Rikiya Kozuka | 26/6/2021
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What’s up Karakura?! I’m Rikiya Kozuka, the newest addition to the journalist club! This news report is going to be all about pride month, and how Karakura is celebrating it.
Before I get into that, I’d like to dabble into the history of pride month itself and why it's so important to the LGBTQIA+ community. I still hear people around Karakura wonder how pride came to be, so hopefully, this answers your questions!
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First of all, why is it called “pride”? According to my sources . . . Brenda Howard, an American bisexual activist was known as the “Mother of pride.”. Back in the day, she coordinated events such as festivals and marches for the LGBTQ+ community. She, bisexual activist Robert A. Martin and gay activist L. Craig Schoonmaker are credited for popularizing the term “Pride” to describe these activities/events that will soon evolve into pride month parades.
Now, there are way too many events that lead up to the creation of pride month for me to cover in this report, however, the most popular one would be The Stonewall Riots, a series of demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community which took place in the United States circa 1960. The protest began after police raided the Stonewall Inn (a gay bar) on the 28th of June, 1969. Though gay bar raiding was a daily occurrence at the time, the community finally stood up against police brutality at this date.
Events like The Stonewall riots still happen to this day. People worldwide are still fighting for their rights, when all they're trying to do is be themselves. This is why pride is so important. It's to remind us that being ourselves is worth fighting for, and as a community, we should fight alongside our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters who are still dealing with oppression. Love always wins.
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The United States became the first country to celebrate pride month as in 1999 and 2000 President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month”. However, now queers and allies from around the world celebrate June as our pride month, Including Karakura!
Despite homosexuality being legal, Japan is still a quite homophobic (and transphobic, for that matter.) country. However! So far, Karakura has been pretty accepting of everyone, with the exception of some homophobic people here and there . . But I’d say the majority of Karakura citizens are accepting, we even have an acceptance club at school. Karakura has even painted two of their crosswalks rainbow! How cool is that?
(apologies for the quality of the pictures, I took them when it was really foggy and raining!)
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Now. Let’s finally get back to the main topic.
How do the citizens of Karakura celebrate pride?
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[ A recording began to play . . ]
RIKIYA
“Hello, hello, hello! This is Rikiya Kozuka reporting for Karakura with the journalist club! Today I will be chatting a bit about pride month with . . Erm- Actually, you can introduce yourself.”
“Hello, hello, hello! This is Rikiya Kozuka reporting for Karakura with the journalist club! Today I will be chatting a bit about pride month with . . Erm- Actually, you can introduce yourself.”
KIKU
“Well then. My name is Okiku Cohen, yet I’m normally called Kiku.”
RIKIYA
“Cool, cool. Kiku here is the leader of Karakura highschool and college’s acceptance club. How cool is that? Anyways . . So, pride month. Your opinion on it? And, how are you and the acceptance club celebrating it? . . If you guys are, that is.”
“Cool, cool. Kiku here is the leader of Karakura highschool and college’s acceptance club. How cool is that? Anyways . . So, pride month. Your opinion on it? And, how are you and the acceptance club celebrating it? . . If you guys are, that is.”
KIKU
“Well, my vice-president and I are thinking of doing somewhat of a pride day- For the entire school, of course. Not just the club”
“Well, my vice-president and I are thinking of doing somewhat of a pride day- For the entire school, of course. Not just the club”
RIKIYA
“Oh wow! That sounds amazing. Can you elaborate a bit on that?”
“Oh wow! That sounds amazing. Can you elaborate a bit on that?”
KIKU
“Well- Basically we are trying to get the school to have a day for everyone- No matter what height, weight, age, race, blah blah. We want everyone to feel accepted.”
“Well- Basically we are trying to get the school to have a day for everyone- No matter what height, weight, age, race, blah blah. We want everyone to feel accepted.”
RIKIYA
“Interesting, interesting. Any other events? What about you personally? Do you celebrate pride month at all? And if you do, how?”
“Interesting, interesting. Any other events? What about you personally? Do you celebrate pride month at all? And if you do, how?”
KIKU
“Yes I do, I myself am a bisexual so I normally wear pride wrist bands around, not much of a change but it's still something. I also sometimes have pride parties at my apartment with friends.”
“Yes I do, I myself am a bisexual so I normally wear pride wrist bands around, not much of a change but it's still something. I also sometimes have pride parties at my apartment with friends.”
RIKIYA
“Pride parties? Like a pride-themed party?”
“Pride parties? Like a pride-themed party?”
KIKU
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
RIKIYA
“Sounds soo fun! Well, that’s about it. Thank you for the time, I really appreciate it. I hope we can chit chat another time!”
“Sounds soo fun! Well, that’s about it. Thank you for the time, I really appreciate it. I hope we can chit chat another time!”
KIKU
“Alright! I hope you have an amazing evening.”
“Alright! I hope you have an amazing evening.”
[ A small clicking sound could be heard. A brief pause before the reporter started speaking again. ]
RIKIYA
“Second interview for tonight! This time we have a teacher from Karakura high! Would you like to introduce yourself, Miss teacher?”
“Second interview for tonight! This time we have a teacher from Karakura high! Would you like to introduce yourself, Miss teacher?”
MS. CRETU
“Evening, Rikiya. I am Miss Reid-Cretu. I am currently in the position of Art Teacher at Karakura High.”
“Evening, Rikiya. I am Miss Reid-Cretu. I am currently in the position of Art Teacher at Karakura High.”
RIKIYA
“Cool, cool, cool. So! Pride month! You are openly gay, correct?”
“Cool, cool, cool. So! Pride month! You are openly gay, correct?”
MS. CRETU
“Yes, I’m a proud lesbian. Come at me, homophobes.”
“Yes, I’m a proud lesbian. Come at me, homophobes.”
RIKIYA
“Um, okay! Well, First of all, happy pride month. And, how’ve you been celebrating?”
MS. CRETU
“I suppose I have been celebrating by spreading awareness. Some of my lessons have been pride themed, such as making a watercolor piece on one’s pride flag one day, and making rainbow tie-dye shirts another. I celebrate pride every day in small ways. so pride month doesn’t really change much in my daily life.”
RIKIYA
“Wow, sounds pretty fun. Too bad I didn’t get to attend any of them.”
“Wow, sounds pretty fun. Too bad I didn’t get to attend any of them.”
MS. CRETU
“That's a shame for you. And happy pride month to you as well.”
“That's a shame for you. And happy pride month to you as well.”
RIKIYA
“Why thank you! How thoughtful of you to say that. Moving on! Is that all you’ve been doing for pride? Do you hang decorations at all? Or maybe you wear a certain clothing item that matches your flag?”
“Why thank you! How thoughtful of you to say that. Moving on! Is that all you’ve been doing for pride? Do you hang decorations at all? Or maybe you wear a certain clothing item that matches your flag?”
MS. CRETU
“Well- I’m attempting to order decor for my classroom, but it’s not going well. I do have decorations around my apartment with my flag and I also wear tiny things on my clothing. Not that I’m ashamed of course. I’d just rather have someone get to know me before knowing something as personal as who I am attracted to, you know?”
“Well- I’m attempting to order decor for my classroom, but it’s not going well. I do have decorations around my apartment with my flag and I also wear tiny things on my clothing. Not that I’m ashamed of course. I’d just rather have someone get to know me before knowing something as personal as who I am attracted to, you know?”
RIKIYA
“Do you maybe have a pride tradition you do every year?”
“Do you maybe have a pride tradition you do every year?”
MS. CRETU
“Generally, I try to go to at least one festival or parade. But, I don’t believe we’ve had one this year, sadly.”
“Generally, I try to go to at least one festival or parade. But, I don’t believe we’ve had one this year, sadly.”
RIKIYA
“Actually the acc- Hm, actually never mind! Guess you’ll have to check out my report. Well, that’s it for tonight. Thank you for your time, Misses Cretu.”
“Actually the acc- Hm, actually never mind! Guess you’ll have to check out my report. Well, that’s it for tonight. Thank you for your time, Misses Cretu.”
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