LGBT ‘jokes’ not funny
The incident in which a transgender dance teacher, Dulaphat Mangkarat, at a northeastern university complained that she was verbally harassed in a lewd manner by her dean who insisted he was just joking shows there is still the need for education about gender awareness and equality among Thais. People of all generations must be made aware that genderbased witticisms, especially those which are lewd, targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and that are sometimes condoned in certain segments of Thai society, are no longer acceptable.
The gender equality law has been in force for two years and it forbids unfair, gender-based discrimination of any kind. Under the law, verbal harassment may qualify as unfair discriminatory treatment and the usual excuse that one is “just joking” with members of the LGBT community must no longer fly.
The scandal surfaced last week after the transgender teacher complained on Facebook that she was unfairly treated and humiliated while attending the university’s workshop on professional standards for teachers.
Ms Dulaphat, 25, claimed she was not only questioned publicly by the department dean during the workshop about why she dressed as a woman when she used a male honorific but the dean also made remarks about her gender and qualifications as a teacher which she considered rude and unfair.
Ms Dulaphat’s post drew many comments in her support. Many people expressed their disappointment that such a discriminatory attitude still prevails in an educational institute, which is expected to be the vanguard of social progressiveness.
After the posts, one of the university’s deans told Amarin TV the incident did take place, though not during a workshop but in a classroom. While he insisted that he has never discriminated against his colleagues or insulted them, he admitted to trying to tease Ms Dulaphat.
According to news reports, after learning of the new teacher’s gender the dean asked whether she was a real woman and whether he could touch her, apparently to prove whether she really is female.
The dean dismissed his behaviour as a light-hearted jest and expressed surprise that it had become a major controversy. Ms Dulaphat, meanwhile, wrote on Facebook that she is in the process of filing a complaint about gender discrimination according to the 2015 law.
The ‘’just-joking’’ controversy must be taken seriously because it reflects an attitude problem prevalent among many Thais that they can get away with acts that qualify as sexual harassment or gender discrimination if they claim they were just meant as humour.
The reality, however, is such an excuse stopped being valid a long time ago after awareness about gender and gender diversity became a new social norm. People should never be disrespected because of the gender they were born or have chosen to associate themselves with. It is not just a matter of political correctness but necessary as society has become increasingly pluralistic and diverse.
Without legal protections and cultural broad-mindedness, peaceful coexistence amid diversity will become impossible.
It’s no surprise that despite the dean’s pledge that he did not mean to discriminate against the transgender teacher with his remarks, many online users expressed disagreement. Most said comments along the lines of those made by the dean do qualify as attempts at harassment. At the very least, they are not the kind that are appropriate for a senior supervisor to have made to a junior colleague.
What is especially disturbing about the scandal is the alleged perpetrator of this problematic attitude is a highranking staff member in an educational institute. A dean is supposed to not only be aware of the legal protections that people of all genders are entitled to but also serve as a promoter of cultural forbearance and socially progressive ideas. That one seems to be displaying outmoded behaviour while trying to justify it as only a jest is no laughing matter.