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Kim Do-hyun is a transgender man who still remembers growing up in South Korea and struggling for his identity as a teenager.
In class, his teacher emphasized that homosexuality is wrong.
In middle school, the teacher showed the class a movie about homosexuality, “Farewell My Concubine”. Later, one of his classmates said, “All homosexuals should be shot.”
In high school, a teacher who taught ethics explained the concepts of “yin (dark)”, “yang (bright)” and the concept of harmony, saying that homosexuals are “wrong” and should not be accepted.
Jin, 26, considers himself lucky because his mother supported his gender identity and paid for the surgery for his transition. But he hopes that South Korea will promote the concept of equality and that the National Assembly will eventually pass the anti-discrimination bill.
In a report published on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that the failure of the General Assembly to pass a discrimination ban is causing harm to LGBTQ people in South Korea, especially young people, resulting in “a series of discriminatory behaviors” and “intensified harassment.”
Ryan Thoreson, LGBTQ rights researcher at HRW, said: “In South Korea, LGBT students often face bullying and discrimination from adults and other students in the classroom.”
“If there are no clear protection measures, many students will suffer silently at the expense of their education and well-being.”
Earlier this year, after the suicide of the transgender soldier Byun Hee-soo, South Korea’s lack of protection for LGBTQ people dominated the headlines and sparked outcry.
Byun was forced to be discharged from the hospital in 2020 after undergoing sex reassignment surgery. Her request for reinstatement was rejected, and LGBTQ rights advocates stated that the government’s decision caused Byun to end her life.
Human Rights Watch urges the government to take immediate action on the legislation, saying it is the best opportunity to expand the protection of disadvantaged South Korean young people, including the LGBTQ community.
President Moon Jae-in, regarded as a progressive person, condemned discrimination against LGBTQ people. But he did not publicly express his support for the passage of the legislation. As everyone knows, he opposes same-sex marriage.
Religious, conservative opposition
“Despite domestic public opinion enthusiastic about LGBT rights and neighboring governments taking measures to achieve LGBT equality, the South Korean government has failed to make meaningful progress because religious and conservatives strongly oppose the defense of inaction,” Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.
Human Rights Watch said that in addition to other “systematic issues,” South Korean schools exclude LGBTQ discussions in sex education courses.
In government-sponsored mental health projects, it was found that counselors discourage students from becoming LGBTQ and make it difficult for transgender students to “align with their gender identity.”
The young people interviewed by the Human Rights Watch report described being ostracized and ostracized, being abused online, or being physically or sexually harassed.
A 22-year-old lesbian recalled that once her sexual orientation was exposed in middle school, she was singled out for harassment. “Older students criticized me and said:’You are gay and you are dirty’.”
There are several pending bills aimed at prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, race and other status, and some major ruling party presidential candidates and other officials have expressed support for these proposals.
But efforts to promote more equality and combat discrimination have also aroused angry reactions from conservatives and religious institutions in the country.
According to reports, some of the leading conservative presidential candidates have promised to abolish the gender equality ministry if elected.
South Korea is expected to vote in March next year. Moon Jae-in does not seek re-election, and Yoon Seok-woo, the former attorney general allied with conservatives, is leading the polls.
With increasing support for LGBTQ rights, Human Rights Watch stated that South Korean politicians were unable to pass a comprehensive non-discrimination bill. Risk of abuse.
HRW’s Thoreson said: “Schools need safe and inclusive spaces so that all young people can learn.”
“Legislatives and school officials need to take meaningful measures so that South Korean LGBT students can learn and thrive without worrying about being bullied, ostracized, and exposed.”
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