Introduction to the Alliance against Homophobia and Discrimination of Sexual Minorities

On the evening of October 31, 2007, the LGBT activists of South Korea gathered for a historical meeting: the emergency meeting to stop discrimination and hatred against sexual minorities. This was occasioned by certain religious groups' homophobic statements such as 'Do you mean to turn the country into one full of faggots?' and exercise of inappropriate political pressure on the government because the Anti-Discrimination Bill drafted by the latter included 'sexual orientation' among its 20 categories of personal attributes to be protected from discrimination. Because we knew that the bill was intended to realize the Constitutional principle that all citizens are equal, we felt that it was important to protect the bill as it was and therefore sought to discuss and share our views at the emergency meeting.

To our shock, however, we soon heard that the Ministry of Justice, the author of the Anti-Discrimination Bill, had already deleted the category 'sexual orientation'. Moreover, we discovered, the six other categories of 'educational background, medical history, language, national origin, family type and status, and criminal and detention record' had been deleted as well. In addition, the clause defining 'gender', which would have provided sexual minorities with at least some protection, too, had been deleted, thus adding up to a total of eight omissions. Such deletion from the bill is tantamount to endorsing and encouraging discrimination against people with any of these eight attributes. Many were naturally outraged and eventually came together to form on November 5 the Alliance against Homophobia and Discrimination of Sexual Minorities.

We in the Alliance have vowed to do our utmost to guarantee the legislation of the Anti-Discrimination Bill in its original state and to stop and battle the spread of prejudice, hatred, and discrimination against sexual minorities in South Korean society. The categories 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity', the latter of which will make it possible to prohibit discrimination against transgendered people, must be restored to the bill. The reinstatement of the six other deleted categories including educational background, medical history, and family type and status is equally crucial, and we will fight for their re-insertion as well.

The Alliance will continue to serve as an arena of activism for like-minded individuals until the day that the original purpose and significance of the Anti-Discrimination Bill--i. e., the realization of equality, justice, and respect for human rights--have been fully realized and prejudice, hatred, and discrimination against sexual minorities have disappeared. We request your active support, solidarity, and participation for a better, more equal, and more just world.

Thank you.