Ryuchell

Ryūji Higa (比嘉 龍二, Higa Ryūji, 29 September 1995 – 12 July 2023), known professionally as Ryuchell (りゅうちぇる, Ryūcheru), was a Japanese social media personality, model, singer, and activist. In the mid-2010s, Ryuchell gained a social media following through modeling in Harajuku and later became an influential figure in the Japanese genderless fashion subculture. In 2018, Ryuchell also debuted as a singer with their first song, “Hands Up!! If You’re Awesome.”
In 2022, Ryuchell began advocating for LGBT rights on Japanese television. This, compounded with Ryuchell’s announcement that they no longer identified under male gender roles and had divorced, opened them up to scrutiny and harassment.