Transsexual Ai Haruna struggles for tolerance in Japan

Ai Haruna @ FCCJ press event

report & vdo

Ai Haruna is a Japanese TV personality, she was crowned

the world's most beautiful transsexual a month ago in a

show contest in Pattaya, Thailand.

Kenji Onishi was Ai Haruna's name before because she

was a man. She lived with difficulties since she was a

child.

Now she is not just an other trans who parades on TV

shows in Japan. She speaks politics and justice. She

fustigates discrimination in her, his country: Japan

Discrimination is a word that provokes irremediable

power of attraction to a journalists' crowd. We

invited the character at our FCCJ press event.

Haruna is 37, pretty, manly cheeks, strong voice but

feminine laughter from times to times, large shoulders

and big hands -naturally- She wants her country to be

more tolerant toward people of diverse sexual

orientations.

"I was surprised to see many transgender people work at

hotels and restaurants with no problem in Thailand,

Japan can learn many things from other Asian nations

like Thailand and the Philippines."

In Japan, people can legally change their gender on

official documents, but transgender people still face

spoken and silent discrimination.

Discrimination where?

She recalled condominium owners had declined to let her

rent apartments because neighbors may object. "I was

rejected five straight times," she said. "I think Japan is

behind."

"I was born with a very masculine sounding boy's name.

But I always wanted to be a girl, always dreamed of

becoming a pretty idol seen on TV." "But for a long

time life was very difficult for me."

"Even after I had a sex change operation at the age of

19 and had my first boyfriend, I encountered many, many

obstacles that constantly made me realise I wasn't a

woman."

Now crowned the world's transsexual queen, Haruna wants

to work internationally to raise awareness for sexual

minorities. "I want to work for those who are troubled

like me," she said. "I want to work in the world. And

of course, I want to be married some day."

In Thailand, trans came to change because of financial

reasons but in Japan it is an other story. Simply

said, a current societal change.

Ai Haruna VDO @ FCCJ event

photo & vdo © Asian Gazette 2009