Debate Over 'Transgender Female College Student': "Threat to Women's Rights" vs. "Minority Discrimination"

Sookmyung Women's University Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] The debate continues in university circles regarding a transgender woman who underwent gender reassignment surgery from male to female and was admitted to Sookmyung Women's University.

On the 4th, 21 feminist organizations affiliated with Duksung Women's University, Dongduk Women's University, Seoul Women's University, Sungshin Women's University, Sookmyung Women's University, Ewha Womans University, and others issued a statement opposing gender changes that threaten women's rights, criticizing, "On what basis can a man claim himself to be a woman?"

They stated, "Currently in Korea, gender changes are made solely based on a judge's discretionary decision without any legal grounds, so submitting just a few related documents determines whether that man is a woman or not," adding, "Men can freely invade women's spaces and opportunities regardless of women's will. For what reason and on what grounds do men become women?"

Regarding the first transgender person admitted to a women's university, they said, "He passed the women's university just three months after gender reassignment and is using the women's university as a means to prove his changed gender," emphasizing, "Women's universities are not a means for men to be recognized as women but exist for women who have been discriminated against and deprived of opportunities in a male-centered society."

They also listed various recent sexual crime incidents at women's universities, stating, "Women-only spaces, including women's universities that have already become targets of men's crimes, are threatened by the intrusion of men and men who claim themselves as women," and argued, "They do their best to take away women's spaces and opportunities rather than understand and respect women's lives. No man can threaten women's rights and safety based on his 'feelings.'"

They continued, "According to Article 34, Clause 3 of the Constitution, which states that 'The State shall endeavor to improve the welfare and rights of women,' the admission of a man who has undergone gender reassignment to a women's university, as well as the court's approval of gender reassignment that makes this possible, violates the Constitution," demanding, "The court should dismiss gender reassignment applications, and the National Assembly should enact laws prohibiting gender reassignment."

However, on the previous day, the 3rd, alumni of Sookmyung Women's University posted an online petition titled "Welcoming the student who was finally admitted to Sookmyung Women's University as a transgender person in the name of alumni."

They said, "We welcome the transgender woman who passed the final admission to Sookmyung Women's University in 2020," adding, "She confidently passed by meeting the required scores and procedural conditions for admission."

They also expressed serious concerns about "the atmosphere of hatred, exclusion, and division that does not align with the university's vision, mission, and values," criticizing, "We strongly oppose attempts to divide 'real women' and 'fake women' based on insufficient understanding and stereotypes about transgender people."

Quoting Sookmyung Women's University's 1999 slogan, "Cry, hen!", they said, "Sookmyung was founded for the education and solidarity of women, who are socially disadvantaged in a patriarchal society," and added, "Accompanying and standing in solidarity with the socially disadvantaged and minorities is the starting point for Sookmyung people and a value that must continue to expand. If we exclude those who do not fall within the category of 'normality,' how is that different from the walls of gender discrimination we have strived to break down and overcome?"

Finally, they conveyed, "We once again congratulate all freshmen who have secured their places in the firmly established culture of hatred and discrimination against women in Korean society, and especially the LGBTQ+ freshmen who had to go through a more difficult process for admission."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.