By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Groups of gays and lesbians announced a declaration of their rights on Wednesday to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations, to enhance public awareness.
The declaration, first adopted after the end of World War II, nowadays places greater focus on protecting ``social minorities.''
The Mujigae Alliance consisted of gay rights group Chingusai, the Democratic Labor Party, gay teenager group Queer Junior and other homosexual rights groups announced the ``Declaration of Human Rights'' to commemorate the historical day, for the first time here.
The groups called for the right to not be discriminated against according to one's sexual orientation ― heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or asexual. They added that transsexuals and intersex ― possessing both male and female external sexual organs ― should also not be subject to discrimination.
The declaration consists of 30 clauses, including the right to privacy regarding one's sexual orientation in employment and other workplace relations. The groups also said that society should not force homosexuals to undergo ``straightening'' treatment in the military, nor deprive them of residency or other public property rights.
Furthermore, the groups said they have the right to choose how to form families, referring to insurance companies, hospitals and the government, which do not acknowledge same sex unions as family, even in emergency situations.
``After the universal declaration, the whole world started to abolish discrimination according to race, sex, nationality, age, religious beliefs, disability and health status. However, sexual orientation is still one of the taboo sunjects in this country and discrimination is rampant,'' Oh Ga-ram, spokesman of Chigusai, said.
``We hope the announcement will enhance people's understanding toward someone `different' and get them to think about their rights. We are different but equal,'' he added.