TremendousCircus uses Lolita fashion against sexism

Japanese theatre troupe TremendousCircus uses Gothic Lolita fashion and performances about sexual violence, harassment and sexism to promote what it calls radical victim feminism.

The fringe group staged a recent performance titled "Unite", in which actors portrayed revolutionaries fighting an AI tyrant named "Big Father". Its members, most of them women using professional names, combine doll-like dresses, slogans and accounts from members and fans to challenge Japan's male-dominated society.

Co-founder Chino, a rape survivor, told AFP she wants to show sexual violence survivors that "a joyful future can await". She said the layered Lolita clothes are the opposite of clothing designed to appeal to men and can help women feel protected while still wearing what they like.

TremendousCircus debuted in 2016 with a focus on LGBTQ rights and now charges men up to twice as much as women spectators, which it presents as a comment on Japan's gender wage gap. Members cited harassment on crowded trains, pressure over marriage and childbirth, and fear among survivors about speaking publicly.

A 2024 Japanese government survey found around one in 10 young people in Japan had been groped at least once, with women making up the vast majority.