Hawai‘i Betsuin was among the organizers and hosts for an important event at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii on Oct. 25, 2024. The event was entitled, “Kagirinaki Ai to Jihi: Toward LGBTQ+ Equity & Inclusion in Hawai‘i’s Japanese Communities,” and featured multiple panelists, two moderators, and representatives from organizations active in LGBTQ+ equity and support.
Mahalo to Alan Kubota, Lenscapes Photography, for the photos in the gallery below! Click a photo to Zoom in. Event information is included in captions for the photos as well as additional text below the gallery.
Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer, Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i (Kagirinaki Ai to Jihi, 10/25/24)
The panelists were:
Justice Sabrina Shizue McKenna
The first openly LGBTQ+ Asian American to serve on a state supreme court, she came out publicly to show that anything is possible.
Bill Kaneko
As president of the Honolulu chapter of the JACL, he led the national organization to become the first non-LGBT civil rights organization to support marriage equality.
Marsha & Aiden Aizumi
Marsha is an author (Two Spirits, One Heart), educator, and LGBTQ+ activist. She co-founded the first PFLAG chapter for Asian-Pacific islanders and founded Okaeri – a Nikkei LGBTQ+ community. Aiden, her transgender son and co-author of the book, lived as a female for the first 20 years of his life. In 2008 he came out as transgender & transitioned from female to male. He is the President of PFLAG, Pasadena Chapter.
The event consisted of an opening aspiration by Hawai‘i Betsuin’s chief minister, Rev. Yuika Hasebe; brief introductory remarks by group representatives; two moderated panel discussions; and a few questions and answers. Before and after the event, attendees visited information tables hosted by Okaeri – A Nikkei LGBTQ+ Community, PFLAG O‘ahu, Spill the Tea Café, and Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawai‘i.
Sponsoring organizations were Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai‘i Office of Buddhist Education, Honpa Hongwanji Hawai‘i Betsuin, Honolulu United Buddhist Women’s Association, Japanese American Citizens League Honolulu Chapter, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, and Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i. The event aimed to highlight the historical contributions Japanese in Hawaiʻi have made in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.
We are working on video of the whole event that will be posted to the Hawai‘i Betsuin YouTube channel.