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The Itaewon outbreak has exposed the rampant homophobia that is deeply embedded in South Korean society. Not only homophobia but discrimination against all minorities and vulnerable people.
Put simply, it's a PR disaster for the Korean government.
Put simply, it's a PR disaster for the Korean government.
Let's be honest: everyone knew South Korea was not welcoming when it comes to LGBTQ people. But that's as far as it went. Luckily, headlines abroad were until now dominated by the likes of K-pop, sometimes drowned out by North Korea, and recently, coronavirus efforts and success.
I've been documenting this discrimination against social/sexual minorities over the past few years, and in many instances, they fail to make English news, let alone grab mainstream media headlines domestically. Here are a few very recent examples:
1) A student had to quit his course because he wore make-up and was asked by the professor whether he was gay. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea determined it was discrimination after student filed petition. But that's as far as it goes. https://twitter.com/koryodynasty/status/1074676596374614016?s=20
2) A Brazilian football player had his contract cancelled after just 1 day after he allegedly tested positive for HIV. That doesn't mean he was gay, but in Korea gay = HIV = AIDS = shame. https://medium.com/@koryodynasty/korean-football-club-discloses-new-brazilian-footballers-hiv-status-cancels-contract-611c2188053b
3) A pride festival in Incheon was severely paralysed by violent homophobic protesters who beat people up just because they held a rainbow flag. Many attendees were left traumatised. https://medium.com/@koryodynasty/one-year-after-hateful-attacks-incheon-pride-regroups-for-celebration-of-love-9f5cbb43ee68
4) University students were punished/suspended from class for wearing rainbow-coloured clothes in chapel class. https://medium.com/@koryodynasty/students-punished-for-wearing-rainbow-colors-file-lawsuit-against-university-5e2430c5da3f
5) An HIV-positive inmate was put into solitary-confinement because "other inmates "could not share the same space as those with AIDS." https://twitter.com/koryodynasty/status/1159073432375459841?s=20
6) There's been a gay witch-hunt in the South Korean military. Some cases in the past of soldiers being sent to mental hospitals for being gay. https://medium.com/@koryodynasty/gay-witch-hunt-resumes-in-south-korean-military-a5355393a709
7) Politicians have tried deleting the only mention of sexual minorities in South Korean law. The bill was submitted in November. https://medium.com/@koryodynasty/korean-politicians-attempt-to-delete-lgbtq-from-law-c2a38ba0ec15
8) South Korean President Moon Jae-in's remarks about opposing homosexuality/same-sex marriage while being against discrimination certainly don't help. https://twitter.com/koryodynasty/status/1196776282039582720?s=20
I'm sure you can see a pattern: S. Korean society does not accept LGBTQ people despite its sparkling image abroad. It's suffocating for many. I know/knew many who have thought about killing themselves/have killed themselves/ depressed/ on medication/ rejected by families etc.
Yet all is fine because discrimination is not illegal. Homophobia and all forms of discrimination continue to go unchallenged, without any legal repercussions. And don't get me started on education.
A first step would be criminalising discrimination. https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/South-Korea-must-fight-the-homophobia-hindering-coronavirus-battle
A first step would be criminalising discrimination. https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/South-Korea-must-fight-the-homophobia-hindering-coronavirus-battle
