在韩国西方价值观鼓励同性恋权利的辩论

AS IT IS 2015-07-29 Western Values Inspire Gay Rights Debate in S. Korea 在韩国西方价值观鼓励同性恋权利的辩论

The struggle for gay rights in South Korea is not one that can be seen as a conflict between Eastern and Western cultural values.

South Korean lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, activists² have been influenced by the success of gay rights movements in western countries.

But U.S. activists against gay marriage have also had influence in South Korea.

Thousands of South Korean gay rights supporters and opponents recently held demonstrations³ at the same time and place. The activists gathered in front of Seoul's city administration building.

Demonstrators at the Gay Pride Festival celebrated⁴ the U.S. Supreme⁵ Court decision to legalize same sex marriage. The U.S. gay rights movement has helped raised awareness⁶ in Asia on the issue. South Korean activists have been encouraged and partly guided by the American experience. Nam Woong is with the activist¹ group Solidarity⁷ For LGBT Human Rights Of Korea. He said his country’s activists are not following the path of the United States exactly. But he said there are similiarities.

Gay rights opponents also say they get inspiration from other countries. Western missionaries⁸ brought Christianity to South Korea. Since the 1950s, Christian⁹ representation has increased from two percent to more than 30 percent of the country’s population today. And many conservative Christians¹⁰ in South Korea see gay rights as a betrayal of the values they learned from American churches.

Lee Byung-Dae is a spokesperson for the Korean Association of Church Communication. He expressed worry that, in his words, “the values established by the United States are now being destroyed." Reverend Lee said his group has links to 45,000 Christian churches.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is a supporter of same-sex marriage. But in 2014, he withdrew a proposed human rights law after anti-gay activists held a sit-in at City Hall. The failed measure was designed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination in the city’s larger region.

Reverend Lee said his gay rights opposition¹¹ group is reaching out to Western churches to help stop what he said is a growing movement to discriminate¹² against Christians.

"We are trying to seriously stop the movement from infringing¹³ on the human rights of majority Christians because of human rights of the minority," he said.

But, as in the West, public support for gay rights in South Korea is growing. A recent study shows support for legalization of same sex marriage in South Korea increased from 16.9 percent to 28.5 percent from 2010 to 2014. This change in attitude is mainly found among the younger people questioned in the study.

Nam Woong said, "The history of self-expression is short in South Korea. But the speed of change is much faster here.”

The U.S. Embassy had a presence at the Gay Pride festival in Seoul. Festival-goers could take pictures of themselves with life-size photos of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Mr. Nam said the U.S. has been supporting the Korean gay rights movement for years through diplomatic offices and non-governmental groups.

In June, America’s highest court ruled that the U.S. constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Shortly after, two South Korean filmmakers went to court in Seoul to take part in a similar legal battle. The men, Kim Chokwangsu and Kim Seung-hwan, married in 2013 in a public wedding. They have been seeking legal recognition of their union since then.

The court this week rejected their request saying, "same-sex marriage does not satisfy the definition of husband and wife in civil law." A legal group supporting the couple said it will appeal the South Korean court decision. And the group said it will continue to fight for equal rights for all people, no matter their sexual preference.

Words in This Story

aware – adj. knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists

encourage – v. to make (someone) more determined¹⁴, hopeful, or confident

inspire – v. to make (someone) want to do something : to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create

orientation¹⁵ – n. a person's feelings, interests, and beliefs

sit-in – n. a strike or protest in which people sit or stay in a place and refuse to leave until they are given what they demand

preference – n. a feeling of liking or wanting one person or thing more than another person or thing

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

8 missionaries   

n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some missionaries came from England in the Qing Dynasty. 清朝时，从英国来了一些传教士。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The missionaries rebuked the natives for worshipping images. 传教士指责当地人崇拜偶像。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 discriminate   

v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待

参考例句：

• You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
• They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。

13 infringing   

v.违反（规章等）( infringe的现在分词 )；侵犯（某人的权利）；侵害（某人的自由、权益等）

参考例句：

• The material can be copied without infringing copyright. 这份材料可以复制，不会侵犯版权。
• The media is accused of infringing on people's privacy. 人们指责媒体侵犯了大家的隐私。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

15 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。