Gender and Sexual Diversity in Asian Universities

Abstract

committed suicide after his sexual orientation was made public against his will in August 2015. 2 A year after his death, two students from the same university started a student group to foster a safe space for LGBTQ students on campus; the group was officially recognized by the university in May 2017. 3 These two examples from Indonesia and Japan demonstrate firstly, the serious challenges that continue to face LGBTQ university students across Asia and secondly, the different institutional approaches toward LGBTQ diversity and inclusion in the region that largely ranges from hostility to ambivalence. Often, affirming institutions are either found in societies that have never criminalized same-sex sexual acts, such as Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines, or have some Anglo-American affiliation as in the case of New York University's satellite campuses in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi or Yale-NUS College, the product of a collaboration between Yale University and the National University of Singapore. In rare instances, universities in more hostile environments, such as the Jakarta Theological Seminary in the capital city of Indonesia, have sought to adopt an affirming approach toward LGBTQ diversity despite public and political opposition. 4 It is unsurprising that most Asian universities are not affirming of LGBTQ diversity. A significant proportion of countries that still criminalize consensual same-sex sexual acts are located in Asia and most Asian countries still have yet to introduce any legislative or policy measure to 2

Characterization of content associated with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer individuals in Chilean medical schools: a cross-sectional survey

“…We found that 78.6% of medical schools reported teaching some related content. This percentage is above what was previously reported by other studies; for instance, only 27.5% of Japanese medical schools reported teaching some of these topics [ 15 ], which could be explained by contextual factors such as strong cultural taboos around sexuality and intimacy in Asia [ 23 ].…”

Romantic relationships and attitudes in Asian emerging adults: Review and critique

“…Systematic reviews on LGBTQ+ individuals in Asia have indicated that these individuals frequently express reservations about disclosing their sexual orientation to both healthcare providers and family members due to the prevalence of conservative family values and homonegative attitudes (Breen et al, 2020; Tan & Saw, 2022). This trend persists even in Taiwan, despite the recent legalization of same‐sex marriage in Taiwan (the first to do so in Asia; Au, 2022; Eng & Yang, 2020), which can shape the romantic relationship experiences of LGBTQ+ emerging adults in Asia. Thus, there is a need to ensure the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Asian emerging adults, with sensitivity to the challenges they face.…”