The South Korea Society has changed
Sign up for myFT Daily Digest to become the first news correspondent in the South Korea Society.
The South Korean government is threatening not to protect young men, gays, lesbians and bisexuals from being targeted.
According to activists, educators, health workers, and international human rights and legal experts, South Korean LGBT members have been ostracized and harassed in schools, cyber bullying and, in some cases, harassment.
A new report by Human Rights Watch highlights the recent criticism of regulators a President Moon Jae-in, a former human rights lawyer, on what the US party described as a “spread” against LGBT groups, as well as women and ethnic and racial groups.
Ryan Thoreson, an LGBT researcher at HRW, urged Seoul to enact anti-discrimination laws.
“Without clear protection, many students suffer silently because of their education and health,” Thoreson said. He also warned that schools and health workers were unprepared and unable to deal with the violence perpetrated by LGBT youth.
Seoul lawmakers in Seoul have been debating a new anti-discrimination law, which includes the banning of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
But over the years these laws have been strongly opposed by the sects, most of which are closely associated with the Christian evangelical groups. Careless political leaders have also tried to eradicate sexual harassment from the country’s civil rights movement.
HRW recognized the challenges of not only doing non-government work but also the principles it said encouraged racism, such as government-funded programs that prevent students from becoming LGBT.
Prior to the report, the South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and the Commission on Human Rights did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
DDing Dong, a major LGBT youth advocacy group, has talked about the growing number of job seekers and the psychological and suicidal concerns that are rampant.
Lee Young-eun *, a woman in her early 20’s, was one of the few who was ostracized by her best friends when she came out as gay in her final year of school. One teacher advised Lee that after praying enough her sexuality could be changed.
He also said that the government has a “long way to go” and that new laws are needed to bring about equality among LGBT organizations.
Lee and a friend, he said, faced difficulties in being accepted for a loan from a bank and as soon as they entered the hospital for emergency treatment, the friend was not allowed to visit because he could not be married or caregiver.
The release of the 193-page report is likely to be met with strong opposition from other South Korean cultural groups, religious groups and cautious politicians and commentators.
In May last year, LGBT members were hit by a flood of cyberbullying following news coverage of the spread of corona infection about people who go to nightclubs in Seoul who are said to be popular in the area.
The researchers point out that widespread discrimination in South Korea is a group of Christian evangelizers, who have strong political influence, as well as families and cultural traditions that are strongly influenced by gender.
Lee added that South Korean TV shows and K-pop culture can make it difficult to portray an LGBT group with the same misconceptions as women with short hair.
“To be honest, we are ordinary people like everyone else. I am a normal worker with fine hair, “he said, adding a message to Korean LGBT youth:” Don’t despair. . . live your life. ”
* A Lee Young-eun name has been changed to protect her.
Additional Song Jung-a reports from Seoul