Next month on October 11, Japan’s first permanent LGBTQ centre is opening near Shinjuku Ni-chome in Tokyo. Called the Pride House Tokyo Legacy, the centre is a physical extension of the Pride House Tokyo project, a non-profit advocacy organisation set up to promote understanding and provide support for LGBTQ minorities during the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Though Pride House Tokyo Legacy was initially scheduled to open only in October 2021 after the conclusion of the Olympic Games, organisers decided to scrap the original timeline and open the centre this year instead. The decision was made when recent surveys revealed that people who identified as sexual minorities felt unsafe or unsupported in their homes or workplaces.
Supported by 35 NPOs and activists, 14 corporations and 19 embassies in Tokyo, Pride House Tokyo Legacy will be a place where everyone is welcome regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. It will provide support for those seeking access to counseling as well as information for those who want to know how to be better allies.
Upon opening, the centre will host regular events both online and offline to help shift attitudes towards the LGBTQ minorities in Japan. Rather than relying solely on donations and sponsors, Pride House Tokyo Legacy plans to create programmes and businesses that will open up more opportunities for LGBTQ individuals while sustaining the centre.
This is the first Pride House to be officially recognised by the Olympic Games Committee and come summer 2021, Pride House Tokyo and its permanent centre will play an integral role in supporting both LGBTQ athletes and attendees for a more progressive and inclusive Olympic Games.
For more information, see Pride House Tokyo’s website.
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