U.S. military drag show ban reverberates far away in Japan

Jun 19, 2023 | News On Japan

Jun 19, 2023 (Japan Times) - The LGBTQ community at U.S. military bases located throughout Japan has been rocked by the ban on drag shows at military bases implemented by the U.S. government at the start of Pride month, on June 1, with the decision coming as a disappointment to those who were gearing up for celebrations this month.

According a spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Defense quoted by the Associated Press, the ban on hosting drag shows is in line with regulations regarding use of the department's resources.

Out in Oki, a private organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture, had to move their event off-base at the last minute due to the new regulations. The show, which had received approval from the base leadership, was originally scheduled to take place this coming Saturday.

According to Ready, the Pride drag show is their organization’s biggest community event and fundraiser of the year. Tickets for it — which can number between 300 and 400 depending on the venue — are usually sold out, and the returns are used to fund other activities throughout the rest of the year. However, they now expect to only break even on the show because of the change in venue. ...continue reading

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