A group of transgender students at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand’s top public university, have successfully won the right to dress in line with the gender they identify with.
The victory comes after the student activists lobbied the school and filed a complaint against a lecturer.
The change in policy will apply not only to school uniforms, but also to formal attire worn in special school events such as graduation ceremonies.
Before the change, students at Chulalongkorn were required to file specific waivers with the school for permission to dress according to their gender identity.
The process was not easy for transgender students, who had to fill out large amounts of paperwork and present a medical certificate proving they have “gender identity disorder”.
In the past, transgender students who chose to dress in accordance with their gender identity sometimes faced disciplinary action or abuse from lecturers for the attire they chose to wear.
In 2019, one transgender student had her request to wear a uniform in accordance with her preferred gender and was threatened with heavy sanctions from the school if she didn’t dress as a male.
A male teacher also allegedly made abusive comments to her.
While Thailand is often seen as a safe haven for gay and transgender individuals, in actuality, LGBTQ individuals often face discrimination in many aspects of life, including in schools and in workplaces.
Activists state that Thailand law needs to be changed to officially recognize and protect transgender individuals, as well as a law to recognize LGBTQ marriages.
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