Subject: About all of these Gay attitude bits and pieces.
From: Hitomi Ichinohei
Date: 1/24/1997, 10:07 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com

Ok, I've only been back in Canada for a few hours after having been on a
long plane trip.  I go to the nearest hotel, and I plug into the net to
find this trend on the list.  To be honest, I find it's a lot of nonsense
to try to impose ones views upon another.

To begin with, do any of you really know what Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Transsexual relationships are like in Japan?

Do any of you know how much you're Americanizing things so that you are
comfortable with them?

How many people are there that know the type of fanfiction that is writen
within Japan?

Well, here are answers for the first and third questions.

The other day, I was asked about Gay relationships in Japan, and the
attitudes that are there.  I am not going to include the questions asked,
and I am not going to name the writer, but I am going to include here what
I wrote to them.

***

Actually, the ideas that homosexuals were seperated from the mainstream of
society is not accurate at all.  If this were true, then Kunoichi of both
sexes would not have been trained.  Contary to popular western belief,
Kunoichi, who were Ninja agents, were trained for sexual infiltration into
a castle.  They were trained to have sex with either couple, and this was
accepted as common practice. 
	It was only after world war two that homosexuality was
discouraged, and only because of the United States government.  They wee
not happy that lesbian and homosexual agents working for the Japanese
government had gained access to so many secrets and able to make so many
deals across Asia.  After all, Japan was invited into Vietnam as well as
other countries as they were all being used as slave labour by the
European nations.  France was especially guilty, and use of homosexual
agents with France, as well as members of the Chinese Court, were thought
to be the reasons for why Japan was sucessful in the years leading to
World War Two. 
	The clasification of mental illness was due entirely by a book
forced upon the psycologist of Japan called, the DSM.  This manual, which
is currently in it's fifth edition I believe, was the cause of making this
'devient' behavior.  This was not an attitude that was shared
enthusiastically with the Japanese people as a whole. 
	Currently, homosexuality is fully accepted, and appreciated. 
Homosexual couples do marry, although it is not advertised as people
outside of Japan would protest vehimently.  We've had enough trouble with
the Christians, and the way they kidnap and kill to get their way.  Clubs
featuring homosexuals are commonplace and there are also bars for the
'office-girls' or secretaries which feature waitresses who are, or once
were, men. 
	Also, if you read my new series, 'An Alternate History of Ranma
1/2', you'll find that changing sexes within a school, even the subject of
homosexuality, are not frowned upon.  In the case of changing sexes, it is
even helped along by the school with school uniforms appropriate to the
assumed gender being issued.  Homosexuality and sexuality in general are
talked about. 
	It is just not very common to show any form of affection in public
as that is a breach of ettiquette. 
	For instance, a kiss on the lips in public indicates that the two
people are lovers.  The most people will do in public is hold hands or hug
each other.  The proper way to greet parents is not with a hug and a kiss,
but with a bow.  Any other way being considered extremely inconsiderate. 
	But what about the characters?
	Even if Ranma has discovered his feelings and his identity, and
Ryouga has admitted his, there is nothing either would or can do about the
situation of fiances. 
	Part of the reason that Ranma never really made a final decision
before the end of the series has to do with honour.
	First, Ranma could easily have gotten rid of shampoo, as could
Nabiki, any of the Tendo's or even Nodoka.  The reason they didn't was
because of the question of honour, and the question of what that honour
meant to those who were near.  Shampoo, by honour, could have a claim. 
That claim is very shaky, but can be admitted to upon the Codes of the
Artists, which is what we translate the ultimate code of the higher level
martial artists.  Under these codes, a martial artists _has_ to respect
the laws of another artist, especially if they did something in an area
where that martial artist has precidence.  Under this, Ranma is truly
Shampoo's husband. 
	Second, for Ukyou, Ranma could have weaseled out of responsibility
for what his father did.  No one actually believed the story told once
they started thinking and letting emotions go on, but the one, by honour,
to stop the engagement is Ukyou.  She didn't and is quite content to keep
it, so she would definately be an obstacle.  Besides, with the claims she
has, claims which there is no true way to repay unless something drastic
changes, the honourable way is to acept Giri and the engagement. 
	Third, for Akane, Giri is also the reason he cannot call of the
engagement.  Giri denotes that Ranma is engaged by the families in a
situation that cannot be cancelled unless by the families.  There can not
be a real protest to this, and it is inevitable that the marriage will
occur.  By honour, the two families must be joined, and the only way for
this to be done is for Ranma to hold honour. 
	Honour is everything.
	Without honour, a Japanese is dead to society.
	Besides, the three girls know that Jusenkyo is a short trip away. 
This is especially true of Ukyou, who has already lived most of her life
as a man.  What would stop any of them displaying their love by going and
dunking themselves? 

***

Well, that answers the first question.

For the third question, these type of fan fictions are commonplace.

If any of you have seen Dojinshi, of any series, you would realize that
calm and rational discusions and theories about sex and sexuality are
commonplace.  Many theories and possibilities are presented to the viewer
and reader, and several of them are quite well done.  If anything,
Dojinshi and Fan Fiction are a way of exploring more than just one
sequence of life.

Then again, many such Dojinshi and Fan Fictions are actually done by the
series creator themselves.

You see, when we write, we can't help but think about several thousand
possibilities, only some of which we write or put down on paper for
initial public consumption.  A lot of the time, we write entire
"alternate" series that are sold in conjuction with the main series on a
smaller scale.  I myself have done this with some of my own novels, and it
is an enjoyable way of seeing another point of view.  One of the reasons,
I can write "Alternate Histories".

If you can't stand the stories, I have one answer for you, the same answer
that applies to anything that is written, created or done.  It is the
option that you have that doesn't require publicity, tellivision, book
burnings, or other artifacts of the Christian communities.  It's called
don't read it, don't buy it, or don't watch it.

Remember, Japan isn't Christian, so why are you trying to impose Christian
attitudes?

And this list _is_ about fan fiction from Japanese Animation and Manga
isn't it?

For question two, you'll have to refer to yourselves.

Hitomi

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@terminal.autobahn.mb.ca
http://204.112.189.3/~hitomi
"The beginings of wisdom is the ability to always ask questions."