Hey everyone, do you know what May 17 is?May 17 is IDAHO Day.

This day marks the anniversary of the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses on May 17th, 1990.

It is an acronym that stands for "International Day Against Homophobia & Anti-Transphobia."

Every year on May 17th, events and actions are held in more than 100 countries around the world.

In Japan, it is also known as "Say Yes to Diversity Day.”

It was recognized in 2014 by the Japan Anniversary Association.

Today we are having a street action in Kobe for "Say Yes to Diversity of Sexuality Day".

What is "diversity of sexuality "?

Please think about it with us.

Is it normal to only like the opposite sex?

Are there only two genders, female or male? Is it not normal if you are other than that?

Is it normal to love someone?

Is it normal to love only one person at a time?

Please question the "normal" you have been experiencing.

You live your life without any discomfort with the assigned gender you were born with,

loving only the opposite sex, and dating only one person.

Do you think that is "normal"?

People who deviate from that "normal" also live "normally" in society.

In the past few years, the term LGBTQ has become popular.

Many people may think of them as the "exceptional few."

The term "gender diverse" refers to people of all genders.

Of course, that includes LGBTQ.

It also includes people who "live comfortably with the sex they were born with, love only the opposite sex, and date only one person”.

In other words, all people are living with the diversity of sexuality.

Whether you are aware that you are living with that diversity or you are just learning about it for the first time,

why don't you join us in shouting "YES” to the diversity of sexuality"?

Those who are in love and those who are not.

Those who love only the opposite sex.

Those who love only the same sex.

People who love people regardless of gender.

People who like only one person at a time.

People who fall in love with more than one person at the same time.

People who live with the gender they were born with.

People who live with a gender different from the one they were born with.

People who consider themselves neither a woman nor a man.

People who do not know what their gender is or do not want to decide.

There are people of all genders.

You and I are different.

No one is exactly the same as you.

Everyone is different.

There is only one you.

But there are always people in this society who have a similar sexuality to you.

You also have friends.

We are already living together.

We are with our families, our friends, our lovers, our workplaces, our schools, our hospitals, and everywhere else.

I hope that our "voices" heard today will help you to think about "diversity of sexuality" even if only a little.

The Rainbow Flag, which we now carry, is used all over the world as a symbol of LGBTQ activity.

In Japan, the rainbow is associated with seven colors, but the six-color rainbow is used especially for LGBTQ activism.

When you see a rainbow, we hope you will remember that the rainbow is a symbol of LGBTQ activity.

We are having a street action on "Diverse Sexuality" today until ○pm.

We hope you will stop by and listen to our message.

No one is a majority in everything in this society.

Everyone is a minority in some way.

Everyone is "unusual" in some way.

And everyone thinks they are "normal" in some aspect.

To live in this society is to coexist with people who are different from your "normal."

Today is "YES to Diversity of Sexuality Day”.

LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ alike, let's think about diversity and say "YES" together.

We may not be able to join hands in some parts.

Still, we want to talk and understand each other where we differ.

Let's make a society where we can live together without conflict.

translated by Ebony Proskow,Tsukumo Shioyasu

翻訳：エボニー・プロスコ、塩安九十九

▼〜2019年まで使用

三宮のみなさんこんにちは。

ゲイのみなさん、

レズビアンのみなさん、

バイセクシュアルのみなさん、

パンセクシュアルのみなさん、

トランスジェンダーのみなさん、

Aセクシュアルのみなさん、

ノンセクシュアルのみなさん

ポリアモリーのみなさん、

DSDのみなさん、

シスジェンダーのみなさん、

セクシュアルマイノリティのみなさん、

それ以外のみなさん、

そうでない人も含めて、

みなさんこんにちは。

5月17日が何の日か知っていますか？

5月17日は、「多様な性にYESの日」です。日本記念日協会によって2014年に認定された記念日です。「国際反ホモフォビア＆反トランスフォビアの日（international day against homophobia and transphobia）」の頭文字をとった略称で、毎年5月17日に世界100カ国以上でイベントやアクションが行われています。

今日は神戸で「多様な性にYESの日」の路上アクションを行っています。

「多様な性」って何か知っていますか？

セクシュアルマイノリティの活動では、レインボーがよく登場します。それは性のあり方は虹のように十人十色だということを表しているからです。今日はさまざまなフラッグを持ってきました。

「多様な性」って何でしょうか？いっしょに考えてみてください。

異性を好きなんが当たり前？

性別って男と女だけなん？

だれかを好きになるんがふつう？

一人しか好きになったらあかん？

実は性別は一人一人ちがうんです。

恋愛をする人、しない人。

異性を好きになる人。

同性を好きになる人。

性別関係なく好きになる人。

一人だけ好きになる人。

複数の人を好きになる人。

生まれた時の性別とは異なる性別で生きたい人、生きる人。

自分を男でも女でもないと思う人。

自分の性のあり方がわからない人、決めたくない人。

性のあり方が少数派の人たちのことを「セクシュアルマイノリティ」と言います。

実は人口の7.6%が「セクシュアルマイノリティ」という調査結果もあります。

私たちはすでに、一緒に生きています。

ぼくはゲイだって言っていないだけで、すでにあなたの息子です。

私はレズビアンだって言っていないだけで、すでにあなたの同僚です。

あなたにバイセクシュアルだって言っていないだけで、すでにあなたの恋人です。

自分はトランスジェンダーだって言っていないだけで、すでにあなたの友達です。

私たちはすでに、一緒に生きています。

今日少し聞こえた私たちの「声」がどうか「多様な性」を考えるきっかけになりますように。

今日は○時まで「多様な性」に関する路上アクションを行っています。ぜひ立ち止まって私たちのメッセージを聞いてもらえたらうれしいです。

そして、いつかセクシュアルマイノリティであってもなくても、

障がいがあってもなくても、

在日でもそうでなくても、

外国ルーツでもそうでなくても、

部落出身でもそうでなくても、

なにかのマイノリティであってもそうでなくても、

みんなで手を取り合って進んでいける社会になりますように。

2017.5.23更新　文責　小林和香

Hello everyone in Sannomiya.

Hello everyone who has all different kinds of identities such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, Asexual, nonsexual, poliamoly, DSD, sis gender, sexual minority or who aren’t fit all of categories which exist in this world today as words.

Do you know what the day for 17th of May is?

17th of May is the day for SAYING YES TO THE DIVERSITY OF SEXUALITY.

It is the official anniversary approved by Japan anniversary association in 2014.

It is also known as “IDAHO” which means “International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia” and many events or activism are taken place by people around the world on this day. 

And that’s why we are taking an action here in Kobe on this day.

Do you know what does “Diversity of sexuality” actually mean? 

Rainbow color is said that it represents “Sexual Minorities.”

Why? It’s because each one of us is different like RAINBOW.

Therefore, we brought many kinds of flags here to show you today.

Again, what is “Diversity of sexuality?”

Let’s think about it together.

Is it normal for us to fell in love with someone only who has opposite sex?

Do we have only two kinds of gender identities, which are FEMALE and MALE?

Is it normal for us to be able to fell in love with someone?

Is it not a good thing to like more than 2 people?

Actually, “the sexual identity” is depends on each one of people, and there are NOTHING the same.

One may fell in love with some one, but others may not.

One may like people who have same sex, but others may not.

Even the type of sexuality will not affect them to fell in love.

There is people who like only one person as their partners.

But there is people who like more than two people as well.

Some of them want to change, or actually have changed their biological sex into the opposite one. 

Also, some people don’t, cannot, or don’t want to categorize themselves neither as male nor female.

Sexual minority is the name of people who have manor sexuality.

In fact, according to the study, 7.6% of popularity in Japan is “sexual minorities.”

We have already been living together.

Some people would say, “I’m your son, and I’m gay. Just I haven’t told you.”

Some people would say, “I’m your colleague, and I’m lesbian. Just I haven’t told you.”

Some people would say, “I’m your partner, and I’m bisexual. Just I haven’t told you.”

Some people would say, “I’m your friend, and I’m transgender. Just I haven’t told you.”

You may not know that they actually exist, but they do.

It’s just because they haven’t told you.

We all are actually living together even in this moment. 

We do hope our voice can be the trigger to raise awareness of diversity of sexuality.

We are standing here to take actions until ○ today.

It would be awesome if you could spear us even little bit of your time to listen to our messages.

We hope that we can build the better world together.

And it doesn’t matter what kind of sexuality, disability, background, or any other kinds of attributes.

It’s just because, at the end of the day, we all are the same human.

translated by Asano Kondo