In support of the Korean LGBT community

Courtesy of Paran Koo

By David A. Tizzard

We live in a world in which, day by day, various causes are championed, new identities promoted, and emerging groups proactively seek representation. I've always believed progressive people help raise the voices of others, rather than simply themselves. In this sense, the concept of "allyship" is supporting and advocating for groups of people who are marginalized or oppressed due to their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability or religion. An ally is someone who does not belong to the marginalized group but recognizes their privilege and uses it to amplify the voices of marginalized communities and dismantle systemic barriers. I don't pretend to speak for the LGBT community, nor to be able to accurately represent them, but I do have a voice and thus I would like to use it.

I stand with the Korean LGBT community in their pursuit of equal treatment in all aspects of life, including the right to live, work and celebrate free from discrimination or fear. It was therefore rather disheartening to learn about the cancellation of their annual festival in the heart of Seoul, and it appears that political motivations may have been behind this decision. It is troubling to witness a deliberate attempt to silence a community that only seeks to be acknowledged, accepted, and appreciated for who they are. A modern democratic society must aspire to openness and freedom. It's not always easy and it requires a lot of sacrifice and understanding. But it is, nevertheless, a goal worth aspiring to. I don't expect Korea to be like Western Europe and I'm conscious of the history and development of the conversation here. I admire and respect the many great changes that Korea has undertaken. It's three revolutions, economic, political, and cultural, have transformed the country for the better.

Understanding the Stranger

Korea has only known democracy for a relatively short time. That democratizing process, coupled with globalization, was a catalyst for the arrival of what the Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman referred to as "strangers." The term can be somewhat disorienting for people or feel charged with negative connotations, but it should not be read as such. Strangers in this sociological sense should be understood as distinct from "the other." The other, for example, is always visible. It is clearly demarcated. It can be seen and, moreover, its very presence helps define who we are in turn. The stranger, on the other hand, is not outside of us but rather one of us. A group of people who are us yet not easily categorized. And this inability to put people among us into neatly-packed boxes causes a great deal of confusion, anxiety, and discomfort for some people.

According to Bauman, all societies and cultures produce strangers over time. However, they do so in different ways and thus create different kinds of strangers. Following Korea's democratization, people of this country gained certain rights. This included the right to their lives, to physical safety, and to not be silenced. Those with differing opinions are no longer carted off to Namsam in the middle of the night and their stories are not censored by state-controlled media. Democratization here meant that many people who were previously unheard suddenly found their voice.

The LGBT community was one of the groups. While there have been efforts to associate members of the community with negative foreign influence, particularly the United States, it is clear that the community are Korean. A queer blindness previously existed because of the lack of protections and, at the same time, the important national events of decolonization, civil war, modernization, and democratization. With those, in part, achieved, the country now has different challenges to contend with. One of them being how it deals with human rights for members of these communities.

Human Rights

Human rights are one of the modern world's best told stories. They have a clear ontological beginning, universalistic Catholic-bent, and perhaps represent Western hegemony following the end of the catastrophe that was World War II. But despite being aware of their socially-constructed nature, they are, nevertheless, a wonderful story and, when used correctly, can provide hope, liberation, and safety to countless millions.

Human rights apply to all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The right to freedom of expression and association states that LGBT individuals have the right to express themselves and to form organizations and associations to advocate for their rights and interests. Furthermore, governments have a responsibility to protect these rights and to ensure that these individuals are able to freely express themselves and associate with others. The LGBT community here in Korea faces violations of their human rights, including discrimination in employment, housing, healthcare, education and other areas of life.

Unfortunately, however, no argument I provide here, no matter how strong or persuasive, will make any difference until influential members of Korean society, from K-pop stars, actors, conglomerate heads, social influencers, politicians, working mums and community leaders come out and say the same thing. This is where allyship would help, even if it were just a small amount. It's one thing to go over to Europe or North America and support progressive causes there but it's something else to do it in Korea.

Korean Allyship?

Culture here doesn't produce very political celebrities, however. You will not see actors lining up behind presidential candidates or musicians on stage with their favorite politician. That difference must be acknowledged. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel that positive change could be achieved if those with cultural influence raised their voices. Korean singers and actors are currently some of the most famous people in the world and their star power shines incredibly brightly. It is now also promoting a lot of queer-friendly content and reaches a growing number of this community around the world. Some of the hottest hallyu content right now, from literature to V-logs, is either queer-friendly or unambiguous in its representation. So a little in the way of the reciprocal recognition doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

Ultimately, it seems that people genuinely believe in human rights but are simply staying silent to protect their own career and reputation, or they don't believe in them. That's rather simplistic and, as above, this is a culture in which people do not often speak up, but it comes close to what might be playing out.

President Yoon has recently shown he's capable of making influential people smile in the United States thanks to his solid rendition of "American Pie." He's also made many friends in Japan with his willingness to better relations with Tokyo and strengthen the region's democracy. If he wants to do something similar for South Korea, he doesn't have to go to Pyongyang and hold-up love heart symbols in front of a camera with Chairman Kim Jong-un. He can simply recognize the rights of his own citizens here in the South. As a gentleman well versed in the law and now with a keen focus on the promotion of universal values in the international arena, perhaps the time has come to look a bit closer to home.

Dr. David A. Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) has a Ph.D. in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social/cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He is also the host of the Korea Deconstructed podcast, which can be found online. The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.