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| ▲ On the 4th, when news of the death of former Sergeant Byun Hee-soo, who was forced to discharge after undergoing a sex change operation, a space is prepared in front of the representative office of the Justice Party in Yeouido, Seoul. | |
| Ⓒ Joint coverage photo |
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“You have to live. It’s bitter, but you still have to live. You have to live.”
On the afternoon of the 4th, poet Byun Hong-cheol, who has a transgender child, said, “This is the only request I can give as a parent of (Lexual minority).” <오마이뉴스>That’s what I said on the phone.
On the same day, poet Byeon’s’Lexotic Minority Parents’ Group said in a statement, “I will always support and support Sergeant Byun’s childhood dream from his childhood, and we will be with him, but he did not keep that promise.” I am very sorry to former Sergeant Byun Hee-soo. I am very sorry.”
“The courageous determination and actions of Sergeant Ko Byeon toward the military, the group most prevalent in gender stereotypes, was a great strength, comfort, and hope for transgender people and their parents. We, LGBTI parents can no longer withstand indignation. No. We must now truly stop the passing on of discrimination and hatred in Korean society to LGBTI people and our children. Please do not drive LGBTI people to death anymore.”
Sergeant Byun, who served as a tank driver in the 5th Armored Brigade of the Army’s 6th Corps, underwent sex change surgery on vacation in 2019. For this reason, the army judged Sergeant Byeon as a “level 3 mental and physical disability” and made him take off his military uniform in January 2020.
At a later press conference, Sergeant Byun said, “I want to show you that I can leave my gender identity and become one of the great soldiers defending the country.” Please allow me to carry out my mission.” However, Sergeant Byun died without getting a chance.
“People at the end of the cliff… breathtaking”
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View Larger Picture |
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| ▲ On the 4th, when news of the death of former Sergeant Byun Hee-soo, who was forced to discharge after undergoing a sex change operation, a space is prepared in front of the representative office of the Justice Party in Yeouido, Seoul. | |
| Ⓒ Joint coverage photo |
See related photos |
On the phone, poet Byeon said, “Transgender people have too much social loneliness.” “Do it”, voiced concern.
“Transgender people are always standing on a cliff. Who knows (about death) that there is something really triggered. After seeing the actions of those who have made courageous decisions, including former Sergeant Byun Hee-soo, more people have come together and have courage. I did it with it, but I took one step further, but in fact, I just reaffirmed that the situation has not improved at all.”
It is inevitable that three transgender people, including Sergeant Byun, who have been publicly active, have died one after another in the last month. Last February 8th play <우리는 농담이(아니)야>Lee Eun-yong, who wrote the screenplay of, was found dead, and on February 24, Kim Ki-hong, a human rights activist belonging to the Jeju Green Party, was found dead.
According to the’Results of Transgender Hate Discrimination Survey’ released last February after an online survey of 591 transgender people last year (2020) by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, 65.3% (384) of respondents were’in the past 12 months. I have experienced discrimination because I am transgender.’ In addition, many of the respondents said, “I have encountered transgender hate expressions through the Internet including SNS (97.1%), broadcasting and media (87.3%), and video media such as dramas and movies (76.1%).”
Transgender people have been shown to experience a variety of discrimination and hatred not only in daily life, but also in school and work. Of the respondents who have attended secondary school, 67% said that they have heard the teacher’s demeaning remarks on LGBTI people during class. 92.3% of the respondents, 539 respondents, said they had at least one difficult experience, such as the absence of sexual minority-related sexual education and wearing school uniforms that do not match their gender identity.
In the workplace, transgender people were also exposed to unnecessary questions about their gender identity (17.1%), reported their gender identity to others without consent (8.9%), and experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault (8.2%). As a result, 57.1% of transgender respondents who have had job-seeking experience for the past five years answered that they had’experienced giving up job search related to gender identity’.
“An anti-discrimination law is needed to change awareness”
On this day, poet Byeon said, “My child has been helped by many people from the process of obtaining a (gender change) decision in the court, and has been informed socially and fought under very good conditions, but the social pressure that LGBTI people have to face has not been resolved at all. “Wouldn’t there be a safeguard that would not be harmed legally or economically because of at least sexual identity?” he said.
“The anti-discrimination law has not progressed at all in this National Assembly. I would like to see how much different everyday life will be when the law is made, but all that is needed is the minimum protection and social promise. It is not for immediate regulation, but the formation of new values. It’s a law to do.”
The anti-discrimination law, emphasized by poet Byeon, has been proposed several times since 2007, but due to opposition from some Christians and conservative groups, it was completely abolished without even debating properly. In June 2020, Justice Party lawmaker Hye-young Jang proposed a bill against discrimination aimed at prohibiting discrimination in all areas based on gender, disability, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. He has not been able to cross the threshold of the National Assembly while being held in the country.
Poet Byeon pinpointed the hate remarks continued in the political world recently and said, “There is the logic of the election board, so as a politician it will be used as a politician, but on the other hand, the situation in which the politician speaks at will. “I do” said the position.
On February 18, in a debate on the opposition Seoul Mayor candidate, Ahn Chul-soo, the preliminary candidate of the National Assembly Party, said, “The right to reject the queer festival should also be respected.” On the 2nd, at the Plenary Meeting of the Education Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Rep. Kim Sang-jin, a member of the ruling party, said, “Wouldn’t normal students be harmed by sexually transmitted diseases due to homosexuality or AIDS?” criticism was poured out.
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| ▲ Byun Woobin, a transgender man, does not hesitate to reveal himself. “The application for correction of the family register was also possible because of his strong will,” said his father, Byun Hong-cheol. | |
| Ⓒ Byun Hong-cheol |
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Poet Byeon said, “Let’s live a little more, live a little more,” when asked, “Is there anything to ask as a parent of LGBTQ people?” “That’s the only thing I want to say to those living as LGBTQ people as LGBTQ parents,” he added.
Poet Byeon’s son, Woobin, was ruled in February 2018 at the Daegu Family Court admitting the change of gender from female to male on the family relations register. At the time, poet Byeon told the judge, “As Ubini’s father, I sincerely hope that my son can live happily with respect to his identity. As a person who believes in God, the existence of sexual minorities such as sons is created by God. I believe that it is a precious part of the amazing diversity of this world. I believe that transgender people like children have the right to give off their colors and scents proudly in a part of the flower garden of abundant creatures.”
※ If you have troubles such as depression, or have family or acquaintances who are experiencing such difficulties, 24-hour experts at the Suicide Prevention Hotline ☎1577-0199, Call of Hope ☎129, Call of Life ☎1588-9191, Youth Call ☎1388, etc. You can receive consultation.