More Than 200,000 Koreans Sign Petition Against Upcoming Seoul Pride

[pearlychoco.livejournal.com]

More than 200,000 Koreans signed an online petition asking the presidential office to disallow the upcoming queer parade, which is scheduled to be held in central Seoul on Saturday.

The petition, which was first filed on June 14, asked the authorities to ban two queer events -- the upcoming parade in Seoul and another event that was held in Daegu on June 23.

“We are not discriminating against sexual minorities,” the petition reads. “But Seoul City Square belongs to all citizens.” The petitioners called the events “distasteful,” saying some of its content, displayed publicly, is “inappropriate for children.”

Homosexuality is not illegal in Korea but is subject to social stigmatization, as it is fiercely opposed by the country’s conservative and religious sectors. There is currently no law forbidding discrimination in the country.

A number of heavyweight politicians, including current Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and President Moon Jae-in, have faced controversies in the past over their positions on homosexuality.

While running for presidency last year, Moon enraged the local LGBTQ community by publicly remarking that he is “against” homosexuality.

Park, on the other hand, changed his position on queer rights a number of times, triggering sit-in protests by LGBTQ activists in 2014. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has allowed the annual queer festival to take place at Seoul City Square since 2016.

Both Moon and Park worked as human rights lawyers before entering the world of politics.

The upcoming parade is part of the 19th Seoul Queer Culture Festival, which is known to be the biggest queer event of the year in Seoul. The festival kicks off Friday.

A number of religious and civic groups said they will hold anti-gay rallies Saturday, near Seoul City Square where the queer parade will take place.

The government is required to officially respond, within 30 days, when a petition gathers 200,000 signatures.

"we are not discriminating against sexual minorities, BUT WE ARE" *rme*

Source: Korea Herald

Comments

[sforza.livejournal.com]

"Seoul City Square belongs to all citizens." THEN SURELY IT BELONGS TO THE LGBTQ+ ONES???

ugggghhhhhhhhhhh i hate attitudes like this so much wherever in the world they are

also shut up with that "inappropriate for children" bs, it makes me sick

[revedesnuages.livejournal.com]

Wtf is their logic, how can they say Seoul City Square belongs to all citizens when they are actively trying to drive out LGBT citizens?

Are there any counter-petitions to show support for the parade?

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

Fuck off bigots

[jackieee94.livejournal.com]

Fuck them special snowflakes. The public square should be for EVERYONE not just those that are pressed.

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

don't like it don't go??? god forbid the straight conservative christians avoid this one specific area in Seoul and Daegu for one afternoon.

[edanz-castle.livejournal.com]

Wow...just when I thought Korea was evolving and opening up. Those petitioners are being discriminatory based on their own opinions.

[chikage-chan.livejournal.com]

And "both Moon and Park worked as human rights lawyers before entering the world of politics." As a human rights lawyer, I am very offended to be classified the same as these politicians that change their tune according to who benefits them more.

[pearlychoco.livejournal.com]

i legit thought of that meme when i was posting this lololol

[belintuchiha.livejournal.com]

SK and my country could be sisters🙄

[ohbubbajoan.livejournal.com]

PUBLIC square assholes
ugh

[rainstormraider.livejournal.com]

Well now we have a handy list of bigots to cancel.

[donutism.livejournal.com]

oh no BUT THE CHILDREN

if it belongs to all citizens, it belongs to LGBT citizens too.

very proud of my country Taiwan to legalize gay marriage even though it is very frowned upon by older generations.

[sforza.livejournal.com]

may I ask you how things are in Taiwan? from an outside perspective, it looks like things are really improving there and a lot of interesting progress is being made, and I've been curious to know more!

[donutism.livejournal.com]

i think younger generations are very open / accepting of LGBT. I have seen LGBT couples on the streets, in clubs, on TV shows etc.

I think with older generations, with the whole Confucius ideology that you're supposed to be filial to your parents and continue your family blood line, obv it would be harder if not impossible for LGBT couples. I think the mentality for a lot of the older generation is its fine if your LGBT as long as my kid isnt. I think a lot of them think being LGBT is a disease or they learnt it from Western culture, or that it is because the kid is 'acting up', but i think it is a great that taiwan was able to legalize gay marriage because it really proves a point to the older generation.

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Even Pakistan of all places recently gave rights to transgenders. It's like an upside down world lmao.

[pearlychoco.livejournal.com]

i never thought in a billion years to see Pakistan (of all countries) giving rights to the LGBTQ+ community

[ashdevilrun23.livejournal.com]

they really have the nerve to say they're not discriminating when they are smdh

[jyushimatsu.livejournal.com]

We’re not homophobic, buuut

[welljustguess.livejournal.com]

Lmao the contrast of their statements.

[torontok.livejournal.com]

They're just a bunch of online bigots getting brave. In past years the anti-gay protests have been dwarfed by the pride parade so I hope the same happens this year

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

I've been to a few different prides here and there, and the protesters were always outnumbered but LGBTQ+ folks and their allies. I'm glad Seoul has a precedent of being no different.

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

lmfao anyone want me to blow kisses at outraged ajummas for them? extra outrageous from foreigner! there were no homosexuals in Korea before foreigners started coming, you know.

[torontok.livejournal.com]

Better,find another foreigner and get some gay smooching action in to scandalize them even mkre

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

even better - CORRUPT A NICE PURE KOREAN GIRL

[pearlychoco.livejournal.com]

i'm so for it!

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

YOU FAKE REFUGEE! /jk

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

“We are not discriminating against sexual minorities,” the petition reads. “But Seoul City Square belongs to all citizens.”

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

First calling refugees "fake", then banning feminist ads & now this. SK is truly becoming the country of bigots.

[shazz-chan.livejournal.com]

If it's for all citizens then it's for all LGBTQ+ then isn't it!! Twats.