[Gender-Neutral Facility] “The Space is a Matter of Survival for Someone”

Think of our relationships. We have relationships with various people with individual characteristics, such as those who are short, who like movies, who are good at exercising, who may not be social or famous. So does society. As shown in individuals' relationships, the community consists of people with different appearances and sexual orientations. Civic group, “Dawoom” is derived from “Sustainable Movement toward Diversity.” This organization played a leading role in the LGBTQIA human rights movement and trained youths' leadership to spread the value of true diversity in Korean society.

"Channel PNU,” along with Sim Ki-Young, chairman of Dawoom's operating committee, heard various stories such as discrimination that gender minorities face, problems with the gender-neutral facilities, and how school members can reach consensus. 

Q. Can you introduce about “Dawoom?”

A. Easily saying, it is “youth LGBTQIA human rights group.” Last year, we studied the life of youth LGBTQIA and based on that, this year, we are doing activities helping youth gender minorities. We believe that the vulnerability of youth LGBTQIA is repeated during the youth period. We confirmed that these vulnerabilities act as barriers to entering society or being shown as mental health problems.  

Q. What are specific things that “Dawoom” is doing for university campuses?

A. “Dawoom” started from the university youth gender minority group, “Cube.” It was a union of sex minority clubs in each university. I was also a member of the group. Therefore, I was closely monitoring the situations of LGBTQIA in the university. According to last year's research, the university and company are the top two places where sexual minorities go through discrimination. Since this year, we have been working on ways to run a campaign together with university minority clubs and directly file the discrimination cases to the National Human Rights Commission.

Q. Are there any specific cases in that minorities experience discrimination on campus?

A. Whenever you enter a space where sex is separated, such as a dormitory, restroom, and dressing room, you can experience gender discrepancy because you are judged mainly by appearance and legal sex. Moreover, I know that some hateful comments toward LGBTQIA on the anonymous community, such as Everytime, hurt many people. The conservative and discriminatory response to LGBTQIA issues in everyday spaces such as classrooms is the most challenging problem, and it is still repeated.

Q. Why do you think changes in recognition toward LGBTQIA are lagging?

A. As I mentioned earlier in the figure of universal universities, there is a mission university based on Christianity and Christian Foundation in Korea. Students must pledge in mission university's entrance ceremony, saying, "I do not support homosexuality." There were also cases that disciplined and punished students supporting LGBTQIA human rights (Jangshin University) or suspended them from school indefinitely (Handong University). Even though the lawsuit for the cancellation of disciplinary action was won, the Korean society seems not to change because there are groups of people who hate and discriminate against LGBTQIA. 

Above all, the political community delivers the response of a particular religion to the word “social consensus is needed.” Then, the public recognized as “the human rights of LGBTQIA are still in a position of debate with much more significant opposition.” It has been 20 years since the Entertainer, Hong Seok-Cheon, came out of the closet, but even mentioning gender minorities is still controversial. I think not looking at LGBTQIA as human rights, but reiterating the hatred toward particular religious power and opposing languages, are responsible for politics and media. 

Q. What efforts can people make to improve awareness toward LGBTQIA?

A. The role of the people who are not one of the minorities paying attention to minorities' voices is crucial for their human rights. The gender minority is estimated to be around 7 to 10% of the population in the United States. Gathering the stories of these people and changing the world may lack power. 

First is attention, and second is to let the world know that you support LGBTQIA's human rights. Claiming and informing such support is necessary for gender minorities. It is crucial to make them feel “This is queer-friendly space. If I go here, I will be respected”. For example, a rainbow flag in the Channel PNU office can be a message supporting gender minority human rights. The third is participating in a campaign and professing you are a supporter of gender minority human rights on SNS on May 17th, International Day Against Homophobia. 

Q. Is there anything you want from LGBTQIA students and others?

A. Space is eventually a matter of survival to transgender people and LGBTQIA. A natural space for me can be discrimination that cannot be used naturally for someone. Thus, I hope to discuss how to create a space where everyone can use a gender neutrally, rather than separating gender and thinking dichotomously of men and women to start in school. It is because the inconvenience of gender minorities does not end in being inconvenient but leads to social vulnerabilities and a matter of survival.

Reported Im Ha-Eun

Translated by Lee Su-Hyun