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Queer As Cat

gender・ sexuality・ race ・intersectionality

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  • Home
  • About
    • About QAC
    • About Vesper
  • Photos
    • Instagram
    • Tokyo Rainbow Pride
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
  • Resources
    • Asexual POC Resources
    • #LGBTQIA in Japan
  • Contact

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  • Gender[queer],  Japan[ese],  Queer[ness],  YouTube[r]

    QAC 56 – Non-Binary In The Workplace: Job Hunting In Japan

    March 5, 2017 / No Comments

    navigating any job market as a non-binary and / or gender non-conforming person can be tough, especially given the current void of information and resources available on the subject. since i’ve recently found myself having to navigate Japan’s job market, i figured i might as well threw my own personal experience out there into the void. perhaps it’ll help someone else out there. please note that this video is not a ‘how-to’ on finding a job in Japan. rather, i talk about my own (limited) personal experience the job market in Japan in terms of navigating names when your actual name differs from your current legal name, navigating Japanese standards of “professional attire”, being forced to reevaluate things like HRT and “activism” outside of the workplace, etc. long video is long, so here are some jump points for ease of viewing: ?00:56 – disclaimers ?02:26 – background information ?03:19 –…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    QAC 33 – (Not) “Transitioning” As Non-Binary in Japan

    December 30, 2014

    QAC 40 – The Gender Tag! | Maverique

    October 12, 2015

    VICELAND – GAYCATION Episode 1: Japan

    March 3, 2016
  • Japan[ese],  Q&A

    Q&A: “Could a fairly feminine looking person get away with boku?”

    March 2, 2017 / No Comments

    anonymous said: actually I’ve been wondering for awhile what “I” word you use in Japanese, I’ve been learning Japanese and just wondering as far as queer communities in Japan if they ever step out of the (w)atashi is for girls/neutral and boku/ore is for boys thing. Could a fairly feminine looking person get away with boku? just wondering about what the situation actually is surrounding those words usage. i don’t use any particular set of first person pronouns ( i / me / my / mine) because i’m not comfortable using any of them. rather, i use various different pronouns or no pronoun at all depending on the register i’m speaking in, the situation i’m in, who i’m speaking to, how i’m feeling that particular day at that particular time, etc etc. thankfully Japanese is a very flexible language when it comes to pronouns in general and doesn’t even require usage of…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2016 musings

    May 15, 2016

    gender non-conformity sure does make for good entertainment for cis people, huh Japan?

    April 25, 2016

    adventures in YouTube Space!

    September 11, 2016
  • Feedback,  Japan[ese],  Q&A,  Queer[ness]

    Q&A not Q&A: “I had no idea that they had any sort of queer events since it seems pretty taboo in most Asian countries.”

    March 1, 2017 /

    anonymous said: I’m so sorry that terfs hijacked your post like that omg. I’m a big fan of Japanese culture and I want to visit one day and I had no idea that they had any sort of queer events since it seems pretty taboo in most Asian countries. Despite terfs soiling it, I actually learned something new so thank you so much! (re: this post) no problem, anon. no matter how taboo or even illegal it may be, there will always be queer people in any given country who do more than survive; they live their life and at times come together to support each other and enjoy each others company, just like anywhere else. it’s more a matter of how private or well-known such information happens to be and i’m more than happy to help if i can re: Japan.

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    Feedback: “I just wanted to thank you for your post on the alterous vs platonic thing…”

    February 23, 2016
  • [Random] Thoughts,  Japan[ese],  Mental [Un]health

    …頑張るから。

    February 24, 2017 / No Comments

    as a follow up on this post about losing my job and a general life update, i guess: after a month of what felt like running a 40km marathon of creating multiple resumes, writing cover letter after cover letter, waking up at 4am to catch the 6:20am train to Tokyo and back for interviews and such all before going to work for 8 hours that same day– i’ve finally got a new job…! and not just any job, a job that’s better than my current job in every possible way minus paid vacation– ouch. the new job is going to be really challenging for me because while i have experience teaching high school students, i have never actually taught at a high school let alone an international one! as much as i could jump out of my own skin right now out of anxiety, among other things, i’m also excited…! except for the…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    willpower, sweat, and tears

    January 30, 2020

    ♫ 関取花「べつに」 / Hana Sekitori – “Betsu ni”

    December 18, 2016

    my soon-to-be goblin

    September 12, 2017
  • [Random] Thoughts,  Gender[queer],  Japan[ese],  Queer[ness]

    adventures in Japanese TV: “Gathering of 13 Trans Women”

    February 9, 2017 / 1 Comment

    …once again i get home from work, turn on the TV to see a panel show doing a special featuring trans women. despite the title of the special, shown on the top left of the screen as「13人のオネエ大集合」 / “Gathering of 13 Trans Women”, it was actually 13+ guests divided into three groups: gay men, cross dressing gay men and trans women. click the photos to see translations / context in the captions.

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    “the faces of Vesper”

    June 8, 2014

    …ok, so i lied about not posting sappy cat updates till i bring him home.

    September 12, 2017

    transphobia & non-binary erasure in Japanese media

    March 17, 2016
  • Gender[queer],  Japan[ese],  Queer[ness]

    National Geographic: “Gender Revolution” (Japanese Edition)

    January 11, 2017 / No Comments

    just got the Japan edition of National Geographic’s special issue “Gender Revolution”. bearing in mind that i haven’t actually sat down and read through it yet, here are a few snaps along with my initial impression. prior to getting my hands on this magazine (and in fact, before it had even been released), i already had a general idea of what to expect based on snippets of featured articles that i’d come across online. plus, you know, the fact that it’s NatGeo. as such, i feel like there was never any chance of me being pleasantly surprised in any way, even though i’d set my expectations low to begin with. well, i’m glad i did, because i’m nitpicky as all hell. but we all already knew that. at a glance, there are some great things going on in this magazine, such as the increase in awareness of trans, intersex and non-binary…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2017: ACES & ENBIES

    May 15, 2017

    QAC 21 – Gender Identity & Feminism

    January 3, 2014

    Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2016 (5/8/2016)

    May 14, 2016
  • Japan[ese],  Q&A

    Q&A: “I read your post about transphobia of Japan….”

    January 8, 2017 / No Comments

    anonymous said: I read your post about transphobia of Japan. I identify myself as genderqueer and MtF lesbian. I tried to join the event for lesbians in Tokyo, but they rejected me at the entrance. Because, I have my beautiful beard and my ID says I am biologically male. I was there with my classy black dress, but they didn’t think me as woman! This is so transphobic! Also, I think the term lesbian itself is very transphobic. TERF lesbians should go to hell. We need safe space for queer and non-binary in Japan! i’m really sorry to hear about the shitty experience that you had, anon. sadly, it’s not the first time that i’ve heard of someone having this experience and i suspect that i might even know the event that you tried to go to. it’s incredibly frustrating how a lot of LG(BT) spaces / events in Japan…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

    You May Also Like

    National Geographic: “Gender Revolution” (Japanese Edition)

    January 11, 2017

    photos from Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2014 (04/27/2014)

    May 7, 2014

    Ie Uru Onna Gyakushuu S2E3: “A home that is accepting of all [kinds of] love?!”

    January 24, 2019
  • [A]sexuality,  [Random] Thoughts,  Gender[queer],  Japan[ese],  Queer[ness]

    めんどくささレベル5強

    December 11, 2016 / 1 Comment

    one of my least favorite things to do is attempt to explain in Japanese to a (usually LGB) cisgender Japanese person that: 1. no, セクシャリティー / “”sexuality”“ is not the same thing as gender. they usually get it once i explain it, but it’s still ugh because that inevitably spills over into: 2. no, オネエ / “onee” and / or ニューハーフ / “newhalf” is not synonymous with “transgender” and then when i use the word トランスジェンダー / lit. “transgender” from English– because i refuse to use any of the other Japanese words available– the person i’m talking to automatically thinks of ニューハーフ / “newhalf” (if i’m lucky) even when i’m not talking specifically about women who happen to be trans. i hate how bothトランスジェンダー / transgender and 性同一性障害者 / people with gender identity disorder– the most common way to refer to trans people in general– seemingly always make people think…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    QAC 23 – Being Forced Out of the Closet (Bi/Panromantic Non-binary Asexual)

    February 24, 2014

    QAC 31 – Relationships… Meh.

    November 17, 2014

    “the ace community goes overboard with words?” i.e. word vomitted “nah”

    April 5, 2018
  • [A]sexuality,  [Random] Thoughts,  Gender[queer],  Japan[ese],  Queer[ness]

    …one of many examples of why navigating セクマイ / LGBTQIA spaces in Japan can be painful at times.

    October 7, 2016 / No Comments

    first the context: the above screenshot is from the registration form for a meetup that i’ll be attending that is exclusively for trans men and non-binary people who are AFAB who have not medically transitioned in any way. the meetup is being hosted by a group that itself is a support group for trans men and non-binary people who are AFAB and who have not medically transitioned in any way + their partners………..

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

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    パレードの皆さん、お疲れ

    April 26, 2015

    Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2016 selfies

    May 14, 2016

    QAC 16 – Asexuality and the LGBTQ Community

    September 9, 2013
  • Q&A

    Q&A: “Any recommendations for meeting other trans/non-binary either Japanese or gaijin in Japan?”

    September 20, 2016 / No Comments

    nerdyglitterpatrol said: Hey Vesper. I’m a non-binary transman (fledgling danso) living in Japan. I came here very recently, at the end of July, so it’s been about 2 months now. I’ve been curious about finding other non-binary or trans individuals that I could be friends with to generally explore the lgbt and non-binary parts of Japanese life, culture, and society. Any recommendations for meeting or making friends with other trans/non-binary either Japanese or gaijin in Japan? Second part of my question. I’ve considered using mixi, but I have no idea how it works and while I’m decent at conversational Japanese, reading it is another story. I’m also hesitant to come out as non-binary trans to Japanese people because the concepts seem to be underdeveloped in Japan, Japanese people don’t seem to know what to do with non-binary/trans individuals. And it’s hard for me to come out to my cis friends…

    continue reading
    Vesper H.

    You May Also Like

    Feedback: “I just wanted to thank you for your post on the alterous vs platonic thing…”

    February 23, 2016

    “the ace community goes overboard with words?” i.e. word vomitted “nah”

    April 5, 2018
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VESPER H.

YouTuber & Blogger

Queer As Cat is the blog and YouTube channel of Vesper, an American expat currently living in Japan.
reoccurring topics include: #asexuality, #nonbinary, #queerness #blackness & #mentalhealth

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Recent Posts

  • literal “social distancing” from the ace community April 1, 2020
  • legalized weed in America: one of many chips on my Black shoulder March 7, 2020
  • willpower, sweat, and tears January 30, 2020
  • 🎬 QAC 79 – The Neverending Queer-y: My Queer Ace Journey || LGBT YouTube & COPPA January 4, 2020
  • #YouTubeIsOverParty: COPPA & The Hypocrisy of YouTube December 15, 2019

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