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Science Daily - Why People Oppose Gay Marriage

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Science Daily - Why People Oppose Gay Marriage

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This article explains the psychology behind the opposition of same-sex marriage. It describes the fact that people who oppose gay marriage are usually married at a young age, have more children, and believe in traditional values.

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Why do opponents of same-sex marriage really oppose it?

A UCLA psychology study published online today in the journal Psychological Science concludes that many people believe gay men and women are more sexually promiscuous than heterosexuals, which they may fear could threaten their own marriages and their way of life.

"Many people who oppose same-sex marriage are uncomfortable with casual sex and feel threatened by sexual promiscuity," said David Pinsof, a UCLA graduate student of psychology and lead author of the study.

Such people often marry at a younger age, have more children and believe in traditional gender roles in which men are the breadwinners and women are housewives.

"Sexual promiscuity may be threatening to these people because it provides more temptations for spouses to cheat on one another," Pinsof said. "On the other hand, for people who are comfortable with women being more economically independent, marrying at a later age and having more sexual partners, sexual promiscuity is not as much of a threat because women do not depend on men for financial support." The researchers measured people's attitudes, regardless of their accuracy.

People who feel their way of life is most threatened by sexual promiscuity tend to be socially conservative and strongly believe in traditional gender roles. Among them are women who prioritize family over career and who view their marital vows as sacred, said Martie Haselton, a UCLA professor of psychology and communication studies, and the study's senior author.

The researchers surveyed 523 men and 562 women, 27 percent of whom oppose same-sex marriage. In one part of the study, subjects took a test designed to reveal whether and to what extent they associate images of gay couples with words and phrases like "promiscuous" or "one-night stand." On sensitive topics, people often tell researchers what they think they should say, rather than what they really believe. This first test enabled researchers to avoid this problem because participants can't easily control or fake the results, Haselton said.

Participants were shown a series of words associated with the adjective "promiscuous" -- such as "casual sex" and "one-night stand" -- as well as words associated with "monogamous" -- such as "faithful" and "loving" -- and images of either gay couples or heterosexual couples. They were instructed to match the words to either "promiscuous" or "monogamous," while also categorizing the couples as gay or straight.

Participants were instructed to press a button whenever they saw a photo of a gay couple or a word associated with "promiscuous," and then to do the same whenever they saw a gay couple or a word associated with "monogamous." The researchers measured how quickly participants responded in each scenario.

"If you have a hard time disassociating 'gay' and 'promiscuous,' it will take you longer to respond when 'gay' and 'monogamous' are paired," Haselton said.

The test showed that many people tend to strongly associate the concepts "gay" and "promiscuous."

Next, researchers asked people the extent to which they agree or disagree with statements such as:

Marriage is between a man and a woman.

Same-sex marriage undermines the meaning of the traditional family.

I oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage.

I support a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Same-sex couples should have the same legal rights to get married as heterosexual couples.

The researchers determined subjects' level of "sexual conservatism" based on how much they agreed or disagreed with statements like "Sex without love is okay" and "I can easily imagine myself being comfortable and enjoying casual sex with different partners." Those who agreed more strongly with those statements were likely to support same-sex marriage.

"What people are willing to say about links between sexual promiscuity and sexual orientation and their reaction times tell a very similar story," Haselton said.

The challenge of the study was whether Pinsof's statistical analysis could predict whether participants support or oppose same-sex marriage strongly, moderately or slightly, based on their response times and their answers to the series of statements.

On a seven point-scale from "strongly oppose" to "strongly support" same-sex marriage, he was able to account for 42.3 percent of the variation in people's attitudes, and able to accurately predict their attitudes about same-sex marriage substantially better than chance.

"That is remarkable; in psychological research, explaining 42 percent is huge," Haselton said.

"Opposition to same-sex marriage may be strategic by people who are seeking to protect their marriages and the marriages in their communities, and are fearful that changing the definition of marriage is threatening to their way of life," Pinsof said. "Because they view gay people as promiscuous, they view the idea of same-sex marriage as undermining the institution of marriage."

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relationships; gender difference; social psychology; racial issues; popular culture; education and employment; funding policy; political science

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Why people oppose same-sex marriage: Psychology study points to self-interest as a leading cause

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Why do opponents of same-sex marriage really oppose it? A new psychology study concludes that many people believe gays are more sexually promiscuous than heterosexuals and may fear that sexual promiscuity threatens their own marriages and their way of life.

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Not Allowing Gay Marriage is Unconstitutional

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Not Allowing Gay Marriage is Unconstitutional

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Another article talking about how not allowing gay marriage is unconstitutional. Something that a Japanese high court ruled. Yet, same-sex marriage is still banned in Japan

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Denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a Japanese high court says

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The Sapporo High Court ruling said that not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage.

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I like this goal because I get to learn about different inequalities there are around the world.

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Goal 10 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Reduce inequality within and among countries

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Something that caught my attention on the SDG website is that, "The number of countries reporting on discrimination has increased by 37% since 2022."

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This website had a lot of great statistics on LGBTQ+ people in Japan which I thought was really helpful.

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Discover all statistics and data on LGBTQ+ in Japan now on statista.com!

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I thought it was really interesting to learn the certain rights that LGBTQ+ people have in South Korea. I wasn't aware that there was so much progress being made in South Korea.

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LGBT Rights in South Korea: homosexuality, gay marriage, gay adoption, serving in the military, sexual orientation discrimination protection, changing legal gender, donating blood, age of consent, and more.

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As I was watching this interview, I was reminded of how much footwork anime has done in Japan. Even if the characters aren't explicitly said to be LGBTQ+, having those themes can be incredibly beneficial. Take JoJo's Bizarre Adventure as an example, a manga and anime created by Hirohiko Araki. Throughout the series, there are multiple characters dressed in androgynous and effeminate types of clothing. Even the mannerisms could be described as inherently queer. The series does include some LGBTQ+ characters such as Dio Brando, bisexual, and Dragona Joestar, transgender. But I believe its true queerness has to do with how it breaks gender roles in its writing and art style. In this interview, the author talks about how he wanted to center Part 5 of JJBA around "beautiful men" and not women specifically. Further implying how gender roles don't seem to apply in this animanga.

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Araki Sensei Talks Golden Wind | JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure | VIZ

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This quote stuck out to me, "Japan remains the only G7 country that doesn't recognize such unions." This is very surprising to me.

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Joel Guinto and Sakiko Shiraishiin Singapore and Tokyo

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LGBTQ rights: Japan PM under fire for same-sex marriage remarks

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Fumio Kishida is facing criticism for his remarks, just weeks after apologising over a separate scandal.

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Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

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Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

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I think it's interesting to know that Japanese courts have ruled that Japan's ban on gay marriage in unconstitutional, and yet it's still banned.

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A second high court rules that Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

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A second high court has ruled that the Japanese government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

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Reasons why the Same-Sex Marriage Ban can be Problematic

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Reasons why the Same-Sex Marriage Ban can be Problematic

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I never really considered the problems that arise when two people can't marry.

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MARRIAGE EQUALITY | 結婚の自由をすべての人に - Marriage for All Japan -

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Problems posed by Japan's ban on same-sex marriage In Japan, two individuals who are legally the same sex are not permitted to marry. Japan does not criminalize homosexuality, and same-sex couples are free to love each other. This may lead some to think, "if they're allowed to love each other, does it even matter that same-sex couples can't marry?"

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Obergefell v. Hodges Case Brief Summary | Law Case Explained

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Obergefell v. Hodges Case Brief Summary | Law Case Explained

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This is the case that legalized gay marriage in the U.S. which I thought was important to note in this because it showcases the problems that the ban had in America. Like how spouses married in a state where same-sex marriage was legal, weren't recognized in states where it wasn't.

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Obergefell v. Hodges Case Brief Summary | Law Case Explained

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I learned from this article that a lot of Africa's countries have strict anti-LGBTQ+ restrictions. Which I knew, but I wasn't aware of the extent.

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Africa’s Struggle Toward Inclusive LGBTQ+ Laws

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Countries in Africa have some of the harshest and most discriminatory LGBTQ+ policies in the world. But some governments are taking hopeful steps toward inclusion.

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I thought it was interesting to see that even though there is a lot of support for same-sex marriage in Asia, it's still not legal in most countries.

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Across Asia, views of same-sex marriage vary widely

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A median of 49% of people in 12 places in Asia say they at least somewhat favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally.

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I found this recent article about Greece legalizing gay marriage. This was really shocking to me since this happened last year. It's very sad to hear that it has just now become legal. But it also fills me with a lot of hope that it will soon become legal everywhere.

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The legislation has been praised by LGBTQ organisations, but strongly opposed by the Orthodox Church

Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage.

Same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after Thursday's vote.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new law would "boldly abolish a serious inequality".

But the legislation has divided the country, with fierce resistance being led by the powerful Greek Orthodox Church.

The bill needed a simple majority to pass through the 300-member parliament.

Mr Mitsotakis championed the bill but required the support of opposition parties to get it over the line, with dozens of MPs from his centre-right governing party opposed.

"People who have been invisible will finally be made visible around us, and with them, many children will finally find their rightful place," the prime minister told parliament during a debate ahead of the vote.

"The reform makes the lives of several of our fellow citizens better, without taking away anything from the lives of the many."

The vote has been hailed as historic by LGBTQ organisations in Greece.

Fifteen of the European Union's 27 members have already legalised same-sex marriage. It is permitted in 35 countries worldwide.

Greece has until now lagged behind some of its European neighbours, largely because of opposition from the Church.

It is the first country in southeast Europe to have marriage equality.

Supporters of the Church held rallies at Syntagma Square in Athens on Thursday. Many displayed banners, held crosses, read prayers and sang passages from the Bible.

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Parliament's vote for equality in marriage and adoption was opposed by the Greek Orthodox Church.

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I thought it was cool to see that there has been some progress made in Latin America. Still, there is much more progress to be done.

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Over the past decade, Latin America has stood out for its recognition of LGBTQ+ rights. Outside of the Caribbean, the majority of countries in the region have decriminalized same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults. In Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Mexico, LGBTQ+ individuals are constitutionally protected from discrimination based upon sexual orientation. Elsewhere, many of the region's constitutions now include broad non-discrimination clauses that offer some protection to LGBTQ+ citizens. Since 2010, eight countries have approved laws prohibiting discrimination based upon sexual orientation.

Latin America has also made impressive progress on marriage equality. In 2010, Argentina became the first country in the region to approve same-sex marriage; 20,000 same-sex Argentine couples have since married. In 2013, neighboring Brazil and Uruguay followed suit, and later Colombia (2016), Ecuador (2019) and Costa Rica (2020). In 2019, the Mexican Supreme Court declared bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. In Chile, President Sebastián Piñera vowed earlier this month to advance a marriage equality bill stalled in congress since 2017.

However, a number of obstacles stand in the way of further progress. LGBTQ+ activists face backlash from social and religious conservatives, and some leaders, including Presidents Nayib Bukele of El Salvador and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, are openly hostile to LGBTQ+ rights. In the Eastern Caribbean, Human Rights Watch has condemned "discriminatory legislation" that leaves LGBTQ+ populations "ready victims of discrimination, violence and abuse."

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The State of LGBTQ+ Rights in Latin America

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Over the past decade, Latin America has stood out for its recognition of LGBTQ+ rights. Outside of the Caribbean, the majority of countries in the region have decriminalized same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults. In Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Mexico, LGBTQ+ individuals are constitutionally protected from discrimination based upon sexual orientation.

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This article criticizes a new bill that Japan has recently introduced. Even though a majority of people support gay marriage, it's still not legal which is crazy to think about.

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Japan has passed legislation aimed at "promoting the understanding" of members of the LGBTQ community - a watered-down bill that will do little to put the Asian country in line with fellow liberal democracies on the issue.

As many reports of the bill's passage on June 16, 2023, have noted, Japan lags far behind other G7 countries when it comes to the legal protection of sexual minorities.

There has been less discussion of how the limits of the new law - and the prolonged battle to get it passed - highlight how national politicians are out of step with Japanese society at large.

Despite Japan's international stereotype as a socially conservative nation - a view swayed by the political leanings of the national government - both corporate Japan and regional authorities in the country have long been out in front of parliament on the rights of LGBTQ people. Moreover, Japan's history on same-sex relationships is decidedly more mixed than many in the country's national politics, or in the West, would acknowledge.

Changes in society, courts and corporate Japan

The bill passed by both houses of Japan's parliament does little to move the needle for the rights of sexual minorities in the country. There are no additional legal protections included. And a vague stipulation in the bill that "all citizens can live with peace of mind" has been criticized by LGBTQ activists for de-prioritizing the rights of sexual minorities.

The fact that even such modest proposals faced a battle to be passed is indicative of the stubbornness of the national parliament to seriously address LGBTQ rights.

Yet outside the national parliament, the political and legal struggles for equal rights for sexual minorities have achieved a series of successes in recent years in Japan, especially at the regional and municipal levels.

In March 2019, legislation banning discrimination against sexual minorities was passed in Ibaraki prefecture. A month later, a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly law prohibited all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Tokyo law also committed the city government to raising awareness of LGBTQ people and outlawed the expression of hateful anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in public.

Polling in February 2023 found that 64.3% of Japanese respondents backed laws that promoted a better understanding of sexual minorities. A similar percentage of the population also support the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

And on the issue of same-sex marriage, it is again at the local level where strides are being made.

Several district courts have now ruled that the Japan's ban on same-sex marriage violates Article 14 of its constitution, which guarantees equality of all people before the law.

Pushback at national level

Yet the conservative Liberal Democratic Party government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida disagrees, pointing to Article 24 of the Constitution, which states that marriage is based only on "the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife."

In the absence of a national law to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage, local authorities have turned to civil partnerships. Although these do not provide legal protection against discrimination more broadly, they do offer some benefits, including the option to apply for public housing.

More than 300 municipalities - representing around two-thirds of the population - already allow same-sex couples to enter partnership agreements which are recognized at the local level.

Some temples have begun to offer same-sex wedding ceremonies. While Shinto, Japan's ancient and influential religious tradition, is perceived to be staunchly conservative, at least one Shinto sect has expressed support of the LGTBQ community.

Picking up on both public sentiment and evolving regional policies, an increasing number of corporations in Japan have begun to recognize sexual minorities as an important segment of both their staff and customers.

In 2019, a total of 200 Japanese corporations established guidelines which prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity and extend customary benefits for marriage, childbirth and other life-changing events to same-sex couples.

Long-standing queer culture

The resistance of national politicians to establish legal protections for sexual minorities is also out of step with Japan's long and widely acknowledged history of diverse sexual cultures.

From the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century, an elaborate male-male sexual culture could be found among the country's warrior class, Buddhist monks, and in the theater and entertainment world.

Warriors typically married and had children, but they also thought nothing of demanding complete devotion from their male underlings, often including sexual favors and even romance. A variant of such male-male sexual relations could also be found in Buddhist monasteries, where it was couched in spiritual terms.

This male-male sexuality did not amount to an identity; it was simply a facet of the loyalty expected from boys, desired by their masters but having little agency of their own.

Such relations were famously explored in Ihara Saikaku's " Great Mirror of Male Love," a collection of 40 same-sex stories published in the 17th century. The collection remained a point of reference for several generations of men: those who maintained these practices, those who strove to curtail the mainstreaming of them, and the scholars keen on studying both.

Meanwhile, the push for same-sex marriage predates that of many of the liberal democracies in which it is now established. In 1925, the Japanese writer Yoshiya Nobuko first pursued a traditional marriage with another woman and the legalization of such unions. Yoshiya was unsuccessful, but instead adopted her partner so that she'd be a legal member of her household.

At that point, same-sex sexuality had become the object of medical diagnosis and "treatment." But same-sex acts were only subjected to a ban for a short period, from 1872 to 1880.

'Press on till Japan changes'

Similar to the U.S., the LGBTQ movement in Japan has gained momentum over the last half century.

In the 1980s, the HIV/AIDS crisis instigated major strides in activism. Newly founded LGBTQ organizations in Japan worked to reframe how people thought about sexual minority rights, emphasizing that they were human rights. In 1997, one such group, OCCUR, won its first high-profile case, resulting in the end of restrictions on gay individuals' presence at a youth hostel in Tokyo.

In the wake of that landmark case, OCCUR also successfully prompted the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology to drop "homosexuality" from its diagnostic manual and instead acknowledge that homosexuality is not a perversion, sexual orientation is not a disorder, and homosexuals do not simply "perform the opposite role of one's sex."

OCCUR was also the driving force behind the first Tokyo Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade, in 1994, which advocated acceptance with slogans such as "Japan with a big heart."

This year, the Tokyo Rainbow Pride event - Asia's largest Pride event - returned to full capacity for the first time in four years, after pandemic disruptions.

Its theme is "Press on Till Japan Changes." Society already is - the question is will the national government follow.

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Watered-down LGBTQ 'understanding' bill shows how far Japan's parliament is out of step with its society - and history

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Japan has a rich queer history and is seeing societal changes in favor of greater LGBTQ recognition. That said, national politicians have yet to catch up.

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Science Daily - Reduced Teen Suicide Attempts

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Science Daily - Reduced Teen Suicide Attempts

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There's something so horrible about teen suicide attempts being caused by gay marriage being banned. It's refreshing to see that they did go down, but it's still sad to know.

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State same-sex marriage policies associated with reduced teen suicide attempts

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A nationwide analysis suggests same-sex marriage policies were associated with a reduction in suicide attempts by adolescents.

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I really liked this article in Japan. I thought it was interesting to learn the history of Japan. Especially about different gender roles.

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Genking, a male-born Japanese TV personality and 'genderless' pioneer. _genking_/Instagram

I'm an anthropologist who grew up in Japan and has lived there, off and on, for 22 years. Yet every visit to Tokyo's Harajuku District still surprises me. In the eye-catching styles modeled by fashion-conscious young adults, there's a kind of street theater, with crowded alleyways serving as catwalks for teenagers peacocking colorful, inventive outfits.

Boutiques are filled with cosmetics and beauty products intended for both males and females, and it's often difficult to discern the gender of passersby. Since a gendered appearance ("feminine" or "masculine") often (but not always) denotes the sex of a person, Japan's recent "genderless" fashion styles might confuse some visitors - was that person who just walked by a woman or a man?

Although the gender-bending look appeals equally to young Japanese women and men, the media have tended to focus on the young men who wear makeup, color and coif their hair and model androgynous outfits. In interviews, these genderless males insist that they are neither trying to pass as women nor are they (necessarily) gay.

Some who document today's genderless look in Japan tend to treat it as if it were a contemporary phenomenon. However, they conveniently ignore the long history in Japan of blurred sexualities and gender-bending practices.

Sex without sexuality

In premodern Japan, aristocrats often pursued male and female lovers; their sexual trysts were the stuff of classical literature. To them, the biological sex of their pursuits was often less important than the objective: transcendent beauty. And while many samurai and shoguns had a primary wife for the purposes of procreation and political alliances, they enjoyed numerous liaisons with younger male lovers.

Only after the formation of a modern army in the late-19th century were the sort of same-sex acts central to the samurai ethos discouraged. For a decade, from 1872 to 1882, sodomy among men was even criminalized. However, since then, there have been no laws in Japan banning homosexual relations.

It's important to note that, until very recently, sexual acts in Japan were not linked to sexual identity. In other words, men who had sex with men and women who had sex with women did not consider themselves gay or lesbian. Sexual orientation was neither political nor politicized in Japan until recently, when a gay identity emerged in the context of HIV/AIDS activism in the 1990s. Today, there are annual gay pride parades in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

In Japan, same-sex relations among children and adolescents have long been thought of as a normal phase of development, even today. From a cultural standpoint, it's frowned upon only when it interferes with marriage and preserving a family's lineage. For this reason, many people will have same-sex relationships while they're young, then get married and have kids. And some even later resume having same-sex relationships after fulfilling these social obligations.

Contentious cross-dressing

Like same-sex relationships, cross-dressing has a long history in Japan. The earliest written records date to the eighth century and include stories about women who dressed as warriors. In premodern Japan, there were also cases of women passing as men either to reject the prescribed confines of femininity or to find employment in trades dominated by men.

A century ago, "modern girls" (moga) were young women who sported short hair and trousers. They attracted media attention - mostly negative - although artists depicted them as fashion icons. Some hecklers called them "garçons" (garuson), an insult implying unfeminine and unattractive.

Gender, at that time, was thought of in zero-sum terms: If females were becoming more masculine, it meant that males were becoming feminized.

These concerns made their way into the theater. For example, the all-female Takarazuka Revue was an avant-garde theater founded in 1913 (and is still very popular today). Females play the parts of men, which, in the early 20th century, sparked heated debates (that continue today) about "masculinized" women on stage - and how this might influence women off the stage.

However, today's genderless males aren't simply weekend cross-dressers. Instead, they want to shatter the existing norms that say men must dress and present themselves a certain way.

They ask: Why should only girls and women be able to wear skirts and dresses? Why should only women be able to wear lipstick and eye shadow? If women can wear pants, why shouldn't men be able to wear skirts?

Actually, the adjective "genderless" is misleading, since these young men aren't genderless at all; rather, they're claiming both femininity and masculinity as styles they wear in their daily lives.

In this regard, these so-called genderless men have historical counterparts: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cosmopolitan "high collar" men (haikara) wore facial powder and carried scented handkerchiefs, paying meticulous attention to their Westernized appearances. One critic - invoking the zero-sum gender attitudes of the era - complained that "some men toil over their makeup more than women." Conservative pundits derided the haikara as "effeminate" by virtue of their "un-Japanese" style.

On the other end of the masculinity spectrum were the nationalistic "primitive" men (bankara) who wore wooden clogs (geta) to complement their military-style school uniforms. Ironically, like their samurai predecessors - and unlike the foppish haikara - the macho bankara would engage in same-sex acts.

Japan's 'beautiful youths'

Probably the biggest contemporary inspiration for today's genderless males are a spate of popular androgynous boy bands. Cultivated and promoted by Johnny & Associates Entertainment Company, Japan's largest male talent agency, they include boy bands like SMAP, Johnny's West and Sexy Zone.

There's a term for the type of teenage boy that Johnny & Associates cultivates: "beautiful youths" (bishōnen), which was coined a century ago to describe a young man whose ambiguous gender and sexual orientation appealed to females and males of all ages.

Similarly, Visual Kei is a 1980s glam-rock and punk music genre that features bishōnen performers who don flamboyant, gender-bending costumes and hairdos. In its new, 21st-century incarnation as Neo-Visual Kei, the emphasis on androgyny is even more pronounced, as epitomized by the prolific career of the androgynous Neo-Visual Kei pop star Gackt, who enjoys an international fan following.

Since the word "genderless" is misleading, a better term might be "gender-more," in the sense that young men - especially in Tokyo - are insisting on the right to present and express themselves in ways that contradict and exceed traditional masculinity. In the long span of Japanese cultural history, there have been many things that were - and are - new under the sun. But genderless males aren't among them.

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In Japanese popular culture, new trends come and go. But the Japanese have toyed with gender norms for generations.

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I think I want to research same-sex marriage which must be addressed to reach SDG #10. I will focus on Japan by introducing a bill. I want to research this because I think it's interesting how such a progressive country like Japan is still against same-sex marriage.

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Japanese People Support Same-Sex Marriage

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Japanese People Support Same-Sex Marriage

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This Stanford survey shows that majority of Japan's citizens support same-sex unions. And only about 15.8% are explicitly against it. I find this to be surprising. I didn't know that Japanese people didn't really care about it.

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At the Yomiuri International Conference, Freeman Spogli Institute scholars Larry Diamond, Francis Fukuyama, Oriana Skylar Mastro, Michael McFaul, and Kiyoteru Tsutsui examined lessons from the war in Ukraine, the risks of a crisis over Taiwan, and the impacts of both geopolitical flashpoints for defending democracy and for a coordinated approach to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

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Most Japanese Support Same-Sex Marriage, New Public Opinion Survey Finds

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At the Yomiuri International Conference, Freeman Spogli Institute scholars Larry Diamond, Francis Fukuyama, Oriana Skylar Mastro, Michael McFaul, and Kiyoteru Tsutsui examined lessons from the war in Ukraine, the risks of a crisis over Taiwan, and the impacts of both geopolitical flashpoints for defending democracy and for a coordinated approach to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

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This article highlights what I've been expressing in my previous notes. Japan's government doesn't reflect its peoples wants. Even though a majority of people support same-sex marriage, the government has ruled against it every time.

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What evidence is there to suggest that a bill lifting the ban on same-sex marriage in Japan would improve the lives of Japanese LGBTQ+ people?

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How could same-sex marriage in Japan help the mental health of its citizens?

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What are the negative effects of the same-sex marriage ban in Japan on LGBTQ+ people?