Unbound Links
Activism:
Tokyo Lesbian and Gay Parade http://www.tlgp.org/eng2006/
“In August 2005, after a three-year respite, the Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade (TGLP) returned to Tokyo. Approximately 2,500 people marched together in the parade, 1,000 spectators cheered along the roadside, and over 200 volunteers supported the success of the event. 2006 marks the fifth TLGP. TLGP is one of the largest events of sexual minorities in Japan.”
Kyoto Gender Activist http://barairo.net/english/
Hibino Makoto is a bisexual, transgender, queer and social justice activist based in Kyoto. Read about his experiences in Japan and overseas, including when he joined the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine in 2002.
Art, Film:
Filmakers Library Gender Issueshttp://www.filmakers.com/indivs/ColonelJin.htm
This is about a documentary film on Jin Xing, “China’s most Emblematic Transsexual” and an ex Colonel in the People's Liberation Army of China. Jin Xing underwent a sex-change and became a celebrated dancer despite the rigidity and traditionalism of Chinese communist society.
Here's a British article on Jin Xing: http://www.theinsight.co.uk/feature2_28.htm
Asia Pacific Arts Online http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/
This is a UCLA Asia Institute online journal about Asian Pacific arts - from dance to theatre, film and literature. The journal itself is not specifically about gender issues but browsing through some of the archives, it’s easy to find articles with a gender perspective. For example:
Dec 2004 issue http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=18899
March 2005 issue http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=21524)
Tokyo International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival http://www.tokyo-lgff.org/2005/eindex.html
Annual film festival now in it’s 15th year (2006). “Our film festival was founded with a mission to seek for equal rights for the homosexual community when the homosexuality was not as well understood in our society as it currently is.”
Kansai Queer Film Festival http://www.geocities.jp/kansai_queer_film/en/index.html
Held annually in conjunction with the Tokyo International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, but with some Kansai-only screenings. “Our definition of queer film is any film with themes of gender or sexuality. We hope that by showing queer films, more people can experience the diversity of gender and sexuality. And we think it is significant for queers and our friends to get together to do this not abroad or in Tokyo, but in Kansai where we live.”
General:
Asia Source: Asia VIEWS (A resource of the Asia Society) http://www.asiasource.org/views
This website has a good selection of articles related to gender in Asia. Navigate by region and then select gender. Topics range from art and cultural issues to development, political and social issues.
Gender and Media:
Women in Action – QUEERING: Social Movements and Feminist Theories http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/wia/wia2006-1/index.html
Women in Action is the magazine of Isis International Manila –- a feminist information and communication organisation - focusing on perspectives from the global south. This 2006 special theme issue is available entirely on line. The articles are diverse; ranging from discussions of religion, queer theory, media coverage of gay pride marches and lesbian activism.
History:
Japanese History for Gay Men http://www.geocities.co.jp/Berkeley/3508/japanesehistory.html
This site maps the history of male homosexuality in Japan. The banner clearly states that there is a “divergence of views,” following on with the statement that male relationships “in Japan before the Meiji-era [were] based on a commitment to spend their lives together, not on their sexual desire. We call [this] behavior danshoku or nanshoku in Japan, since most of them are not [considered as ]male homosexuality from historical records of the past.” Good links to other sites concerned with homosexual history.
L/G/B/T Lesbian/ Gay/ Bisexual/ Transgender:
Fridae - www.fridae.com/
Fridae is a Hong Kong based media services company whose mission is ‘to build Asia’s largest gay and lesbian community,’ empowering gay Asia in the process. The website is particularly good for news, events and dance parties in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, and for updates of interest to the gay community throughout Asia.
Utopia - www.utopia-asia.com/utopiais.htm
Bangkok based Utopia is the most widely known gay and lesbian website about pan-Asian news and events. Established in 1995, it has a large number of members who keep travel advice postings as up-to-date as possible. It is also well regarded for it’s print edition gay and lesbian travel guides on Asia.
Globalgayz - www.globalgayz.com/index.html
Globalgayz is an invaluable archive of gay news and information from around the globe, starting from in the late 1990s. The site is compiled by U.S. based Richard Ammon.
Intersections - wwwsshe.murdoch.edu.au/intersections/default.htm
Intersections is a web-based journal that includes interviews, articles and book reviews about gender, culture and history in Asia. Developed by Murdoch University's School of Asian Studies in Perth, Australia, the articles are often supported by photographs, maps and illustrations. The first four issues of Intersections have been made into a CD-Rom and all 13 issues are can be read on the site. The useful geographical index of papers and reviews allows for quick searching by country.
The Advocate - www.advocate.com
The Advocate is based in New York and is tireless in its pursuit of improving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender lives in the U.S. and around the world. The site and the magazine have up-to-the-minute details on the continuing same-sex marriage debate raging in the United States. The Advocate is published by PlanetOut Inc., a San Francisco based global media and entertainment company, ‘exclusively serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.’
Transgendercare www.transgendercare.com/default.asp
While some may take offence at the use of the word ‘transgendered’ on this site, the support it offers to transgender people and their partners, friends and families is obvious. This website has detailed information and diagrams about transgender life, pre, post and during sexual reassignment surgery. Not for the fainthearted, there is also a video of breast augmentation. The web mistress is Kim Westwood, a male to female transsexual, who has specialized on in improving hair removal techniques for over a decade. Even though some of the links to the personal websites of over 1,000 transgender people have expired there are still a wealth of transgender perspectives to explore.
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission - www.iglhrc.org/
A US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), the IGLHRS website is a good source of in depth reports on the civil rights status of gays and lesbians, from around the world.
International Gay and Lesbian Association - www.ilga.org/
Anything of interest to gays and lesbians around the worldglobally can be found on this site. The ILGA has up-to-date information on conferences, HIV issues, and human rights abuses and victories. ‘Founded in 1978, with over 400 member organizations, the International Lesbian and Gay Association is a world-wide network of national and local groups dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people everywhere.’
Research:
Gender Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/hkiaps/grc/activity/research.html
In 2006 the Gender Research Centre, part of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies at CUHK, celebrated its 20th anniversary. This link provides access to an excellent archive for research information and reports, covering all of Asia. Divided into four areas: gender and health, gender, development and globalization, gender equality and civil society and gender, identity and culture.
International Christian University Center for Gender Studies http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/cgs/index-e.html
News and reports in English and Japanese on a wide variety of topics connected to gender studies in Japan, and also Asia.
Ochanomizu University - Institute for Gender Studies http://www.igs.ocha.ac.jp/
Another good resource, in Japanese and English, with the latest news on gender studies research in Japan.
First International Conference of Asian Queer Studies in Bangkok http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/
This was the first international interdisciplinary conference on studies of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, bisexual, and queer (LGBTQ) cultures and communities in Asia. It was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 7 - 9 July 2005. “The main aim of the conference is to develop linkages between research about Asian LGBTQ cultures and communities and promoting recognition and respect for sexual and gender diversity in the region. A parallel goal of the conference is to support and defend the academic legitimacy of research and teaching about LGBTQ peoples in Asia.” This site is now a permanent archive.