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| This picture shows entrance of the women's student council at Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul. The female student body has been abolished as of Jan. 4./ Yonhap |
By Kim Jae-heun
All female students' councils at universities in Seoul have been dissolved, with the last remaining group, Prism at Yonsei University, closing Jan. 4.
The closures have apparently been brought about by an indifference to student bodies on campus, as well as an increasing number of female students attending coeducational facilities. The latter has made many people think that female students no longer experience discrimination ― one of the reasons why the councils were initially set up.
Yonsei University's student council said 13,637 students, or 54.8 percent of its membership, participated in a vote on the 31-year-old association, and 78.9 percent of them were in favor of abolishing it. Only 18.2 percent voted to keep it open.
The student council decided to set up a subcommittee to deal with sexual violence, something the female council dealt with.
The first female students' councils were established at Seoul National University (SNU) and Korea University in 1984. They mainly dealt with sexual harassment and assault of female students.
Other schools also set up such bodies, but they began to wane in popularity in the 2000s and began to disappear in the 2010s.
Students at Konkuk University and the University of Seoul decided to close their councils in 2013, followed by Hongik (2015), Soongsil (2016) and Kyung Hee (2017) universities. Chung-Ang University recently transferred the duties of its female students' council to the main representative body, while Sungkyunkwan dissolved its council last September and Dongguk, last November.
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| Members of the women's student council at Dongguk University protest against school's voting on abolition of the government body that took place on Nov. 21 at their campus in central Seoul. / Yonhap |
Some observers said this was unexpected as many thought the councils would gain popularity with the increased awareness of feminism here after the #MeToo movement spread to campuses last year.
Among various reasons for the closures, however, is students' disinterest in school organizations with their primary concern these days being finding a job.
A 27-year-old Yonsei University graduate surnamed Lee said she did not even know the female students' council had been abolished as she was too busy preparing for job interviews.
"When I entered the school, I heard about how much pride Prism had in its history and achievements," Lee said. "But I don't exactly know what they've done for me and other female students. In fact, I never really cared about them."
Several schools, including Kyung Hee and Kwangwoon universities closed down their female councils because nobody was interested in running for president.
Sociology professor Kim Yoon-tae at Korea University said fewer students are taking part in overall student governing activities and it is not just the female students' body that they are indifferent to.
Today, females account for half of the students at most universities leading many people to believe the schools do not need a separate body to address sexism.
Some male students have also claimed the existence of a separate council for women is sexism itself.
"Female students' councils receive part of the tuition paid by all students here. However, they say nothing about the rights of male students, who also cannot participate in their decision-making or governance," a 31-year-old male Yonsei University graduate surnamed Park said.
Other observers said the councils still had a role to play, and the abolishment has come because of a backlash from male students who felt threatened by the expansion of women's rights and the #MeToo movement.
"Over the last year, we fought for safety, equality and the dignity of people amid an improvement of feminism, and against a backlash from hate groups. While doing so, we experienced solidarity and the hope to build a new feminist trend," the female students' councils at Dongguk, Yonsei and Sungkyunkwan universities said in a joint statement in December.
"We faced a huge backlash, but we'll again act to say some men's idea of democracy is wrong. We'll not stop fighting for an equal society."
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