Representative Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) took a lot of heat for inserting herself into Japanese culture and politics by suggesting the way they handled LGBT issues was “very discriminatory.”
Once again, the same people that pretend Europeans were nothing more than evil colonizers have no problem imposing their religious dogma onto non-western nations and peoples. If only they were smart enough to understand the definition of irony.
“There was a member of the Japanese administration that was caught in off-the-record comments making very discriminatory statements about LGBT people,” the New York congresswoman said in an Instagram Live video.
“There was a member of the Japanese administration that was caught in off-the-record comments making very discriminatory statements about LGBT people,” she added.
AOC was referring to Japan’s recently reinforced ban on gay marriage. “It is our view that marriage equality and LGBT protections being enacted in Japan would [play] a very strong and important role in U.S. and Japan relations,” the congresswoman said.
“Japan is the only member of the G-7 that does not have marriage equality and LGBT anti-discrimination equality protections in place,” she noted.
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CNN reported last November that a Tokyo court upheld Japan’s constitution recognizing marriage as being between a man and woman.
A Tokyo court ruled on Wednesday that a ban on same-sex marriage was constitutional but said the lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights, which plaintiffs welcomed as a step toward aligning Japan with other G7 nations.
Japan is the only G7 nation that does not allow same-sex marriage, and its constitution defines marriage as based on “the mutual consent of both sexes. The ruling party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has disclosed no plans yet to review the matter or propose legislation, though several senior members support same-sex marriage.
Right now, CNN added, Japan’s system also makes it impermissible for “same-sex couples to marry or inherit each other’s assets, such as a house they may have shared, and gives them no parental rights to each other’s children.” It is on this latter point that the court agreed the lack of legal protections for same-sex families was violative of their rights.
One wonders if she’s ever gone after Muslim countries that don’t just deny legal recognition for gay marriage but actually penalize homosexuality with the death penalty. No doubt her identity politics totem would get all shaken up if she defended the LGBT community but went after the Muslim one. It’s perhaps easier to say that she only condemns the Japanese people, who pose no threat of issuing a fatwa against her.
Aside from her selective outrage, the more serious issue is once again the meddling of American politicians in other countries’ affairs. There’s plenty of that happening right now.
Political commentator Ian Miles Cheong offered this summary of her tweet: “AOC is currently in Japan demanding that their government embrace LGBTQ alphabet wokeness, or else.”
AOC is currently in Japan demanding that their government embrace LGBTQ alphabet wokeness, or else.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 23, 2023
“Japan’s internal affairs are none of AOC’s business,” emphatically wrote another journalist.
Japan’s internal affairs are none of AOC’s business. pic.twitter.com/aI9xY2xUp1
— Samira (@SameeraKhan) February 23, 2023
Not everyone in the media sphere was appalled, and they predictably cheerled from the sidelines.
“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats urge Japan to advance LGBT rights,” Time headlined. “Ocasio-Cortez says it’s ‘critical’ Japan moves forward with LGBTQ rights,” Bloomberg wrote.
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