education Network in collaboration with the Center for Gender Research and Social Sciences (CGraSS) at Hitotsubashi University. The network has since organized a number of study groups each year.

AY 2010
November: Hosted the international workshop "Asian Gender Dialogues: Education on Gender and Sexuality in Asia" to commemorate the opening of Kiyoshi Togasaki Memorial Dialogue House.

AY 2011
April-June: Hosted "Meet Your Irreplaceable Self: Self Awareness Workshop Series," which featured workshops on sex education, self- defense, and academic harassment.

October: Hosted the one-day lecture series "Revisiting 'Japan' and HIV/Aids: Japan in Asia, Asia in Japan." In addition to lectures by international researchers and activists, CGS organized the social event "Living Together in ICU" in collaboration with the Living Together Project.

December: Initiated the Young Research Action Project (YoRAP). CGS RIA's have since organized regular events for YoRAP, mainly in the winter term.

January: Organized the panel discussion "Let's Talk About Parenting on Campus #1" for ICU students, staff, and faculty who have a shared interest in parenting issues. It is now a regular event held in the same period every year.

AY 2012
April: Published the "ICU Student Pocket Guide for LGBTs: Transgender/GID Issue," which provides essential information and advice for GID/transgender students at ICU, such as how to change the name and gender on their school records.

May: The ICU Nursing Room was established based on the guidelines of a petition compiled after a panel discussion hosted by CGS the preceding year.

September-October: Organized the lecture series "Gender and Sexuality Perspectives on Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Crisis" in collaboration with the pGSS subject "Approaches to Gender Studies."

December: Initiated "Fuwa Café (Casual Café)," a social event for people to get together and discuss topics on gender and sexuality, which they find difficult to do in their everyday lives. Organized mainly by RIAs, it is now held once a month on different days throughout the term.

AY2013
May: Collaborated on the compulsory undergraduate subject "Health Education" (see p. 6). Also this month, CGS collaborated with the ICU Housing Office to run workshops on gender and diversity for students residing as mentors in ICU dormitories (tutors in Global House and community assistants in the newer dormitories).

December: Initiated the Young Research Action Project (YoRAP). CGS RIA's have since organized regular events for YoRAP, mainly in the winter term.

January: Organized the panel discussion "Let's Talk About Parenting on Campus #1" for ICU students, staff, and faculty who have a shared interest in parenting issues. It is now a regular event held in the same period every year.