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)
A: I want to go to Neihu to see the cherry blossoms. B: Do you want to go by YouBike? A: Well, how much does it cost? B: The Taipei City Government just announced that riders can use the bicycles for free for the first 30 minutes! A: Great! Riding bikes is also more eco-friendly than driving. A: 我想去內湖賞櫻花耶。 B: 那要不要騎YouBike微笑單車去? A: 車費怎麼算? B: 台北市政府最近宣布︰前30分鐘免費! A: 太棒了,而且也比開車更環保。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
One of us is a murderer. The terrifying thought fills your head. There’s a corpse in the next room, and one of your fellow diners put it there. As the evening progresses, you learn disturbing secrets about everyone, and you’re forced to confess to a few yourself. You all have motives for the crime, but who committed it? Fortunately, it’s just a game. Murder mystery games are multiplayer role-playing games designed to be played over the course of an evening. The concept likely originated with “wink murder,” an amusing pastime that became popular in the early 1900s. In this game, a “murderer” kills
A: How does Taipei’s YouBike service charge after the free ride for the first 30 minutes? B: It’s NT$10 every 30 minutes within four hours. A: What a bargain. No wonder Taipei is listed by Britain’s “Time Out” magazine as one of the best 50 cities in the world. B: But I spotted a few English mistakes on YouBike’s Web site. A: I guess that aspect of it still has room for improvement. A: 台北市YouBike前30分鐘免費,之後怎麼算? B: 4小時內每30分鐘10元。 A: 真劃算,難怪台北市會入選英國《Time Out》雜誌全球最佳的50座城市。 B: 不過我在YouBike的網站上看到了好幾個英文錯誤。 A: 看來這個部分還有改善的空間。(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/ 台北時報張聖恩)
Mullet roe is a highly-priced delicacy typically served during special occasions like wedding banquets or Chinese New Year’s dinners, where families come together in celebration. The mullet roe can be prepared in various ways. It is usually pan-fried but can also be roasted or torched. To cook a pan-fried mullet roe, soak it in liquor or wine and peel off its membrane. Then, it is browned over a low fire and turned several times. Finally, the fried mullet roe is cut diagonally and is ready to be served. This dish is usually served with garlic scapes and daikon slices, but