Story at a glance
- South Korea has seen a rise in coronavirus infections after some social distancing restrictions were loosened.
- Some of the cases have been connected to LGBTQ+ bars and clubs in Itaewon.
- The LGBTQ+ community now fears a backlash as fear of a second wave spreads.
The LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to fighting stigma during a pandemic and the fatal consequences of ignorance. Now, advocates in a country lauded for its public health response to the coronavirus pandemic are afraid history might repeat itself.
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One of the most successful countries to address the COVID-19 outbreak, South Korea is now concerned about a potential second wave after coronavirus infections returned to a one-month high. Some restrictions had been eased, and a man in his late 20s visited a handful of bars and clubs in Itaewon before testing positive last week, according to the KCDC.
Since South Korean media identified these clubs as LGBTQ+ establishments, “gay club” and “gay coronavirus” were among the most searched terms on South Korean social media, according to reporting by The Washington Post. Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon, one of the few openly gay celebrities in South Korea, received hateful comments on Instagram about his sexuality and the recent outbreak.
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Homosexuality was classified as “harmful and obscene” in South Korea until 2003, and the LGBTQ+ community does not have many protections against discrimination. Just less than half of South Koreans don’t want a gay friend, neighbor or colleague, according to one nationwide survey reported by the BBC. Another poll by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea found that 92 percent of LGBTQ+ people were worried about becoming the target of hate crimes.
Advocates are worried that the stigma associated with being LGBTQ+ will keep members of the community from coming forward if they came in contact with someone later identified to have COVID-19 at a gay bar or club, including this latest case.
“This kind of reporting will eventually create anxiety and fear of outing, keeping those who have come into contact with the confirmed patient from identifying as part of the quarantine network. It is now more difficult to seek cooperation from them in the present situation, which proves that they were at the same place on the same day and soon results in revealing sexual orientation,” said Chingusai, a South Korean LGBTQ+ advocacy group, in a statement translated from Korean.
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