LGBTQ+ in Japan - Interview with Dr. Singh Ikebukuro

This interview is part of an ongoing Women in Science Japan (WISJ) project highlighting LGBTQ+ experiences in Japan, particularly those within STEM and medicine. Thank you to our interviewees, interpreters, Labianna Joroe, Kat Joplin, and the WISJ team for making this project possible.

This interview was published with the interviewee’s consent and edited for length and clarity. Also, this article includes discussion of self-harm and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

I was fortunate to speak with Dr. Singh Ikebukuro (he/him), 池袋真先生, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Women’s Medical Clinic LUNA. He is certified by the Japanese Society of Gender Identity Disorder (GID 性同一性障害学会), making him one of the fewer than 40 doctors in Japan with that distinction.

Women’s Medical Clinic LUNA offers a wide range of services to support women, transgender people, and other LGBTQ+ people in Japan. In speaking with Dr. Singh, my goal was to portray the challenges transgender people face in Japan, as well as their options to live a healthy, safe, and authentic life despite such challenges.

You can read the full story on Medium by following the link below.

If you or someone you know would like to get involved as an interviewee, interpreter, or translator, please do not hesitate to email Elizabeth at wisj.info[at]gmail.com