Silencing Identity through Communication

This book explores the ways in which "ordinary"§heterosexual people §habitually (and without malice) make homosexual§people invisible in §ordinary communication processes in Japanese§communities in §Japan and the U.S. I raise the question: What are the§scenes and §communication practices in and through which§homosexuality §becomes invisible or irrelevant to identification of§the self? First, I §explore the communicative style of being ordinary, §in and through §which heterosexuals habitually enact a complete lack§of awareness §of homosexuals. Second, while addressing Japanese§silence and §indirect and ambiguous communication practices, I§examine a direct §mode of Japanese communication called speaking §straightforwardly. Third, I analyze cultural§premises regarding §social and emotional selves associated with being§ordinary and §speaking straightforwardly. Fourth, I describe a§silencing form of §communication which cultivates gut-level discomfort§and fear of homosexuals. Fifth, I analyze Japanese heterosexual§male-§centered lovemaking scenes in ero-manga which provide§possible §sources of misunderstanding between males, females,§and male §homosexuals.