Questions of same sex love affairs amongst the girls of AKB48, with their many Danso segments, and other behind the scenes acts, make you wonder. All joking aside, same-sex marriage made news in America recently, so this might be slightly off topic (and is labeled as such!). But it was interesting that a few 48-group members offered their opinions on same-sex marriage as well.

First, we start with former member, Akimoto Sayaka.

今日はアメリカで同性婚が認められた日。
問題を抱えてきた分、沢山の笑顔があったんだろうな。
パートナー。法の下での平等な尊厳。
私は女性を好きになった事は今のところは無いけれど、いつか女性も好きになるかもしれないし。
性別の前に人を、人間を好きになるんだと思います。

— 秋元才加 (@akimotooo726) June 27, 2015

“Today is the day that same-sex marriage was approved in America. There were probably lots of smiling faces, with all the problems they carried with them. Partner. Equal dignity under the law. As of now, I’ve never been in love with another woman before, but I might fall in love with one. Before gender, I hope I’ll love the person first.”

And a next bit comes from current member Umeda Ayaka, who had this to say:

同性婚がアメリカで認められた日。
どれくらいの方が笑ってこの日を待ちわびたのかな。
わたし自身も、ゲイやレズの友達が多いです。だから、なんか他人事とは思えない。
性別もそうだけど、人としてもっともっと素敵になりたいな。
愛のある世界にもっともっとなれますように。

— 梅田彩佳 (@AyakaUmeda) June 27, 2015

“The day that same-sex marriage was approved in America. I wonder how people smiled, waiting for this day. For myself, I have alot of gay and lesbian friends. So this is something that also affects me. Not just as a woman, but I also want to become better as a person. I hope that this world will becoming more loving.”

---

Another unrelated portion, but everyone is quoting the Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s closing statement. Here is a Japanese version, so I hope these wonderful words make its way to Japan.  This isn’t my translation since, between the team and I, I don’t think we could have done a good job translating this.  This prose is definitely on a different level than dialogue from a Japanese variety TV show 😀

Here is the closing statement:

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”
「結婚ほど強い結びつきはなく、それは最も理想的な愛と貞節、献身、犠牲そして家族の形態である。結婚という結びつきにおいて、人は一人であった時より素晴らしい存在となる」

“It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
「（同性婚を禁止する法律に異を唱えている同性のカップルは）結婚の理想を尊重していないわけではない。彼らは深くその理想を尊重しているからこそ、彼ら自身もその理想の実現を望んでいる。彼らは文明において最も古くから存在する結婚という制度から締め出され、孤独に生きることを望んではいない。彼らは法の下での同等の尊厳を求めている。アメリカ合衆国憲法は彼らにその権利を授ける。」

“The judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed.”
「第6巡回区控訴裁の判決は無効とする。」

「そう、ここに命じる」
“It is so ordered.”

---

Japanese translation courtesy of: http://aiblsuki.blog122.fc2.com/blog-entry-331.html