Pride Month Special Lesson with Mr. Jun

In June, in celebration of Pride Month, we were delighted to welcome Mr. Jun, a former daycare worker and now a professional artist who identifies as transgender, for a special lesson on gender awareness. Mr. Jun conducted sessions for our four groups: 1st grade, 2nd/3rd grades, 4th/5th grades, and 5-year-olds in the preschool. Each age group demonstrated unique perspectives, interests, and understandings of gender.

Grade 1

When Mr. Jun asked, "How many LGBTQ+ people do you think there are?" the students made surprisingly high estimates, a response Mr. Jun noted as unique. In other schools or facilities, students often guess low, which made Mr. Jun feel that CGK students have a more inclusive view of diversity.

During the Q&A, many questions centered around gender transition:

Grade 2 and 3

When asked, "Would you be friends with someone like Mr. Jun?" the 2nd and 3rd graders responded with insights such as, "It would be fun to have a friend who’s unique," "Boys and girls both have good qualities—they’re both human," and "It’s important not to do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you; think about their feelings." They showed a natural acceptance of diversity, with many finding the concept of discrimination or exclusion more puzzling than the idea of inclusivity itself.

Grade 4 and 5

The 4th and 5th graders demonstrated a deeper understanding of diversity and began exploring ideas for action: "What if we visit Brazil, where LGBTQ+ rights are recognized?" "Maybe we could petition leaders to establish similar rights here," and "What if we became politicians to bring about change?" Their responses combined kindness with awareness, showing a strong grasp of diversity and inclusion.

5-Year-Olds in Preschool

At CGK Preschool, students have less gendered experiences, as bathrooms are referred to as "Standing Toilet" and "Sitting Toilet," uniforms can be chosen as either skirts or shorts, and even male teachers may wear their hair tied back. As a result, the children seem to have little sense of "should" in terms of gender roles. In the end, their image of Mr. Jun was simply that of a "fun person who’s great at drawing."

Mr. Jun has joined CGK for discussions with students each year, noting that their understanding and questions evolve with time. Mr. Jun shared, "Every time I visit CGK, I feel that maybe terms like LGBTQ+ aren’t even necessary." This speaks to the natural, inclusive environment CGK has fostered, allowing students to grow in acceptance without bias.

Changing society as a whole may be challenging, but experiences like these encourage children to think about themselves and others in new ways. We believe these reflections help them grow emotionally and, over time, contribute positively to the world around them.

• Awareness of LGBTQ+ and Diversity (Guest: Mr. Jun)