A Japanese school board has allowed a child who is biologically a boy to register as a girl in what transgender activists hailed as a breakthrough.
The seven-year-old was diagnosed a year ago with gender identity disorder and has been admitted to school as a girl, said Yukihiro Okano, deputy superintendent of education in Hyogo.
"The child is very small now. We will deal with the case at various phases of growth to meet the person's needs," Okano told a news conference.
PHOTO: AP
The parents of the student had asked the school to admit the student as a girl, because their child has always behaved as a female.
The school has not seen any trouble related to the student, Okano added.
The case is groundbreaking in Japan, where it can be difficult to get public understanding on the issue, said Ran Yamamoto, who heads an organization supporting people with gender identity disorder.
"The local community and her parents appear to have been very considerate of the needs of the child. That is very fortunate," Yamamoto said.
The student should receive continued counseling, she added.
"It would be wonderful if those concerned could create a situation in which the person would be able to express her true self," she said.
In July 2004, Japan introduced a new law for transsexuals that has allowed hundreds of people to register under a different sex after they have had sex- change operations.
The law was meant to end embarrassment and discrimination against Japanese who have changed sex. Under old laws, they had to present birth records that showed them to be of a different gender when they tried to get jobs or housing. (AFP)
日本一所學校董事會准許一名生理構造為男孩的學童以女童身份註冊,此舉被變性運動者譽為是一項重大突破。
兵庫縣教育廳副廳長岡野幸宏(譯音)表示,這名七歲男孩在一年前被診斷有性別認同障礙,並獲准以女生身份入校。
岡野幸宏在記者會上表示:「這名孩童年紀很輕,我們會根據他成長的不同階段處理,以符合他的需要。」
這名學生的父母要求校方讓孩子以女童身份入學,因為他的行為舉止向來像個女生。
岡野幸宏補充,這名學生目前尚未帶來任何麻煩。
山本蘭(譯音)是輔導性別認同障礙團體的負責人,她表示,這件事在日本算是項創舉,因為大眾不易了解事件的本質。
山本蘭說:「很幸運的是,當地居民和孩童的父母都非常體貼他的需要。」
山本蘭補充,這名學生應該持續接受諮商輔導。
她說:「關心她的人能若創造讓她展現真正自我的環境,將會是好事一樁。」
日本在二○○四年七月針對變性者推行一項新法案,讓數百名接受過變性手術的人能以不同的性別辦理登記。
這條法律旨在泯除日本變性人面臨的窘境和歧視,舊法之下,變性人在找工作或房子時都必須出示以相異性別登記的出生證明。 (法新社/翻譯:鄭湘儀)
It’s no secret that Japanese people have a deep affection for noodles. Like in the rest of East Asia, noodles are an important staple food, second only to rice. Japanese people have enjoyed noodles for over 1,000 years. The first noodles came from China and were introduced around 800 CE. As time passed, noodles in Japan not only became widespread but also developed some unique Japanese characteristics. The three most popular types of noodles in Japan are ramen, soba, and udon. Ramen, typically made from wheat flour, is usually thin and firm. The dough is kneaded and left to
Rice is an essential ingredient in Taiwanese cuisine. Many foods are made of rice, adding more variety to our cooking, such as rice cake, or “gui.” Wagui is made by steaming rice flour batter in a bowl. The term “gui” refers to a type of food made from rice, while “wa” refers to a bowl. The pronunciation of “gui” in Taiwanese Hokkien is similar to the word for “nobility” in Chinese, so it is common for people to prepare various types of gui, including wagui, as offerings to the gods or ancestors,. 米是台灣重要的主食,用米製成的食品十分多元,豐富我們的飲食,如米做成的「粿」。粿的意思是米做成的糕點,碗粿是將在來米漿倒入碗中蒸熟,因而得名。粿因為音同「貴」,因此碗粿等粿食常用作供品祭拜神明和祖先。 nobility (n.) 高貴,高尚;貴族 offering (n.) 供品 While Taiwan may not be
On Tuesday last week, the flame for this summer’s Paris Olympics was lit at the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games in southern Greece in a meticulously choreographed ceremony. It will then be carried through Greece for more than 5,000km before being handed over to French organizers at the Athens venue used for the first modern Olympics in 1896. The pageantry at Olympia has been an essential part of every Olympics for nearly 90 years since the Games in Berlin. It’s meant to provide an ineluctable link between the modern event and the ancient Greek original on which it was initially modelled. Once
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang As with many aspects of Japanese culture, there is etiquette to follow when you enjoy noodles. To fully experience noodles like a local on your next visit to Japan, consider these simple guidelines. First, be careful where you put your chopsticks. Don’t leave them sticking up in the broth or set them at the side of the bowl. When you have finished eating or if you’re taking a break, place them on the chopstick rest next to the bowl. Also, it is impolite to wave chopsticks around or bring them above mouth-level. Second, don’t take too