Sydney Olney (she/her) received her Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Studies, Cognitive Science, & Asian Studies from Case Western Reserve University in 2022. Her graduating capstone, ‘”Reborn Together on a Single Lotus Petal”: Shōmyō, Shōga, and the Homoerotic Recontextualization of the Flute in Zeami’s Noh Play “Atsumori,”’ presents a musicological premise for Atsumori and Renshō’s relationship as that of fated lovers on the path to enlightenment. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Professor Joshua Mostow.

Sydney’s research concerns premodern Japanese genders and sexualities. She is particularly interested in the literary implementation of queer relationships as upaya, or skillful means. In addition to continuing her work on chigo and wakashu, Sydney aims to further develop the discussion of premodern female-female love in Japanese Studies.  

In 2022, Sydney received 1^st Place in the Ohio Japanese Speech Contest for a speech entitled “Empowering Non-Binary/Transgender Youth in the Japanese Classroom.” As an aspiring educator within an increasingly intersectional society, Sydney hopes to provide her future students with a space in which they can courageously explore various aspects of identity via Japanese language education.