Happy Thursday kaaa!
Last week, Fulbright Thailand and Bureau of International Cooperation Strategy/Office of the Higher Education Commission organized a one-day seminar entitled, 'Breaking Cultural Taboos', discussing issues on LGBTQI and harassment.
It was the very first platform for those in the international relations offices to learn and share on the topics of LGBTQI, and harassment.
On LGBTQI, several shared their views openly about their sexual orientation. It included a transgender, a lesbian, and a gay.
The transgender speaker pointed out a few things I'd like to share as follows ka:
- I now know one more term: Cisgender which means sex assigned from birth and the person's sense of personal identity and gender corresponds it.
- Transgender could be turned away by doctors who don't have enough understanding about the group or could have some negative attitude/phobia.
- Things have been changing fast in higher education communities in many states, especially policies and laws.
- If we interact with transgender persons, particularly those in the west, ask for their preferred pronouns.
Our Thai lesbian and gay speakers were quite fortunate to have understanding and supportive families. That has made their lives much easier and several key points are:
- Both have proved to their parents that they're highly capable of leading their lives professionally with fine recognition of their competence.
- Both know clearly their preferred 'gender' and have decided to follow it with very secure feelings about 'who they are'!
- One stressed that no matter what he (he has no preference about pronouns!) does, he thinks of 'appropriateness of time and place' -- กาละเทศะ As he's an ajarn, he has made sure of proper distance with his students as well.
About harassment, these are what I drew from the platform ka:
- Harassment happens more often than we know and quite a few of us have been harassed one way or another.
- Whatever makes us feel uncomfortable could possibly be some form of 'harassment'.
- Policies and protocol must be in place to increase our awareness in the education settings and for us to know what we can do to protect ourselves and others.
- Turn to peers and advisors when help is needed. Academic advisors need to be trained too ka!
- To say 'no' in uncomfortable situations, stress to ourselves that we don't make any mistake and there's no need to avoid it. Be polite and assertive while looking into the other person's eyes. Yet, before taking any action, look around to see if it's safe for us not to be cornered!
It was another session I think should be organized more often to a wider community of higher education. It allows us to understand more deeply the meaning of 'diversity', 'gender equality', and 'respect and inclusion' ka.
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