Transgender student admission sparks controversy among students

By Bahk Eun-ji

The admission of a transgender woman to Sookmyung Women's University has sparked controversy among students over whether she is eligible to be a student at the women-only college that was founded to give women opportunities to study when they had fewer opportunities than men.

Sookmyung Women's University campus /Korea Times file

“The woman's admission to this school is something to celebrate, but I suspect the university's purpose of accepting her was to get attention as the first women-only university in the country to accept a transgender student,” an anonymous student of Sookmyung wrote on the school's online community.

The 22-year-old transgender woman had gender reassignment surgery in Thailand last year, and passed the entrance examination for the school's law department. When media reported her admission to the university, some students protested in groups by calling the admissions office and sending e-mails to its alumni association office. On the university online community, a number of posts opposing her admission have been uploaded.

“Historically, women-only colleges were created for women who had fewer opportunities than men in education. I don't understand why the woman, who had been living as a man before her surgery, wants to enter a women's university,” a student wrote on the community board.

However, many students welcomed the transgender woman's admission and the university's decision.

“It is such a shame for some students who define the 'women-only' college as 'women's superiority,' or a 'school for only women.' This university is not 'only for women' at all, but for equal women as human beings. There is no reason to oppose her admission as a human being,” another student wrote on the university student's council Facebook page.

The student also said we are now “causing some pain to the student” by discussing her gender.

“The transgender student is also a human being whether she is male or female. She also has the right to be welcomed by others, and the right to be educated,” she added.