When 'cute' becomes a weapon against misogyny
DONNING doll-like dresses with voluminous skirts, young women on stage roar in rage about rape and sexism they experienced in Japan, using theatre and “cute” fashion to denounce male-dominated society.
A radical feminist theatre troupe from Japan called TremendousCircus uses cute and flamboyant Gothic Lolita fashion to denounce misogyny and sexual violence. The group, which debuted in 2016, performs with accounts of sexual assault and harassment they have faced. Their leader, 28-year-old rape survivor Chino, aims to show a joyful future for survivors of sexual violence.
The troupe charges men twice as much as women spectators, criticizing Japan's gender wage gap. Japan ranks 118th in the Global Gender Gap Index, and 1 in 10 young people have been groped, mostly women. The group's leader argues that radical victim feminism, which focuses on the needs of sexual violence survivors, can unite all women in Japan.
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