We Went to an FTM Trans Bar in Tokyo

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Available Summary:

"Tokyo BTM go to a Trans bar for the first time and talk to its owner, Masaki-san, about life as an FTM trans person, marriage, kids, and the current state of transgender issues in Japan." -YouTube.

Jack's Summary:

In this video, Meng and Andrew, cis gay men from China and Canada, visit an FTM/LGBT+ bar and speak to the owner; a Japanese trans man named Masaki. You can visit the bar's website here. The pair have a very lovely interview with Masaki, who says that he wants to share his experience with others.

Andrew chides Meng at one point, when Meng asks Masaki why he wanted to become a man. "It's not that he wanted to become a man," Andrew interrupts, "I believe he has always been a man in his heart." Although Masaki did not seem offended by the phrasing, it was so sweet to see Andrew making this distinction.

Later, Masaki says he does not mind very personal questions about his private life and transition, explaining, "Had I minded, I probably wouldn't have started an FTM bar... I want people to know more about us. Feel free to ask a lot of questions, so you can share the knowledge with others... Because I was helped by other people who shared information with me, I would like to pay it forward, and share this knowledge with others in the hope that it helps people".

Masaki explains that, when he was young, he struggled to figure out if he liked women "as a man, or as a woman". He figured out that he was trans when he started to go through puberty, and realised that what he was experiencing had a label; gender dysphoria.

Fittingly enough for this website, Masaki talks about the importance of TV shows with trans male characters, specifically Kinpachi-Sensei (2001), which featured a trans male character named Nao Tsurumoto. He also talks about his wife, who he married two months after their first meeting, and about their two children, who were conceived with a sperm donation from Masaki's brother.

The interview also includes discussions about language preferences within the trans community, and the fact that all trans people use different terms to describe their experiences. Masaki also talks about participating in Tokyo Pride and Taipei Pride. It's so wonderful to hear Masaki talking about his life, and to get a window into his experience.