About Hinako Ishikawa

Hinako grew up as a queer woman in rural Japan, where she faced and witnessed discrimination and the exclusion of LGBTQ people, which made her passionate about creating a hate-free environment. 

As an undergraduate, Hinako worked as a member of the Diversity Club, which advocates for LGBTQ rights, and as a gender/sexuality lecturer to teach Japanese students the concept of SOGIE. She also became certificated as a suicide prevention supporter in her hometown. 

Hinako is devoted to education. She has been part of the Teacher’s License Program, learned education psychology and teaching methods, and worked as a tutor for three years. Utilizing her Teacher’s License, Hinako is passionate about creating inclusive and safer learning spaces for LGBTQ students. She is particularly interested in changing gender-divided sexual education classes and gender-biased career education in Japan. 

Hinako is also doing research on Asian sexuality, exploring dominant ideas of Asian masculinity/femininity, traditional familial ties among Asian communities, and Japanese unique traditional sexual behaviors. 

Hinako is currently an intern for the Education and Referral Organization for Sexuality (EROS) at Associated Students, SF State. In this role, she works to provide sexuality education, safer sex resources, and peer education to prevent STIs, and promote Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging. 

Hinako’s long-term goals are to contribute to the establishment of the first university sexuality department in Japan and promote comprehensive sex education.