Diversity Starts from Awareness: A Petition by Sumposion

In submitting this petition to the Dean of Students, we, as a group, strongly felt it necessary to explain how it came about that the victims themselves were forced to act in this way and how this indicates the urgency and seriousness of the problem. Under normal circumstances, it is the university’s duty to actively guide faculty members and to design facilities that are LGBIT- friendly. However, in this case, the victims themselves took action because they realized that the university did not adequately anticipate the problems faced by LGBITs on campus.
As a means of ascertaining how well the university understood the situation, we asked the Dean how he plans to meet our demands. He explained that he intended to bring up the subject at the next Human Rights Committee meeting. Although facility constructional reforms seem unlikely due to financial constraints, the Dean affirmed that the university would do its best in other areas where reform would be easier, such as reconsidering the selection of graduation gowns according to gender and re-training faculty members. Additionally, he proposed a new policy that considers the needs and opinions of LGBITs, by creating a cooperative link between Sumposion and the Human Rights Committee as well as other university representatives.
We felt from this discussion that the university was strongly aware of the need for immediate measures. However, it also highlighted a major barrier that stands before the actual realization of these proposals, especially concerning the re-training of faculty members. The university representatives emphasized the difficulty of changing faculty awareness. In other words, we have no choice but to depend on alerts by the victims themselves.
Yet, it goes without saying that the surveying and alerting of current situations by victims, who are students as well, is a physically and mentally demanding ordeal. For example, would an LGBIT student be able to criticize a professor who uses derogatory terms such as homo or okama in class? Of course not. Given the fact that students are always subject to evaluation and assessment, it is difficult for them to correct the mistakes of a professor. Students may remain silent for fear of an adverse effect on their evaluation or career options, or in order to protect their privacy.
Furthermore, the protection of LGBIT rights should, and can, be shared by all members of the university community, not just by the establishment. In the example introduced earlier, what would have happened if all of the students taking the class were aware of the problems that sexual minorities face? How many students on campus are familiar with LGBITs in their everyday lives? There is much room for improvement, such as raising the awareness of new students during their orientation period. Reforming people’s awareness may be difficult, but that is precisely why we must act as quickly as possible. ICU claims to uphold the principle of diversity. Yet, true diversity cannot be achieved unless reforms are made that involve not only the victims, but all constituents of the university.