Chinese University is addressing the needs of transgender students on issues related to physical education classes. Photo: tpyc.edu.hk
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will put in place a special arrangement for physical education classes to take care of the needs of transgender students, Ming Pao Daily reported.
While physical education is required for all freshmen at the university, so far they were allowed to take classes only as part of a group of the same gender. The arrangement has led to dissatisfaction among transgender students who do not recognize their birth gender.
Through efforts of the Sex and Gender Concern Group formed by CUHK students, the school administration has now agreed to offer special physical education arrangement from the next school year that begins in September.
Students who can provide medical certificates issued by doctors to prove they suffer from gender identity disorder will be allowed to take physical courses that do not separate male from female, regardless of whether they have completed sex reassignment surgeries or not, a spokeswoman for the group was quoted as saying.
She said it had been a matter of concern that some youth were refusing to enroll at CUHK due to issues related to physical education. Realizing that the problem needs to be resolved, the group began communicating with the school administration in November last year with an aim to improve the system.
A spokesman from CUHK was quoted as saying that special physical education was originally designed for those with physical disabilities.
Transgender students can now join voluntarily any group without fear of their sex identity being disclosed, the spokesman said.
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
TL/JP/RC
http://www.ejinsight.com/20150714-transgenders-to-get-leeway-in-cuhk-physical-education-classes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20150714-transgenders-to-get-leeway-in-cuhk-physical-education-classes
