Taiga Ishikawa
Country
Japan
Birth - Death
1974 -
Occupation
Politics
Description
First open LGBTQ individual to win a seat in the National Parliament Upper House when he won as a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ). One of the first of two openly gay candidates to win an election in Japan, when he was elected in April 2011 to a seat in the Tokyo's Toshima ward assembly. Former Chief of Staff to the head of the Social Democrat Party of Japan. Activist, founder of Peer Friends, a gay male support organization. Came out through his autobiography 'Where is My Boyfriend' (2002). Supporter of same-sex marriage rights. Founder of the group Peer Friends in 2004, an organization which helps connect young LGBTI people in Japan so they don’t feel alone. Recipient of the Shivananda Khan Award for Extraordinary Achievement (2018).
See Also
- First Out Elected Politicians
- Marriage Equality Advocates in the LGBTQ Community
- Chief of Staff Positions Held by LGBTQ Individuals
Further Reading/Research
- http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/polite-prejudice-lgbt-life-japan020412
- http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/03/11/national/activist-fighting-for-lgbt-rights/
- http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/04/26/japans-first-openly-gay-politician-victorious-in-election/
- https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/japan-elects-first-openly-gay-politician-to-national-parliament/#gs.rjin3z
