與真司郎が体験した東京レインボープライド──「自分らしくいられると、人生が本当に楽しくなる」
Shinjiro Atae’s Tokyo Rainbow Parade Experience – “Life Becomes Genuinely Fun When You Can Be Yourself.” “GQ JAPAN” followed Shinjiro Atae on his first experience at the Tokyo Rainbow Parade (April 20th and 21st). What does he think of the challenges and current state of Japan’s LGBTQ+ community? How open can queer people be in their daily lives? In July 2023, Shinjiro Atae came out to approximately 2,000 fans, liberating himself from years of silent suffering. Less than a year after his public coming out, he returned to Los Angeles to continue his creative career. In April 2024, Atae briefly returned to Japan to participate in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride (TRP), a queer festival held on April 21 in Shibuya. Despite the weather forecast, the sun shone brightly over Yoyogi Park that afternoon. His first event of the day was NHK’s 'Nijiiro in Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024,’ held on the Rainbow Stage, one of the sub-stages at the venue. Just before taking the stage, he began speaking in the dressing room with a slightly nervous expression, saying, “This is my first time participating in a pride event, including overseas, so I'm feeling a bit nervous.” “I had some idea of what pride events were like from my friends and watching YouTube videos of past events held in Tokyo, NY, and LA, but today is my first time participating directly. Everyone here seems to be having a lot of fun, and there are many more people than I had imagined. I'm curious about how many of the people here are open about their sexuality in their daily lives. I can imagine that some people here came to be open and enjoy themselves fully in this space. Thinking about that, I can't help but feel the significance of continuing this event.” When Atae appeared on the stage for the NHK program, the crowd greeted him with loud cheers. Through video archives, the program discussed the realities of living as a minority teenager today. He was surprised by this public undertaking, saying, “I was surprised that this sort of program is on national TV, especially on NHK, and it makes me feel that Japan is gradually moving forward.” Following the roughly 40-minute event, he quickly headed to the day's main event–the parade. Sixty organizations and groups participated with floats, marching from Yoyogi Park through Shibuya to Omotesando over several hours. Atae rode on the "Marriage For All Japan" float, the second group in the parade lineup and a public organization advocating marriage freedom for all. Joining him was actor Eisuke Shinoi, a veteran who has made his mark in theater, television, and film, mainly known for his stage portrayals of female characters. “It was my first time meeting Shinoi-san on the float, and he was incredibly kind and reassuring. I wasn't sure what to do on the float, so being with Mr. Shinoi helped ease my nerves.” Despite this, his expression remained tense as fans chased the float up the slopes of Omotesando for over thirty minutes. As the parade made its way back to the venue and he headed to the next interview, he shared, “The atmosphere was quite different from what I had imagined.” “People who knew about the parade seemed supportive, and shops around Omotesando waved and displayed rainbow flags. However, those who didn’t know what was happening, say, the regular Sunday shoppers, looked confused. Some people recognized me and said, 'Oh, it's the guy from AAA,' but I was surprised by the difference in reaction between those who knew about the event and those who didn’t. Inside the festival venue, everyone was aware and enjoying the event, but the moment I stepped outside, it was a stark reminder of how different much of the world is. It showed me how important it is to raise awareness. I’m about to speak on the Pride Stage and need to rethink what I will say.” Afterward, having completed several interviews and TV appearances, he took the stage at the Pride Stage (an outdoor stage at Yoyogi Park Event Plaza) as the entire parade lineup returned to the venue. The sun that had been shining during the parade began to set, and it started to drizzle. He arrived backstage with a solemn expression, but his mood visibly lightened upon reuniting with his close friend, Thelma Aoyama, who had also attended his fan event last July, and this moment made it clear just how crucial the presence of a "trustworthy friend" can be. Once on stage, he sat in an interview with the drag performer Bourbonne and Natsumi Yamada (co-executive representative of TRP). During the interview, he discussed his feelings about participating in the parade and his current state of mind following coming out last year, beginning with, “I was incredibly nervous.” After a round of interviews and recordings, Atae stepped onto the Pride Stage at the Yoyogi Park Event Plaza outdoor venue, where the entire parade lineup had gathered. As the parade's sunny skies gave way to sunset and gentle rain, he came backstage with a solemn expression. However, he was back in high spirits once reunited with his close friend, Thelma Aoyama, who had attended his fan event last July. It was a moment of witnessing the value of having “trustworthy friends.” With the event host and drag performer Bourbonne and model, radio navigator Mila Hasegawa by his side, Atae shared his nervousness about participating in the parade and his feelings since coming out last year. "When I was younger, I thought I was the only one in the world feeling this way, and I didn’t tell anyone about my sexuality until I was 27. I wondered how I could keep living in Japan with these feelings. Could I survive? But having friends I can rely on made it possible for me to be open. They accepted my sexuality as nothing unusual – that it's not a bad thing. Everything changed when I went to America at 27. The shock of seeing a same-sex couple holding hands and walking down the street still stays with me. That's why events like Tokyo Rainbow Pride are essential. We should not wish we were born straight but rather accept living as we are and hope the world becomes a place where fewer people suffer like I did." Later that day, he introduced his new song, "Upside Down," on YouTube. He explained that the song encapsulated his current state of mind. As it played, loud cheers from the crowd filled the air, marking the end of the day. He spent about an hour after the performance immersed in the stage's energy, engaging in further discussions.