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“Gaycation” recap (1.1): Japan

I’m not sure what we did to deserve Canadian unicorn Ellen Page, but it must have been something good. In Ellen’s new show, Gaycation, we follow the sparkly wonderlez as she and best friend, Ian Daniel (true lezbro material), travel the world in search of LGBT communities. In the kickoff episode, Ellen and Ian travel to Tokyo and have all sorts of unique adventures you have probably never seen on a travel show before. This show isn’t about the hot spots you should hit up on your future travels, but exploring the culture and experiences of queer people across the world. In other words, it’s pretty fascinating and wonderful.

The show kicks off with Ellen and Ian exploring Tokyo’s gay district, which has hundreds of bars for its relatively tiny size. (It’s only five square blocks!) Their first stop is Tokyo’s smallest and oldest gay bar, Yo Chan Chi, where they interview the bar’s owner, Yo Chan, about how the gayborhood got its start. What once started as the city’s red light district has evolved into an area that is brimming with energy and countless ways to express oneself. While lamenting the rapidly changing scene, Yo Chan imparts wisdom that I want etched onto my tombstone:

Next on the list is a small club with an unfortunate name (Cholesterol) and its very well known owner, Takuya. Takuya is famous for, well, blow jobs. He’s even performed them on Japanese television and has a sex toy modeled after him. Hey, it can’t all be leztastic, right? “I want to have a penis just to try it, honestly,” Ellen says after inspecting the frankly unassuming toy.

OK, bring on the lesbians! Ellen goes solo to Goldfinger, a lesbian bar owned by Chiga Ogawa, who happens to be one of the pioneering players in the Tokyo lesbian scene. Not unlike back in the States, Japan has way more venues for gay men to congregate than lesbians and queer women. Goldfinger is one of the few, and it is hopping. And famous or not, like any lesbian worth her salt, Ellen is adorably nervous and excited to be around so many beautiful queer women.

For their final stop of the evening, Ellen and Ian head to a secret club called Onna No Ko Cafe. A place where being yourself is encouraged; it’s a safe haven for trans women. Cis men are also encouraged to attend and try on the vast assortment of typically women’s clothing, wigs and makeup provided by the club. Ian hangs out with a regular customer who helps him get dressed. Much tequila is consumed by all and the duo bids us goodnight, as they have a full day of exploring to do the next day.

Ellen and Ian head to the Anime district to check out a comic book store with a huge selection of Yaoi Manga, which is basically like m/m slash fanfiction in comic form. It’s cute boys, getting down, for the benefit of a mostly straight, female audience. They are joined on this adventure by LGBT writer Yuki Keiser. Yuki explains that there is still a disconnect between entertainment like this, and acceptance of the real lives of LGBT people in Japan.

After getting a little hot and bothered at the Manga store, Ellen and Ian meet up with two Yaoi fans, both of whom are straight-identified women. It’s exactly the taboo nature of the gay experience and desire that draws these fans to the genre. In addition to reading the Manga books, these super fans introduce Ellen and Ian to the audiobook version. Things are about to get a little awkward. The foursome head off to a private karaoke room to listen to what is essentially a gay porn on CD. It turns out, awkward and embarrassed is what the fans were going for. It’s the feeling of accidentally stumbling upon two men (or more) engaged in a sexual encounter, that these fans want. In reality, there’s a disconnect between the fans’ actual gay friends and their consumption of Yaoi. Their friends find it borderline offensive, as their own personal lives in Japanese society are very much under wraps.

From objectification to reality, Ellen and Ian meet up with a duo of gay lawyers and life partners, Kuzuyuki and Masafumi. The couple work on LGBT rights and issues in Tokyo. They talk about how they are often told not to upset with the status quo. It’s very much a don’t ask don’t tell environment. The men are working to slowly but surely working to change Japanese perceptions of the gay community.

Next stop is a train ride away in Kyoto, where our gaycationers visit a hotel that is marketing itself as a destination for same-sex weddings, even though they are not yet legal in the country. Ellen and Ian go through a mock wedding to see what the experience is like, which actually looks really sweet and accepting. Well, that and I just like for people to burst into applause when I enter a room too.

They then head to a temple where a Zen priest is spearheading these same-sex weddings, legal or not. The temple welcomes all, and the priest talks about how there are no specific teachings against homosexuality in the Zen faith. Ellen and Ian go through a sort of friend-wedding, and exchange sweet vows of lezbroship.

From the wonderful, accepting feeling at the temple, Ellen and Ian head down a much different path next. They meet up with a closeted gay man, whose identity and voice are disguised for the cameras. Mr. X, as they call him, is engaged in a “friendship marriage” or a marriage of convenience in order to further hide his sexuality. When Ellen asks Mr. X if he would be willing to live more openly if things changed dramatically for the better in Japan, Mr. X hesitates. He doesn’t think he would.

As Ellen spends more time with members of the LGBT community, she starts to realize that in Japan, it’s not about openly hating and discriminating against queer people there. It’s much more systematic and internalized, which in some ways, makes it even harder to break free from. Ellen meets with Japan’s first openly lesbian politician, Kanako Otsuji. She explains to Ellen that the feelings about the LGBT community go back to the fifties, where the nuclear family unit was of utmost importance. The country’s culture of shame also contributes to the lack of acceptance, Kanako adds. Coming out isn’t championed, it’s considered shameful. That certainly hasn’t stopped the Assemblywoman though from fighting for LGBT rights.

There is a company in Japan that rents out family members and friends for events and occasions like weddings, funerals and even coming outs. Ellen and Ian join the company’s founder, Mr. IIshi, as he meets with a young man who wants to come out to his mother. The young man has the same worries that most of us do when coming out: that he will lose friends or become estranged from family. He asks Ellen about her experience of finally deciding to come out, and she shares her thoughts on not wanting to hide any longer and being able to love openly. “I just wanted to be happy, and I wasn’t happy,” she tells him.

Her words strengthen his resolve to come out to his mom, and soon she arrives. Ellen and Ian sit in the room while they talk. At first, his mother is overwhelmed and leaves, but she soon comes back with an open heart. Ellen is so taken by it all, she has to wipe away tears of relief and happiness.

As the episode comes to a close, Ellen talks about the importance of coming out and how it can truly change attitudes, hearts and ultimately, the world. Lord knows, her coming out has inspired so many. And on a happy note, last spring, Tokyo’s Shibuya ward began recognizing same-sex unions. This is a big step and hopefully one of many more to come.

So, should you check out Gaycation? Absolutely. Even if you aren’t an Ellen Page fan (and who isn’t? Come on!) the show will open your eyes to so much about the LGBT community outside of your own country and perspectives.

Gaycation is available now on Viceland.

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