LGBTQ festivals have often been targeted by evangelical Christian groups.
Seoul:
Tens of thousands of LGBTQ South Koreans and their supporters gathered in central Seoul for annual Pride celebrations on Saturday, despite the event’s traditional location being banned by authorities for the second year in a row.
Same-sex marriage remains unrecognized in Asia’s fourth-largest economy, and activists have long stressed the need for legislation that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
This year’s Pride Parade, which marks its 25th anniversary and is one of the largest in Asia, was denied permission to gather in Seoul Square, in front of City Hall, where the main festivities traditionally take place.
Conservative Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said he “personally cannot agree with homosexuality”, but city officials blamed a scheduling conflict and said the venue had already been booked for an outdoor event themed around of books.
Instead, it took place on the streets of downtown Seoul, with businesses and organizations including the US Embassy, IKEA and Amnesty International taking part to show support.
Areas around Seoul’s main thoroughfares, Namdaemun-ro and Ujeongguk-ro, were packed with excited participants wearing rainbow-themed costumes and makeup, some blowing bubbles and many waving orange balloons – the color of the edition’s theme. this year.
“The range of colors symbolizes an intermediate quality between red and yellow. It does not belong anywhere, but exists independently,… similar to our strange way of being,” organizers said in a statement.
According to Pride organizers, three other venues run by the Seoul city government, including the Seoul History Museum, were also banned from being used for side events for “causing social conflict.”
The authorities’ decision was “absurd”, but it does not diminish the pride that LGBTQ individuals feel for the annual event, participant Na Joo-youn told AFP.
“I’m openly queer, which means I often have to fight for what I believe in, which sometimes makes it difficult to live as myself,” said Na, 26.
“Today I can enjoy being myself. Those who oppose the Pride Parade have been around for a long time, but no matter what they do or say, they cannot erase our existence.”
LGBTQ festivals have often been targeted by evangelical Christian groups, who in the past have thrown water bottles and verbally abused Pride protesters and tried to block their path by lying down in the street.
Just a few hundred meters from the main streets where the festival was held, Christian protesters denounced LGBTQ rights, holding signs that read “No!! Same-sex marriage” and “The country built on blood and sweat is collapsing due to to homosexuality.” “
“We are opposing homosexuality because we want those who think they are ‘homosexuals’ to be truly happy, accepting God’s ways, which only allow the union of a man and a woman,” said Jang Mi-young, a 65-year-old man. years. Christian protester, he told AFP.
– Rights ‘regressing’ –
Nearly a quarter of South Korea’s 52 million people are Christian, and churches continue to be a significant political arena, especially for lawmakers.
In addition to the festival still facing difficulties obtaining venues, attempts to pass laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexuality have weakened since around 2007, with lawmakers under pressure from conservative and religious organizations.
“It would not be an exaggeration to say that the human rights of sexual minorities in South Korean society are regressing (rather than meeting) global standards,” said Hyeonju, one of the festival organizers.
This year’s festival included a group of queer South Koreans protesting Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Waving the Palestinian flag and banners that read “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” they accused Israel of “pinkwashing” or boasting about its acceptance of the LGBTQ community to cover up rights abuses against Palestinians.
“Because the saying ‘LGBTQ is everywhere’ is not just a rhetorical statement but contains literal truth, many sexual minorities are living, being harmed and dying in Palestine, where genocide is being committed,” they said in a statement.
“Queers living in South Korea deeply desire the survival and liberation of queer Palestinians.”
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