Japan’s feminist performers use ‘cute’ fashion to confront rape, harassment and sexism

In a Tokyo theatre, women in elaborate dresses and wide, bell-shaped skirts scream about rape, harassment and the pressures placed on women in Japan.The performers belong to TremendousCircus, a self-described radical feminist theatre group that uses Gothic Lolita fashion and stories of sexual violence to challenge a society they say remains dominated by men.During a recent three-hour performance called “Unite”, nine women dressed in pink, white and black portrayed revolutionaries fighting an artificial intelligence ruler called “Big Father”. They shouted slogans including “war for women” and tore apart AI-generated images of men.The group’s work comes as Japan continues to struggle with sexual violence and gender inequality. The global #MeToo movement has had limited impact in the country, while many survivors remain afraid to speak publicly.Turning fashion into resistanceTremendousCircus began in 2016 with a focus on LGBTQ rights. Its members now describe their approach as “radical victim feminism”, which places the experiences and needs of sexual violence survivors at the centre of its work.The troupe’s performers wear Gothic Lolita clothing, a style inspired by Victorian dresses and Gothic imagery. The outfits usually include blouses, jumper skirts, petticoats and layers of fabric that create a voluminous silhouette.Chino, a 28-year-old actor and rape survivor who helped found the group, said the clothing challenged expectations about how women should dress."My goal is to be a role model who can show that a joyful future can await sexual violence survivors," she told news agency AFP.Chino recently concluded a legal battle linked to her own case. She said she did not want the assault to determine the rest of her life."I want to wear pretty clothes and go explore a lot of places," she said."That single moment when I was raped is far shorter than a whole life ahead of me that I should care about and try to enrich."The troupe charges male spectators up to twice as much as women, highlighting Japan’s persistent gender pay gap. Japan ranked 118th out of 148 economies in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index last year.Chino said the group’s clothing was the opposite of the revealing outfits that some men prefer."We can repel men while wearing pretty clothes," she said.Member Hina Haruka, 27, also wears Gothic Lolita clothing away from the stage. In the summer heat, she uses a white lace parasol and bonnet along with her layered dress. "These cannot be easily taken off, so they help protect women from rape as well," she said.She believes the style allows women to express themselves without giving up their femininity."In the Gothic Lolita world we can wear pink and go all out with frills and cuteness no matter how old we are," she said."That makes me think I'm fulfilling the version of myself that I love, and valuing my feelings as a woman -- there's something very feminist about that."A message aimed at all womenChino said radical victim feminism could bring women together because every woman is affected in some way by a society shaped by misogyny.The group does not reject relationships, marriage, motherhood or sex with men. Instead, it says women should be able to choose how they live, including women who are mothers or sex workers.Former sex worker Mizuki Shikyoin said she had been systematically “groomed” by a male boss. During “Unite”, she delivered a monologue about how she had misunderstood what men had given her."Now I know. Everything I thought was 'given' by a boyfriend or a pimp through rape and sex was in fact what was taken away from me," the 27-year-old said.She told AFP that she had once believed she could not manage without men."I used to think I was helpless without men, but I was wrong. I can't do everything alone, but when women help each other we can do anything," Shikyoin said.The message moved many in the audience, most of whom were women. Some smiled while others cried as the performance ended.Ayaka, a 37-year-old audience member who gave only her first name, said the show had helped her understand how deeply society is centred on men."It made me realise how our society is centred around men and understand why my life hasn't gone well sometimes," she said."I can live a bit more positively now."Japan’s government said in a 2024 survey that around one in 10 young people had experienced groping at least once, with women making up the overwhelming majority of victims. TremendousCircus says its performances are an attempt to turn those experiences into a collective demand for change.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.