Our Lives Jun 6, 2022
QLOVE: ‘Your authenticity is your power’
When Chloe Douglas and Reyna Marquez came to Japan they felt the LGBTQ scene was more segregated than what they were used to. Their answer? Uniting these scenes through QLOVE.
Film Dec 9, 2021
Amarachi Nwosu tackles diversity issues with 'Women of Color in Japan'
Filmmaker Amarachi Nwosu's short film, which follows three women of different ethnicities who navigate their opportunities and challenges in Tokyo, seeks to dismantle stereotypes in Japan.
Issues | LEARNING CURVE Sep 6, 2021
What to expect as a 'teacher of color' in Japan
Every situation is different. As a nonwhite instructor in Japan, it helps to know others facing the same challenges you are.
People | 20 QUESTIONS Jul 2, 2020
Kurdish YouTuber Shinya: 'Spontaneous, creative and real'
YouTuber Shinya says the positivity on the platform outweighs any negativity that comes her way.
TV | Wide Angle Jun 11, 2020
Hana Kimura's legacy is one of inclusion and acceptance
With all the news about Hana Kimura focusing on her death, I wanted to write about her life.
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Aug 21, 2019
Meet the women reframing black femininity in Japanese spaces
Ebony Bowens and Tynelle Pozdnyakov dip into Japanese fashion subcultures in an effort to challenge stereotypes and have a little fun while doing it.
Issues | LEARNING CURVE Apr 24, 2019
Malala is only one part of what makes Pakistan great
The textbooks used in English class are starting to look more and more like they should be used in social studies class, focusing increasingly on the cultures of countries where English isn't the first language. These lessons in diversity come in the form of ...
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA Mar 15, 2019
Your 'Japanese experience' doesn't have to be 'Japanese only'
After living in Japan for a while you start to notice certain personality types popping up in the international community, particularly among English teachers. There's the "weeaboo," a fairly recent character; the paripi (party people), who hit every nomikai (drinking party); and the gaijin (foreigner) ...
Issues | LEARNING CURVE Jan 23, 2019
Waxing philosophical in English class with 'Thinking Experiments'
If you've ever taught English at a Japanese school, you'll likely be familiar with a certain kind of silence — pervasive and tinged with teenage ennui. Authors Alexander Dutson and James Hill want to recommend breaking the ice with philosophy. Their book, "Thinking Experiments," presents ...
Issues | LEARNING CURVE Jan 23, 2019
Trying out a lesson on traditional notions of gender
I teach a class of 38 at Hamamatsu Higashi Senior High School in Shizuoka Prefecture, and earlier this month I tried out a gender-themed lesson from Alexander Dutson and James Hill's "Thinking Experiments." The class I teach emphasizes essay writing and comprises students who aim ...