Takaichi's Sumo Snub: A Missed Opportunity for Feminist Leadership
1/25/2026
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Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s trailblazing female prime minister, has made headlines for boycotting a sumo awards ceremony, and the right-wing echo chambers are having a field day, claiming she’s “too sensitive” and “can’t take a joke.” Meanwhile, progressives are scratching their heads, wondering why Takaichi wouldn’t use this opportunity to challenge the deeply ingrained sexism and misogyny that pervades the sumo world.
Let’s be real, sumo is a boys’ club, a bastion of toxic masculinity where women are relegated to the sidelines, forced to watch from a distance as men flex their muscles and perpetuate a culture of objectification and exclusion. And Takaichi, instead of using her platform to call out this blatant sexism, chose to skip the ceremony altogether. It’s a missed opportunity, to say the least.
But what’s even more egregious is the way this story is being spun to perpetuate the myth that feminism is about being “sensitive” or “fragile.” Newsflash: feminism is about challenging systems of oppression and demanding equality. And if Takaichi had used her platform to speak out against the sexism inherent in sumo culture, she would have been doing exactly that.
The real tragedy here is that Takaichi’s caution is being seen as a betrayal by some in the feminist community. Women of color, trans women, and non-binary individuals who have been marginalized and excluded from spaces like sumo for far too long are being told that Takaichi’s actions are a “step back” for gender equality. And you know what? They’re right.
Takaichi’s decision to skip the ceremony rather than using it as a chance to disrupt the status quo is a reminder that even our most well-intentioned leaders can be complicit in perpetuating the very systems they’re supposed to be challenging. It’s a call to action for all of us to hold our leaders accountable and to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
So, to Takaichi and all the other leaders out there who claim to be allies to marginalized communities, let this be a warning: it’s not enough to simply be present; you must also be willing to challenge the systems of oppression that have been holding us back for far too long. Anything less is just empty symbolism.
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