University Students Write Play Themed on Gender Expression: Otemon Gakuin University STEP 16th Performance 'Kokoro no Tobira'

Otemon Gakuin University (Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture; President: Masahiro Shindo), which cultivates communication skills and collaborative abilities through theatrical performance activities covering social issues, will hold its 16th performance of the Stage Expression Project (STEP), titled 'Kokoro no Tobira (Door of the Heart) - There is a view only visible to the true, unadorned self -,' for four days from June 25 to 28 at the Ibaraki Ai Campus.

This performance is inspired by the personal experiences of the student who wrote the script. It centers on the theme of 'SOGIE' (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression), a topic of growing social interest in recent years. Set at a high school cultural festival, the play depicts students facing their 'true selves' and 'inner feelings' amidst diverse values.

Tetsushi Toya, a third-year economics student who wrote the script, shared that while he had loved 'cute things' like stuffed animals since childhood, he spent his elementary and junior high school years hiding his true self from his parents and friends. Later, seeing an acquaintance enjoying cosplay made him realize the 'splendor of living as one's true self,' leading him to write a work conveying diversity. Toya expressed his enthusiasm: 'Through this play, I want people to first recognize diversity. I want people to realize that there are those who suffer from differences due to sexual orientation or gender identity. Beyond that, I hope to convey the importance of speaking one's truth and hope that recognition of SOGIE will advance among as many people as possible.'

Around 30 students from the first to fourth year will participate in the four-day performance as actors, props managers, and lighting staff. Haruki Yoshida, a third-year regional creation student in charge of direction, stated, 'Because "clothing" is a key point in the story this time, we have paid more attention to costumes than in previous years. We invite everyone to come to the venue and enjoy the work that our members have created with all their might.' Admission is free, and the general public is welcome to attend. An after-talk session by Professor Yosaku Matsutani of the Faculty of Sociology is scheduled for the final day.

[Performance Overview] Dates: June 25 (Thu) Doors open 18:15 / Start 18:45 June 26 (Fri) Doors open 18:15 / Start 18:45 June 27 (Sat) Doors open 14:00 / Start 14:30 June 28 (Sun) Doors open 13:30 / Start 14:00 (After-talk session will be held after the performance) Venue: Otemon Gakuin University Ibaraki Ai Campus, Student Center 2F Exhibition Room (2-1-15 Ai, Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture) Fee: Free Application: https://stage.corich.jp/stage/453228

[Synopsis] Oto Kuromatsu, a second-year high school student, has spent days suppressing the desire to dress in women's clothing. Worried about how others view him, he has spent his days hiding his true feelings. One day, his class decides on a 'gender-reversed café' for the cultural festival, and Oto finally voices his desire to his classmates for the first time. This sparks a chain reaction where their individual feelings and values clash and, while passing each other by, gradually begin to intersect, slowly opening the 'door of the heart.'