7.6 The Future of the GID Act: A Paradigm Shift in Trans People’s Gender Recognition

Time & Date: 14:00-18:00, 6th, July 2024

Language: Japanese

Venue: 2nd Floor, Dialogue House, International Christian University (No. 18 on Campus Map https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/about/campus/index.html) and Online

Registration Form: https://forms.gle/HazUQMUcStjnnZSn7

★ Registration will be closed when the 100 seats get full.

Online Registration Form: https://icu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BRTWOD8KQ6ex4ezdZrBmng

※ Pre-registration is required
※ Japanese text interpretation using UDTalk will be used.

※ There is an elevator in the building. 

※ There are multipurpose toilet on the 1st floor and gendered toilets (men and women's) on the 2nd floor in the building.

※ We have the ground rules set for the event. Participants are requested to abide by the ground rules.

※ Taking photographs or recording without permission is not allowed. 

※There will be tea and snacks (also vegan snacks) for tea breaks.

【Event outline】

On 25 October 2023, the Supreme Court issued a decision declaring Requirement No. 4 of the Special Law on the Treatment of Gender Identity Disorder in Family Registers (the GID Act) unconstitutional. This marks the 12th instance of an unconstitutional decision under the current Constitution, necessitating an amendment to the Special Law.

This decision highlights various unresolved issues, such as the childlessness requirement, potential flaws in the medical framework supporting the special law, and the authority responsible for determining gender identity, which has been criticized by the transgender community and will need reconsideration. Simultaneously, the global movement of exclusion against trans people, framed under the rhetoric of 'women's security,' is expected to negatively impact both legislative measures and societal attitudes. In light of these developments, this interdisciplinary symposium will address the ongoing events since the enactment of the special laws, focusing on key issues related to gender reassignment and discrimination, from the perspectives of law and transgender studies.

【Speakers, Time Schedule】

13:30- Opening the Venue

14:00- Opening Remarks

14:10-14:50 Session 1 Breaking Down the Provisions of the GID Act: From Petition to Unconstitutionality

Presenter: Tomoyasu Oyama (Yuzuriha LPC, Representative Attorney)

14:50-15:30 Session 2 Different Models of Legal Gender Recognition: Medical Intervention and Self-determination

Presenter: Mai Ishijima (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Visiting Scholar (Gastwissenschaftler:in))

15:30-15:40 Tea Break

15:40-16:20 Session 3 Rethinking the Gender Backlash in the 2000s and the GID Act: From the Perspective of Trans Theory 

Presenter: Yamada Hidenobu (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Arts and Science Ph.D Candidate)

16:20-16:30 Tea Break

16:30-18:00 Panel Discussion, Floor Discussion

Commentator: Yutori Takai(Gunma University, Associate Professor)

18:00 Closing

【Contact】cgs@icu.ac.jp (Center for Gender Studies, International Christian University)

★ Please contact Center for Gender Studies (cgs@icu.ac.jp) by 28th of June for the information assurance you need. We apologise that we may not be able to accommodate all the requests due to staff shortage.

Hosted by Center for Gender Studies, International Christian University (CGS)

Coordinator: Yuumi Konishi

Assistants: Fumina Hamasaki, Shun Oka, Chloe Wen