Gong Ji-young Offers "Comfort and Encouragement" to Transgender Student Who Gave Up Admission to Sookmyung Women's University

Novelist Gong Ji-young. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Novelist Gong Ji-young expressed her condolences and encouragement to transgender A, who gave up admission to Sookmyung Women's University.

On the 9th, Gong wrote on her Facebook, "I salute the insight of the person who must have suffered a lot at a young age. Is this issue only theirs?"

Quoting A's writing, she said, "People who always think of themselves as strong cannot accept that they might be weak. Conversely, those who always think of themselves as weak tend to forget that in some ways they might be strong and end up ignoring other weak people."

She added, "To add a footnote, the department A applied to has a scholar who has dedicated their life to protecting the honor of minorities and informing society that hate speech is a crime."

She continued, "Perhaps A applied thinking of that person, but that person said, 'It's a campus matter, I tried but missed the opportunity,' and feels ashamed," and pointed out, "Yes, you should feel ashamed. You were so resolute in other matters."

She concluded, "I reflect on what it means to be an intellectual in this era."

Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Sookmyung Women's University announced on the 30th of last month that A, who underwent sex reassignment surgery in Thailand, was finally admitted to the College of Law for the 2020 academic year.

Since then, debates among Sookmyung students and netizens have continued regarding A's admission.

On the 4th, 21 organizations from six women's universities in Seoul, including Duksung Women's University, Dongduk Women's University, Seoul Women's University, Sungshin Women's University, Sookmyung Women's University, and Ewha Womans University, issued a statement titled "Opposing Gender Change that Threatens Women's Rights," strongly opposing by saying, "Women's universities are not a means for men to be recognized as women."

As the controversy escalated, A gave up enrollment at Sookmyung Women's University on the 7th. A shared their feelings about giving up enrollment on a transgender online community, saying, "My life is constantly ignored and opposed in other people's daily lives."