Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1822/

Sexual Orientation as a Youth

In terms of my sexual orientation, I don't think I realized it until I was in college. And when I looked back, I realized that some of the feelings that I had were related to me being lesbian. But I didn't know that when I was growing up because these were things that weren't really talked about in the sixties and seventies, early seventies when I was growing up.

Remember, until 1973, um same-sex sexual attraction was considered an abnormal in the abnormal psychological condition. It was considered an abnormality by the American Psychological Association, the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual, until DSM 3 in 1973. So that's when I was a senior in high school. So you could see why people didn't talk about these things.

But I really wasn't focused on that because—but I was dating boys—and but when I look back on it, I realize, you know, I would much have preferred spending time with my my friends, my girlfriends and so my friends that were girls.

And so when I look back on it, I realize that it was when in college, when I played basketball and there were, you know, athletes around me that were lesbian, I realized that this was this is why I have had felt the way I had. So, yeah, it was a little bit a different era in the sixties and seventies.


identity LGBTQ+ people sexual orientation

Date: July 14, 2022

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Lana Kobayashi

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum; Japanese American Bar Association

Interviewee Bio

Sabrina Shizue McKenna was born on October 7, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan, to a Japanese mother and an American father. Being half-Japanese, McKenna struggled with feeling either “too Japanese” or “too white.” Justice McKenna’s life was drastically impacted in 1972, when Title IX was passed. Title IX allowed McKenna to receive a scholarship to attend the University of Hawaii and play basketball. During her time at the university, she came to terms with her sexuality.

McKenna believes her sexual orientation might have altered her career path. After graduating from law school and working for law firms, McKenna became a law professor. Instead of running for government office, she became a judge. However, McKenna’s path to becoming a judge was not a smooth one. It wasn’t until 2011 that she was appointed to her current position as the Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii. Justice McKenna's story shows that members of the LGBTQ community can have successful and meaningful lives. (October 2022)

 

*This is one of the main projects completed by The Nikkei Community Internship (NCI) Program intern each summer, which the Japanese American Bar Association and the Japanese American National Museum have co-hosted.

Oi,Celia
en
ja
es
pt
Oi,Celia

Change in sense of Nikkei Brazilian identity over time (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

en
ja
es
pt
Kasamatsu,Emi
en
ja
es
pt
Kasamatsu,Emi

Japanese language education for Paraguayan Nisei (Spanish)

Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

en
ja
es
pt
Inahara,Toshio
en
ja
es
pt
Inahara,Toshio

Identified as Japanese ancestry

(b. 1921) Vascular surgeon

en
ja
es
pt
Matsubara,Yumi
en
ja
es
pt
Matsubara,Yumi

Why I got my American citizenship (Japanese)

Shin-Issei from Gifu. Recently received U.S. citizenship

en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George
en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George

The Birth of Kinnara

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George
en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George

Japanese American Taiko

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George
en
ja
es
pt
Abe,George

Thank You, Shakuhachi

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

en
ja
es
pt
Mizuki,Peter
en
ja
es
pt
Mizuki,Peter

Appreciation of Japanese food

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

en
ja
es
pt
Kinoshita,Cherry
en
ja
es
pt
Kinoshita,Cherry

Be True to Yourself

(1923–2008) One of the leaders behind the redress movement.

en
ja
es
pt
Yoshida,George
en
ja
es
pt
Yoshida,George

Ways of Fitting In

(b. 1922) Musician

en
ja
es
pt
Marutani,William
en
ja
es
pt
Marutani,William

Why I joined the Japanese American Citizens League

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

en
ja
es
pt
Uyeda,Clifford
en
ja
es
pt
Uyeda,Clifford

Japanese Language School

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

en
ja
es
pt
Suto,Henry
en
ja
es
pt
Suto,Henry

Japanese in Minot

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

en
ja
es
pt
Inouye,Daniel K.
en
ja
es
pt
Inouye,Daniel K.

Father’s words

(1924-2012) Senator of Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Moromisato,Doris
en
ja
es
pt
Moromisato, Doris

Is non-integration due to the distrust because of what happened in the Second World War? (Spanish)

(b. 1962) Peruvian Poet, Okinawan descendant

en
ja
es
pt