Queer in Tokyo: Belonging, Boxes & Becoming

Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain!

In this episode, host Jess sits down with Luna Oliver, a multifaceted artist, magazine editor, and trans woman who was born in Mexico and grew up in Montreal before settling in Japan in 2015. Known for her drag persona Andromeda, Luna has dedicated her life to questioning gender and championing queer visibility.

Despite a lifelong, inner certainty about her identity—a knowledge she possessed even as a three-year-old—Luna spent her twenties confused and struggling to find validation within society and local queer spaces in Japan. The constant pressure to fit into specific "boxes," particularly within Tokyo's gay community, created a deep sense of alienation and the fear that embracing her femininity would make her undesirable. Paradoxically, the moment she embraced the unambiguous label of "trans woman" and prioritized her own happiness, she found a sense of clarity and belonging in Japan.

"You should be enjoying your life; it's a one-time thing." Luna's powerful journey from fighting to find her place to realizing that self-acceptance is a fluid path, not a destination, will make you question what validation you truly need and where you are willing to build your own roots.

🎬 Credits

Creative Director & Host: Jessica Lin

Producer: Mutsumi Gustavich (Mt.MELVIL)

Production Manager & Editor: Ayumi Watanabe

Designer: Lucy

Behind the Yellow Curtain is a podcast featuring honest, bilingual conversations with people navigating cross-cultural lives.

New episodes drop every Tuesday at 8 AM (JST)—subscribe and stay with us for more.