2013 Volume 2013 Issue 26 Pages 99-110
The aim of this paper is to analyze face-to-face interactions between members of sexual minorities and members from the sexual majority (heterosexuals) and to examine the possibilities of a better understanding between the two. To accomplish this, two types of qualitative research were conducted. The first consisted of interviews with LGBs, and the second took the form of participatory field-work in a self-help group, where both sexual minorities and heterosexuals were members. It was found that heterosexuals became a sexual minority at the club while sexual minorities became a majority. Heterosexuals in the club expressed their feelings about difficulties in Japan, which melts the line between minorities and the majority. This transposition of sexualities introduced heterosexuals to the pseudo-experience of being members of a minority and, at the same time, the club gave sexual minorities the chance to imagine friendly relations with heterosexuals near them but outside the group.