Social Acceptance of Transgender People in South Korea and the United States: A Cultural Comparative Analysis

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

According to pre-existing studies that show public opinion of transgender rights in South Korea and the United States, the level of social acceptance on transgender people in the two countries are found to greatly vary, that of the U.S. being higher than in South Korea. (Horim YiWinston, 2019) (Winston LuhurTaylor, 2019) Additionally, contrasting degree of social acceptance of transgender people in the two countries, especially in military and same sex universities as revealed in cases of recent years, inspired the author to examine what featural differences led to contrasting social acceptance on transgender people in South Korea and the United States. Among numerous potential features that may have led to current distinct level of social embracement of transgender people in the two countries, this study pays attention to the cultural differences of the two social entities and examines them by Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory. Through the comparative analysis, differences in five cultural dimensions out of total six dimensions were found have been related to current contrasting attitudes toward transgender people in South Korea and the United States.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. INTRODUCTION = 1
• II. LITERATURE REVIEW & DEFINITIONS = 5
• 1. Culture: Interpretation by Various Fields = 5
• 1). Sociology = 5
• 2). Anthropology = 6
• 3). Philosophy = 8
• 2. Culture: Interpretation by Geert Hofstede = 10
• 1). What is Culture? = 10
• 2). Levels and Layers of Culture: Cultural Manifestation = 12
• 3). Levels and Layers of Culture: Social Group = 15
• 4). National Culture = 16
• 5). Nature of Culture = 17
• 6). Cultural Differences by Region, Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Generation and Social Class = 19
• 3. Hofstede’s 6 Dimensions of National Culture = 21
• 1). Power Distance Index = 23
• 2). Individualism vs. Collectivism = 23
• 3). Masculinity vs. Femininity = 24
• 4). Uncertainty Avoidance Index = 25
• 5). Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation = 25
• 6). Indulgence vs. Restraint = 26
• 4. Limitations of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory = 26
• 5. Glossary of Terms Regarding Gender = 27
• 1). Gender vs. Sex = 27
• 2). Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Sexual Orientation = 31
• 3). Cisgender vs. Transgender or Gender Incongruence = 32
• 6. Basic Human Rights = 35
• III. CASE STUDIES = 40
• 1. Transgender Soldiers in Military = 40
• 1). South Korea: Transgender Sergeant Byun’s Forced Discharge from the Republic of Korea Army and Her Suicide = 40
• 2). The United States: “All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform” Including Transgender Individuals = 44
• 2. Transgender Students in Women’s Universities = 46
• 1). South Korea: Transgender Female Student Disclaims Admission to Sookmyung Women’s University due to Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism = 46
• 2). United States: Increasing Numbers of Women’s Universities Accepting Transgender Students = 49
• IV. ANALYSIS = 50
• 1. Power Distance Index: Hierarchical South Korea vs. Egalitarian United States = 51
• 2. Individualism vs. Collectivism: Collectivist South Korea vs. Individualist United States = 54
• 3. Masculinity vs. Femininity: Feminine South Korea & Masculine United States = 57
• 4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index: Uncertainty Avoiding South Korea vs. Uncertainty Tolerating United States = 59
• 5. Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation: Long-Term Oriented South Korea vs. Short-Term Oriented United States = 61
• 6. Indulgence vs. Restraint: Restraint South Korea vs. Indulgent United States = 66
• V. CONCLUSION = 68
• 1. Findings = 68
• 2. Will Such Disparity of Social Acceptance of Transgender People in South Korea and the United States Continue? = 71
• 3. Limitations = 74