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FD/SD Harassment Seminar Held

On Friday, March 8, 2024, Teikyo University's Gender Equality Promotion Committee and the Headquarters Human Resources Division jointly held an FD/SD Harassment Seminar titled "Sexual Minorities in Universities: LGBTQ+ and Universities." The seminar was held online via Zoom, and viewing venues were set up at each campus in Itabashi, Hachioji, Utsunomiya, and Fukuoka to allow a wide range of faculty and staff members to participate.

During the seminar, Professor Shingo Kukimoto of the Department of Sociology Faculty of Liberal Arts, ICU, provided an explanation of terms and definitions related to sexual minorities, including sexual orientation, gender identity, SOGI, LGBT, questioning, asexual, and non-binary. He emphasized that sexuality is diverse on many levels and that individuals' self-definitions should be respected. He also mentioned that faculty and staff should strictly avoid outing students without their permission, be mindful of gender privacy, and make the university's stance clear to students so that they can live a peaceful university life. He also emphasized the importance of providing an environment and opportunities where students can seek advice and considering in advance what kind of responses are possible. He also stressed the importance of building trust with students by being aware of and continually updating oneself, rather than being reluctant to communicate for fear of making mistakes or causing offense.
The question and answer session that followed saw a lively exchange of opinions on topics such as how to respond to sexual minorities, and the balance between men and women in classes and practical training. It was suggested that the key to success would be to provide a variety of options on campus rather than simply dividing students by gender, to prepare a system and menu for individual support and consultation arrangements for students, to communicate that consultations are welcome, and to demonstrate the university's stance of working together as students, faculty, and staff to find the right answers. The seminar, attended by 170 people, provided new insights and deepened knowledge about sexual minorities and gender, the situation and changes in society, and how to respond on campus.
Our university will continue to carry out various activities to create a comfortable environment for students.

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