David Tizzard is a professor at Seoul Women’s University, holds a PhD in Korean Studies, and hosts the Korea Deconstructed podcast. He has lived and worked in Seoul for more than two decades. Reach him at datizzard@swu.ac.kr.
I want to take you to a gay bar
By David Tizzard
By David A. Tizzard
Gay bar. Gay bar.
I've always been a big fan of Detroit's Electric Six, and their 2003 hit has been going round my head every time I've turned on the news this past couple of days. It's a good song, has a cracking riff, and doesn't take itself too seriously.
I'm sure the late, great, Little Richard who passed away yesterday would have enjoyed it too. Despite struggling with his own sexuality during his life, the “flamboyant” singer (a media euphemism if ever there were one) came out as gay in a Penthouse interview in 1995.
But we're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy. Different countries take different cultural paths and different peoples have different value systems. Here in South Korea, in the public eye at least, there is the country's “top gay”, and then everyone after that is normally meant to stay quiet.
Spare a thought for those that want to blame gay people for the latest outbreak but then, in the same breath, assert that there are no gay people in South Korea. Their minds must be doing cartwheels trying to parse this cognitive dissonance.
Admittedly, it's a little bit strange for me. Growing up in the U.K., being gay seemingly wasn't really that much of a defining factor for success or failure. The television screen, the radio, newspaper columns, and award shows were always filled with "gay" celebrities: Ian McKellen, Stephen Fry, Graham Norton, Samantha Fox, George Michael, Kenneth Williams, Sue Perkins, Tom Daley and innumerable others.
Yet they were not successful or known simply because of their sexuality; instead, they were respected and held positions of prominence because of their abilities.
Of course, many did no doubt suffer, both publically and in silence. But they were represented in the media and then legally following the passing of the 2013 same-sex marriage law.
But for a post-authoritarian democracy like Korea, the perspective is naturally very different. It would be wrong to impose cultural values on to another sovereign nation or seek to understand the Korean situation through a specifically Eurocentric lens, would it not?
When in Rome, and all that.
On Saturday, it was reported that 40 new Covid-19 cases had been detected as a result of the recent nightclub cluster in Itaewon. It's a notable setback considering the country started the week in high spirits following days of no domestic infections.
Psychologically as well, it's going to be difficult for parents and young children who have been told schools are opening again soon. Amid all the talk elsewhere, it's important (I think) to consider how the children feel when they see this latest rise in cases knowing that the youngsters will be sent to school from next Wednesday in staggered return dates.
Last night's MBC evening television news spent the first 15 minutes covering the outbreak and filled South Korean television screens with footage of the two parallel Itaewon streets known colloquially as “Hooker Hill” and “Homo Hill”.
The names leave little to the imagination, yet those who are fans of alliteration will no doubt enjoy them.
Much of the Korean internet has followed the news with the terms “Itaewon” and “gay” both topping Naver and Twitter search algorithms during the week.
Yet here the question arises, “How important is it that the public know the sexual persuasion of the clubs and the patrons?”
Well, not really.
I think these people are stupid for going clubbing considering the situation at the moment. But I don't discriminate and I think anyone who is going clubbing, regardless of their intersectional points, is a bit silly.
In the past, the media has not reported on “straight” clubs or “heterosexual” people causing clusters. So why should it be any different now? Is sexuality an important part of the story? Or is it just titillation for the readers?
More broadly, does the nature of the story and the specific circumstances determine whether certain facts are omitted or included? If it were a positive story about winning awards, for example, would it be good to reflect their sexuality so as to provide role models and inspiration for those who might be struggling? But if it's a negative story we should exclude it so as to avoid stigmatization?
In response to an online backlash, some headlines that previously ran with stories about “gay clubs” have now amended these online. Should they be commended for changing them? Or criticized for being hypocritical?
For some people, the situation will be very clear. But for many others, they will not know the best way to address things, which words or terms are acceptable, and which things cause pain or discomfort to a community.
There will always be mistakes. I have probably made a few in my article (“Yes, you have!” says the reader nodding furiously).
Yet, it's important that we try to respect others, particularly those that are looking to learn. We should not expect perfection from the outset nor expect it immediately.
I don't think we should assume everyone else will share our values or ideas either. I'm sure there are many out there who dislike Little Richard or Electric Six.
Perhaps it's now time for the country to once again have a conversation about laws regarding sexuality and discrimination.
When Taiwan became the first Asian county to allow homosexual couples to marry, it did so via the country's Constitutional Court. Yet when a referendum was held on the topic, most citizens opposed the decision.
So what is a country to do? Respect the will of the majority as it does during democratic political procedures? Or base it on the rule of law?
South Korea has responded admirably to the Covid-19 pandemic. But now it faces a real test ― can it overcome its attitudes towards the homosexual community in order to contain and treat this latest outbreak properly?
These remain Korean issues to be decided upon by Korean people. But one can only hope that whatever is decided it results in a safer country for everyone regardless of sexuality and that we all learn to show each other a little bit more love and respect, particularly those with whom we disagree.
David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University where he teaches Korean Studies and an adjunct professor at Hanyang University lecturing in World History and Political Science. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3FM) on “Life Abroad” live every Thursday from 9:35 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.