Urban Cycling as a Pathway to Gender Equity and LGBTQ+ Rights in Japan: A Policy and Practice Analysis

In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 76/255, hailing the bicycle as a form of sustainable transportation, recognizing “that the bicycle can serve as a tool for development and as a means not just of transportation but also of access to education, health care and sport” (UN General Assembly, 2022, p. 2). Indeed, access to bicycles for women, girls, and gender diverse individuals can address gender inequities in patriarchal societies (Hayhurst et al., 2022). What remains understudied with respect to gender inequity and cycling is the experience of bicycling for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus) Japanese people. The current landscape of Japanese LGBTQ+ advocacy presents a timely opportunity to build on work that advocates for the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ people in Japan (Tamagawa, 2023). To investigate how urban bicycling policies and practices in Japan intersect with gender inequity and LGBTQ+ rights, this project will involve a literature review of LGBTQ+ bicycling and related research, an analysis of government-issued bicycling policies in Japan, and case studies of community-based bicycling initiatives. The findings from this project will provide valuable insights for urban planners and key decision-makers on building more equitable mobility networks in Japan.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lyndsay Hayhurst

Student:

Partner:

Osaka University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

York University

Program: