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The Center for Gender Studies, International Christian University, welcomes submission of unpublished research papers, field repots and book rebiews. Articles currently received will be considerd for inclusion in the forth issue scheduled for publication in March 2011.

Submission Deadline: August 31, 2010
Journal Regulations for vol. 06

Launched in 2005, the CGS journal, Gender and Sexuality, is designed to bring together researchers and activists from theoretical and practical collaboration, and to disseminate information from Japan and Asia to the world. It is our hope that this journal will become an innovative, dynamic forum for challenging existing concepts and stimulating lively debate.

International Christian University (Tokyo, Japan) is pleased to announce an open search for a full-time faculty position “Gender in Politics and International Relations” at the rank of Associate, Senior Associate, or Full Professor.

The complete announcement for the position is available at the following URL:
http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/gjg/KOBO/gendere.html

Applications must be submitted to Katsuhiko Mori, Chair, Department of Politics and International Relations, International Christian University, 3-10-2 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan 181-8585, no later than August 31, 2010. After documentary screening, short-listed candidates will be requested to submit four letters of reference and sample publications prior to a model lecture and interview.

CGS Tea Party

26（Mon）27（Tue）28（Wed）April, 2010
12:40 - 15:00 @ CGS (ERB 301)

The Center for Gender Studies (CGS) provides a communication space for those who are interested in issues of gender and sexuality.

We would like you all to join us at our tea party!
We are especially looking forward to meeting new students arriving this April. Come and learn about the major in Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Teas and Snacks will be provided. No sign-up required. Everybody is welcome!!!

ICU Center for Gender Studies ERB 301
[tel&fax]+81-422-33-3448 [e-mail]cgs@icu.ac.jp

Etsuko KATO
Director, Center for Gender Studies
Senior Associate Professor, International Christian University

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

From April 2009, I have had the honor of serving as CGS Director, following in the footsteps of Kazuko Tanaka(2004-2007) and Natsumi Ikoma (2008). It has "only", and at the same time, "already" been 6 years since the establishment of our center. I feel that we are now entering upon a second stage in our history.

Anonymous
3rd year student, Division of Languages, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

On May 20, 2009, I attended an open lecture on "The Politics Surrounding Names and Labels" as part of the "Approaches to Gender Studies" course. The speakers were Akira Miyama, host of the news website Delta G, and guest lecturer Yuriko Iino.
The lecture questioned why it was only non-heterosexuals who were compelled to label themselves. As stated in its flyer, it discussed the political nature of names and labels, including coming out, unilateral naming and the effect of naming on one's personality.

decofemi
ICU graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

With plans for the construction of a large-scale dormitory currently underway at ICU, I would like to discuss the issue of ICU dorms in the light of my own experience.
Up until two years ago, I lived in a women's dormitory on campus. All the rooms were shared, and men were only permitted entry to the communal area on the first floor. If it was necessary for any man to go upstairs (such as a university employee) one of the dorm residents would have to call out "a man is coming upstairs!" before letting them through. This was one of the many dorm rules that I simply couldn't get used to. Even the hope of preventing sex-related crimes cannot justify the treatment of people as if they were potential sex offenders. One could even argue that this prohibition of "men" reflects a simplistic assumption that "problems (only) occur between the two sexes."

The Cnter for Gender Studies, International Christian University, welcomes submission of unpublished research papers, field repots and book rebiews. Articles currently received will be considerd for inclusion in the forth issue scheduled for publication in March 2009.

Submission Deadline:August 31,2009
Journal Regulations for vol.05

Launched in 2005, the CGS journal, Gender and Sexuality, is designed to bring together researchers and activists from theoretical and practical collaboration, and to disseminate information from Japan and Asia to the world. It is our hope that this journal will become an innovative, dynamic forum for challenging existing concepts and stimulating lively debate.

In December 2008, at a Christmas party hosted by the Center for Gender Studies, CGS staff asked those who intended to participate in the party dressed in drag to refrain from doing it. Despite our commitment to fighting discrimination against gender minorities and sexual minorities, we at CGS had unwittingly lost sight of our principles and had come to mix up familiarity with easiness to control. We wish to express our sincere regret for the incident last year and we apologize to all those who were victimized and hurt by our actions. CGS regards this incident as a serious issue for our entire organization. We issue this statement to express our firm resolve to prevent such an incident from occurring again in the future and to express our apologies to all those concerned.

Kimiko KIMOTO
Professor, Hitotsubashi University
Kazuko TANAKA
Professor, International Christian University

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

CGS: Today, Professors Kimiko Kimoto (KK) and Kazuko Tanaka (KT), shall discuss the future prospects for gender/sexuality pedagogy. Firstly, Professor Kimito could you tell us about Hitotsubashi's GenEP (a school-wide educational program for gender equity)?
KK: At Hitotsubashi University, students follow the curriculum set specifically for their chosen major to complete the credits required for graduation. Before the introduction of GenEP, individual lecturers voluntarily incorporated gender perspectives in their classes since there were no required gender-related courses. But with GenEP, we created for the first time an official system of gender-related courses and offered a list of such courses for students. Every year we make a new program of gender-related coursework that enables students to systematically study gender issues. The program is administered by the Center for Gender Research and Social Sciences (CGraSS).
*CGraSS Website: http://gender.soc.hit-u.ac.jp/index.html

Takako NIWA
Graduate Student, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the ???th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

As a CGS staff member who participated in the CGS-hosted workshop "Developing Self-Esteem and Communication Skills," I would like to report on this event. The workshop series continued over 5 sessions, the titles of which were as follows:

(1) Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths
(2) Dealing with Stress
(3) Skills in Positive Speaking
(4) Understanding Anger
(5) Dealing with Harassment and Improving Communication Skills at Work

The event drew more applicants than expected, and while this pleased me as a member of the planning committee, it also made me see how so many people were worried about their interpersonal relationships. I felt that the difficulties of living in the contemporary were being pushed under my nose again.

Shintaro ISHIGURO
Chair, ICU Festival Committee 2008
Keita UEHARA
Committee Planner, ICU Festival Committee 2008
Naoko TAKAYAMA
Counselor, Support House Jomu
Makiko ISERI, Takako NIWA and Naomi SUZUKI
CGS staff members

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter. The full Japanese version of this discussion can be viewed on here.】

Last year, the ICU Festival 2008 committee had several meetings with CGS staff to discuss whether or not a beauty contest should be held at the ICU festival. Today, Mr. Ishiguro (SI) and Mr. Uehara (KU) of the festival committee met with CGS staff members (Iseri (MI), Niwa (TN) and Suzuki (NS)) for a round-table discussion facilitated by Ms. Takayama (NT) a professional counselor. We hope this article will clarify the issues involved and help you form your own opinions.

We would like to invite you all to our tea party scheduled from 12:40 p.m.
on April 20th - 21th. We will be waiting with tea and snacks! Anybody who
is interested in our activities and yet has not visited us, please come
and join us!

Yuko INOUE
Co-ordinator for Japan, Japan-UK LGBT Youth Exchange Project
ICU Center for Gender Studies

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The situation for LGBTs has seen great change in the last five years. In the UK, legislation has been passed to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and same-sex couples have been granted similar legal rights to those of heterosexual married couples. In Japan, an assembly member has publicly come out as a lesbian and there are many LGBT groups which are becoming more and more active.
Yet, are questioning LGBT youth finding it easier to access information or meet people to help them understand their sexuality? The answer is no. In fact, they are more liable to be exposed to negative information concerning homosexuality or the transgression of gender norms, so it is still difficult for them to accept themselves as they are. This kind of negative information and the lack of support for LGBT youth in education is becoming the largest hotbed for bullying due to homophobia and transgender abhorrence. In both Japan and the UK, many LGBT youth are the victims of bullying, and some are pushed to the point of contemplating or actually attempting suicide. At the same time, there are many LGBT youth who are struggling in their respective ways and situations to overcome these difficulties and transform the prejudice into understanding. In the movement to create a society that protects the rights of not only LGBT but people we cannot ignore the infinite possibilities that this type of initiative holds.

Yukiko HOSOMI
Co-ordinator for UK, Japan-UK LGBT Youth Exchange Project

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

When it is hard enough to meet other LGBT young people in our own countries, why do we cross over borders trying to meet others who live thousands of miles away? Paradoxically this is the very reason why we are holding this LGBT youth exchange. The exchange creates a space for young people and all involved to find themselves as well as each other in societies where heteronormativity and gender stereotyping attempt to wipe out and disadvantage the existence of any nonconformist. Additionally, being young makes LGBT youth a minority in LGBT communities. While coming-out is still a big issue for most LGBTs, it is even harder for young people to do so when their lives are dependent on parental care. This is still the case, not only in Japan, but also in the UK.

Chico Masak
Undergraduate student, ICU
A Homosexual Asian Male Bitch From CA/NZ/JP

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

When I was a high school student in Japan, I was a closeted gay. I don’t think I even had that word - gay - to identify myself as. I knew the word “homo” and only revealed my sexuality in online forums. I had no idea how my friends and parents would respond if I came out because I had never seen anyone come out. I was comfortable with my sexuality but it was not until I left the country that I could tell my mother and my best friend that I was sexually/romantically attracted to men rather than women. I sometimes wonder, if I had not moved to New Zealand at the age of seventeen, would I have ever been able to come out? In a high school in Japan? I don’t think so.