"I am bisexual like a papaya flower," said Jirajade Wisetdonwail.
Papaya can have three sex forms: male, female and hermaphrodite. Jirajade identifies herself with the third type, which contains both male and female parts in the same flower. It is an example of how educators in Southeast Asia can promote gender diversity.
"A lot of knowledge is imported from the West. It isn't grounded in the region where diversity is everywhere. It might be easy for teachers, especially in rural areas, to use nature as a tool to teach children," said Jirajade, a nature-based educator and executive editor of Rainbow Journey House Publishing.
Hailing from the Northeast, Jirajade said some teachers began to introduce gender diversity in classrooms five years ago, but struggled to translate these imported concepts from English to Thai (for example, the acronym for LGBTI and the meaning of each colour). The fact that some students use dialects only also makes it harder.
"Context is very important to engage students in this topic," she said.
A public seminar at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre last month. (Photo: Sirin Muangman)
Drawing inspiration from queer ecology, Jirajade said unlike human society, nature is non-binary and diverse. Her teaching approach involves using sensory techniques. In a drawing workshop, students draw and share what they observe in nature. In a sound mapping workshop, students sit and listen to nature quietly to learn about coexistence.
"No one can ask ladybugs to stop buzzing. Everything in the forest can express themselves freely. If we do this regularly, queer kids who were bullied will speak up. I don't teach them to fight back. Bullies learn too that in nature, there is something bigger. There is space for everyone," she said.
At a two-day event titled "Pride Playground" as part of the Southeast Asian Queer Cultural Festival, panellists called for a LGBTI-friendly space. A public seminar and film screening also took place at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) last month, followed by children's art and storytelling workshop the next day. The event was organised by Rainbow Panda, a non-profit arts studio dedicated to the welfare of queer and transgender children and teenagers across Asia and its partners.
A public seminar at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre last month. (Photo: Sirin Muangman)
Sonja Pei-Fen Dale, director of partnerships and community at Rainbow Panda, recalled their experience at a Catholic girl school in Singapore. At 13, Dale was aware of their sexuality. In a civic and moral education class, a teacher told students that they would eventually grow out of same-sex attraction and that it was a sin. However, students are still inculcated "positive mainstream values and attitudes", according to the school's website.
"It is not specified here what they are, but in an older version of this description, they are a bit more explicit. The word 'heterosexual' was included," they said.
Dale's life changed at 16, when their family moved to Norway. A history teacher has had a profound impact on them.
"He didn't talk about his love life or anything like that but in some context, he just came out as gay. He was the first out adult that I had met in person. I didn't recognise myself as queer at this point in time, but it allowed me to imagine more possibilities," they said. "I realised that you could be queer, adult and not have to grow out of it."
Sonja Pei-Fen Dale, director of partnerships and community at Rainbow Panda. (Photo: Sirin Muangman)
Dale finished PhD and worked in academia in Japan. It was only after they got hired that they found out that a gay student had taken his own life on campus. His parents were filing a lawsuit against the university for not providing adequate support for their son. Dale was not involved in the incident, but felt a sense of responsibility to create safe space for queer and transgender students.
"It was a monthly meetup called the club for thinking about campus diversity. We discussed all kinds of issues. In addition, I was approached by staff who wanted to learn more about LGBTI issues around the world. I found that by being out, a lot of people approached me to find out more," they said.
Kyoko Takeuchi, a sociologist at Kwansei Gakuin University, shared their personal experience of how gender binary in school alienated them. For example, students are forced to wear gendered uniforms and fit in binary gendered groups. Sex education focuses on reproduction with the assumption that students are all heterosexual and cisgender. Takeuchi ended up missing classes frequently and spending time alone.
Jirajade Wisetdonwail, a nature-based educator and executive editor of Rainbow Journey House Publishing. (Photo: Sirin Muangman)
"However, institutional challenges for transgender children remain today," they said.
Many schools are still enforcing gendered uniforms and hair regulations. Moreover, transgender and queer individuals have been almost entirely absent from textbooks, including those used in sex education. The culture in schools is often centred around cisnormativity, making transgender and queer students more vulnerable to bullying and being outed against their will.
As a school can be a microcosm of a larger society, Takeuchi gave an overview of the situation for transgender and queer individuals in Japan. Unlike in other countries, they have not been subjected to direct exclusion. Cross-dressing, especially from male to female, is part of its culture. In the 1980s, transgender entertainers also gained commercial visibility.
"But Japan is not a friendly environment for transgender people," said Takeuchi. "For example, they find it difficult to work in old age. In the 1990s, transgender healthcare was developed under the framework of gender identity disorder. Though the concept is no longer used, some people still consider being transgender a type of mental disorder."
Kyoko Takeuchi, a sociologist at Kwansei Gakuin University. (Photo: Sirin Muangman)
Takeuchi explained that a transgender community initially recognised only binary transgender identities, but since the turn of the century, non-binary identities have become more common. But in recent years, there has been an increase in hate speech against transgender women and dismissal of non-binary identities, which has a negative impact on transgender children.
"It is crucial to create safe space outside of school where they can receive support and share their experience," they said.
Takeuchi shared the case of Itsuki Dohi, a transgender teacher, who has been organising a transgender student meetup group since 2006. Parents are allocated a separate space to ensure that their children can speak openly. Meetings can also serve as a space for supporting parents, who often struggle in isolation. They can observe how their children interact with other transgender peers to understand what they might not have openly expressed to them.
"Japan is sometimes perceived as an LGBTI-friendly country. However, as we have seen, there are still many challenges in school. Transgender and queer children often have to find a safe space through informal networks. Despite these difficulties, activists, like Dohi, continue to build long-term care practices. I hope that we can work together to share practices and strengthen our connection."
