Shiho Shimoyamada: Delivering a Voice from the World of Sports

2020/04/23

"I am a women's soccer player. I have a girlfriend." With that single sentence, I came out on Twitter. It was February 2019.

At the time, I was playing soccer for a team called SV Meppen in the German Bundesliga 2nd Division. In Germany, where I moved immediately after graduating from the Juku, same-sex marriage was recognized, and sexual minorities like myself were integrated into society as a matter of course. There were several other LGBTQ+ individuals among my teammates, and they were open enough to bring their partners to official club events. During my two years in Germany, I learned how wonderful it is to be able to live without lying to anyone at any time.

On the other hand, in Japan, I felt that being a sexual minority was somewhat taboo, and I found it considerably difficult to live. When asked "What is your type?" I would come up with gender-neutral answers like "someone who is fast," and if team rules required wearing a women's suit, I would hide my discomfort and continue to wear a skirt. But I had reached my limit. After experiencing the ease of living in Germany, I began to fear spending the rest of my life piling up small lies. That is why I made that post.

At first, coming out was about saving myself. However, after making that post, I received messages from LGBTQ+ athletes of various ages, and I eventually began to feel the significance of my coming out. I realized that there are many LGBTQ+ individuals in the sports world, they are just not visible. And I realized there are people who cannot enjoy sports because of their sexuality. To change this environment, I felt I had to speak up on their behalf as a member of the community. That is how I came to feel.

Currently, I have returned to Japan and belong to Sfida Setagaya FC in the Nadeshiko League 2nd Division. From my position as an openly sexual minority, I also engage in outreach activities such as lectures in the context of "Sports and LGBT" and "Female Athletes and Authenticity." The ability to keep asking "What can I do for the organization?" which I learned at Keio University and in the soccer club, is definitely alive in me today. In this Olympic year, at a time when attention is focused on diversity through sports, what can I do? Together with those aiming for a society that recognizes diverse individualities, I want to continue delivering my voice as a member of the community.