It has been learned that a homosexual man who had entered the military has come down with depression after facing every manner of insults and civil rights violations. The information released by the Conference of Human Rights Organizations [In’gwon Danche Yeonseok Hoeui] leaves you shocked at how lacking our military is when it comes to civil rights awareness. The man was harassed after personal consultation records were leaked, and he was ordered to submit pictures of activity proving his sexual orientation.
Looking at homosexuality as something strange is of course not something unique to the military and such prejudice is not unique to Korean society. The situation in the military as seen in this instance, however, is just too serious. A person’s “sexual identity” or “sexual preference” is a private matter, and so more than being just an issue relating to homosexuality the case brings up the even more general problem of the military’s failure to protect soldiers’ individual privacy. Had it been more prudent with the man’s own admission and his parents’ formal written request asking that care be taken with the fact their son is gay the situation would not have come to this.
It is time for a review of the military’s policy on gays. Ministry of National Defense regulations define homosexuality as a psychological disorder, and the military code of justice stipulates up to a year of prison for homosexual activity, including sodomy. In other words, homosexuality is considered a mental disease and a crime. Discrimination against gays will be around no matter how thorough the military is regarding the protection of privacy as long as there is such prejudice.
Gay activists say that discharging soldiers for “family circumstances” is humiliating. We think different sexual preferences hardly get in the way of performing one’s military duties. That being the case the military needs an environment in which people do not even attempt to learn of soldiers’ sexual preferences and to not make them an issue. The Ministry of National Defense needs to see that creating that kind of climate would simultaneously contribute in a significant way to reducing sexual harassment against heterosexual soldiers as well.
The Hankyoreh, 17 February 2006.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
[Editorial] Military the Problem With Gays in Military |
