On Saturday night in Jongno, queer activists and allies gathered to celebrate the 20th year of Chingusai (Between Friends), a gay men’s group that has played a pivotal role in the gay rights movement in Korea. Their stated goals are to change society's distorted views of homosexuality, protect human rights and educate people on their rights, and promote HIV/AIDS education. They also organize a variety of groups with the aim of building a gay community such as G Boys (a gay chorus) and Marine Boys (a swim team).
To celebrate their 20th year, a parade/protest was organized in the Jongno area of Seoul which has had a score of gay bars since the 1960s. Before the start of the parade, representatives of Chingusai gave instructions on the parade route and film director Kim Jho Gwang Su explained our cheer - a simple call-and-response about Chingusai, love, and LGBT rights (with the occasional 'get rid of President Park Geun-hye added for political flavor). Although the parade was predominately to celebrate 20 years of Chingusai, there were also marchers wearing yellow hats in support of bereaved families calling for a special law to independently investigate the cause of the Sewol Ferry incident in April.
Around two or three hundred people showed up to the parade and marched with rainbow flags and signs distributed by Chingusai. A pair was dressed up as gold aliens and a beautiful drag queen Superwoman gave the parade a nice bit of camp. Spectators lined the street as we marched around the block and while onlookers mostly had bemused expressions, a few joined in on our cheer.
However, not every spectator had nice things to say. In a similar manner to the disruptions caused by Christianprotestors in June’s pride parade, around ten or twenty counter-protestors arrived screaming about how our sins will send us to hell. One woman in particular channeled the spirt of Shirley Phelps as she continued to yell in both English and Korean 'Shut up!' for a good ten minutes straight.
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| Homosexuality is personal ruin and the crime that is ruining the nation. AIDS is hell's judgement Halting children's birth |
Chingusai ended the night with discussions on its past and future and presented Hong Seok-cheon with a human rights award for his bravery since coming out publicly in 2000. Although the protestors continued their anti-gay rhetoric on the sidelines, their voices were drowned out by music, speeches, and conversation. The night ended with a gay Korean tradition: drinks and discussions in Jongno's pojangmacha (food tents). While Jongno is typically not known as a gay mecca to the straight majority, that night rainbow streamers on the pojangmacha reflected the pride of the parade's participants. Although the gay rights movement still has a long way to go, Chingusai's work in the past twenty years has surely contributed to modern Korea's ever expanding positive attitude toward sexual minorities.
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