Sriboonruang Wittayakarn School, in Thailand’s north-eastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu, appears to be the first school in the province to allow their teachers and students to wear clothes in accordance with their gender identity.
The social media spotlight landed on the school when a teacher, Pathumporn Chakrak, wrote on Facebook explaining that her gender identity is not the same as her birth gender and thanking the school’s director, Natnachai Baiokeb, for granting her permission to wear trousers, instead of a skirt at school.
She said that, previously, she wore trousers when she arrived at the school in the morning on a motorcycle and then she would change to teach in classes.
Pathumporn said in her post that she sought permission from the director to wear trousers in school, adding that permission was granted on June 9th.
She recounted the first day she walked into the school wearing trousers, saying that a number of students and teachers greeted her joyfully.
The director, meanwhile, said that Thai society has changed and sexual diversity has become the norm, adding that he has told the teachers that he wants to see them work happily and they have the right to demonstrate their gender identity.
Besides granting permission for Pathumporn to wear trousers while teaching, he said three transgender students recently sought permission to wear clothes matching their gender identity. He added that he asked to see their parents and they didn’t object to their children’s wish.
