By Kim Se-jeong
The Sungkonghoe University in Seoul is expected to be the first university in the nation to have a gender neutral bathroom.
According to the university, the student body and the school are discussing the issue currently. "Opening a gender neutral restroom was one of the promises the incumbent student body chief made when he was elected."
Speaking to the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, Baek Seung-mok, student body president, said, "it will be an all people restroom which will serve all on the campus, regardless of sexual identity and physical disabilities." Baek was also quoted as saying he would push it to open by the end of this month by renovating existing facilities into a new one.
Gender neutral toilets benefit transgender people the most but it is a distant concept in Korea. The vernacular paper said it was possible at Sungkonghae University thanks to Baek who is homosexual. While Sungkonghoe is expected to be the first school to do so, gender-neutral restrooms are not completely new in Korea.
Human Rights Foundation SARAM and Diversity Korea, both NGOs, have them.
"As a rights group, we wanted to accommodate the needs of all activists who come here to work and talk, including transgender and homosexual activists and activists with disabilities," said a representative from SARAM as to why the NGO decided to open it. "We have had it since 2013 when we built our own building."
While many transgender and homosexual students welcome new toilets serving their needs, some were skeptical. "The fact that I use that toilet could reveal my sexual identity," said an anonymous Sungkonghoe University student who is homosexual told the Hankook Ilbo.
Some said they were concerned about crimes. "I think the trend can make women more vulnerable to secret cameras and crimes against women," another was quoted as saying.
The gender neutral toilets are a global trend.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama pushed gender neutral toilets at public schools to ensure rights of sexual minorities. He also opened one at the White House. His predecessor Donald Trump, however, rolled back Obama's policy but kept the toilet in the White House.
Sungkonghoe University's move reflects changes that are growing slowly in the Korean society in which transgender and homosexual issues are taboo. People often view them with condemnation, which forces them to keep their gender identity or sexuality a secret, even from their parents. Yet, some transgender people are courageous enough to come out. Model Ha Ri-soo is a prime example; while Hong Seok-cheon came out as homosexual. While their gender and sexual identities remain controversial, they contributed to raising awareness about the issue in Korea.
The Sungkonghoe University in Seoul is expected to be the first university in the nation to have a gender neutral bathroom.
According to the university, the student body and the school are discussing the issue currently. "Opening a gender neutral restroom was one of the promises the incumbent student body chief made when he was elected."
Speaking to the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, Baek Seung-mok, student body president, said, "it will be an all people restroom which will serve all on the campus, regardless of sexual identity and physical disabilities." Baek was also quoted as saying he would push it to open by the end of this month by renovating existing facilities into a new one.
Gender neutral toilets benefit transgender people the most but it is a distant concept in Korea. The vernacular paper said it was possible at Sungkonghae University thanks to Baek who is homosexual. While Sungkonghoe is expected to be the first school to do so, gender-neutral restrooms are not completely new in Korea.
Human Rights Foundation SARAM and Diversity Korea, both NGOs, have them.
"As a rights group, we wanted to accommodate the needs of all activists who come here to work and talk, including transgender and homosexual activists and activists with disabilities," said a representative from SARAM as to why the NGO decided to open it. "We have had it since 2013 when we built our own building."
While many transgender and homosexual students welcome new toilets serving their needs, some were skeptical. "The fact that I use that toilet could reveal my sexual identity," said an anonymous Sungkonghoe University student who is homosexual told the Hankook Ilbo.
Some said they were concerned about crimes. "I think the trend can make women more vulnerable to secret cameras and crimes against women," another was quoted as saying.
The gender neutral toilets are a global trend.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama pushed gender neutral toilets at public schools to ensure rights of sexual minorities. He also opened one at the White House. His predecessor Donald Trump, however, rolled back Obama's policy but kept the toilet in the White House.
Sungkonghoe University's move reflects changes that are growing slowly in the Korean society in which transgender and homosexual issues are taboo. People often view them with condemnation, which forces them to keep their gender identity or sexuality a secret, even from their parents. Yet, some transgender people are courageous enough to come out. Model Ha Ri-soo is a prime example; while Hong Seok-cheon came out as homosexual. While their gender and sexual identities remain controversial, they contributed to raising awareness about the issue in Korea.
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