Not all follow TU's lead on cross-dressing grads
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Not all male graduates with "women's hearts" will be able to dress as females at their commencement ceremonies, as long-held traditions and rules remain firmly in place at Chulalongkorn University (CU) and likely elsewhere.
Much public excitement followed this week’s confirmation by Thammasat University that it would allow some male graduates to don female clothing during commencement ceremonies.
Some people saw it as progress towards true equality for people who do not conform to traditional ideas about gender.
CU president Professor Pirom Kamolratanakul, however, said yesterday that his university still did not allow male graduates to wear female clothing.
He said the CU graduation gowns and emblem were royally granted and considered sacred.
“We have never received a request from any male graduate wishing to dress as a woman at the commencement ceremony,” he said. “If we receive one, we will talk to the graduate and explain CU’s history to them.”
According to Pirom, the University Presidents Council of Thailand (UPCT) issued a resolution in 2009 requiring that graduates wear clothing appropriate to their gender.
“This resolution is flexible depending on each institute’s context,” he said.
Although Pirom emphasised the need to respect and understand people with what he referred to as gender-identity problems, he said one should also respect the history and tradition of each institute.
“By law, transgender people still cannot change their title name.
“At the CU commencement ceremonies, deans read out the title name of each graduate in front of a royal who presides over the event. We can’t ignore this fact,” Pirom said.
Suranaree University of Technology president Professor Dr Prasart Suebka plans to raise the issue of the dress code for graduates with gender-identity disorders at the UPCT meeting on August 26, Pirom said.
TU vice rector Udom Rathamarit said his university had allowed male graduates to dress as women at commencement ceremonies since 2010.
“Back then, we received requests from pending graduates and decided to consult palace officials who inspected the campus around that time,” he said.
Udom said the palace officials advised that the attire should be proper and polite.
“We requested to see certificates issued by doctors about gender-identity disorders before allowing male graduates to wear female graduation gowns,” he said.
At the TU commencement ceremonies, no title name is announced.
Assistant Professor Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, who is TU’s vice rector for student affairs, said the title name was left out because of time constraints during the ceremony.
Prinya said he understood that male graduates allowed to dress as women hoped that the decision would have a wider impact.
“I hope society will consider this issue. If a wheelchair-bound graduate is provided special arrangements during a commencement ceremony, graduates with gender-identity disorders should get them, too,” he said.
Prinya said Thammasat University would consider requests submitted by female graduates who wished to dress as men at the commencement ceremonies.
“We will consider each request and grant approval on a case-by-case basis,” he said.
