A South Korean activist at Los Angeles Pride. The sign reads “Shall I say I love you?” – Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr
A petition to ban an annual gay pride festival in Seoul, South Korea, has received over 200,000 signatures.
The petition was started on Blue House, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s official website, on June 14th. It has since garnered support from traditionalists and religious groups, who are calling for an end to the “abominable” three-day Queer Culture Festival taking place this weekend in Seoul Plaza.
The festival, currently in its 19th year, will include art exhibitions, a film festival and the Seoul Queer Parade on Saturday, July 14.
According to Britain’s Telegraph, the petition says that they are not advocating “discriminating against sexual minorities,” but that the Plaza should not host the festival because it belongs “to all citizens.”
“We do not want to see their abominable events in a square where we should be able to rest and relax,” it reads. “Every year, queer-themed events such as street performances, drinking and smoking are called ‘cultural festivals,’ but they are just occasions filled with illegal acts and hypocrisy.”
The petition added: “Homosexuals and normal people should not engage in such perverse and obscene events in a plaza that is meant to be a space for citizens to relax. True human rights are not indulgences.”
While homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea, traditional Korean society disapproves of LGBTQ people and relationships. Same-sex marriages are also not considered legitimate by the government and committing homosexual acts while active in the military is an offense that carries up to one year in prison.
Colton Ford, a gay former adult film star and musical artist, has died at age 62, according to social media posts from close friends.
According to the WeHo Times, Ford -- whose real name was Glenn Soukesian -- died on Monday, May 19. Details are scarce, but some reports claim he was involved in a "hiking accident" over the weekend.
"With a very heavy heart I share this tragic news," his friend Tim Wood wrote in a Facebook post. "While we don't have all the details, I never would have dreamed that the photo below of Glenn Soukesian (Colton Ford) and I from 3 weeks ago would be our last.
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously revived a 2020 lawsuit by Marlean Ames, who claims she was discriminated against for being heterosexual by the Ohio Department of Youth Services.
The 61-year-old had worked for the department since 2004. A decade later, she was promoted to administrator of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. But she claimed that the conflict started after she began reporting to a lesbian woman, according to The Hill.
In 2019, Ames interviewed for another position within the department but was not hired. Her supervisor suggested she retire, and days later, Ames was demoted, with a significant pay cut. A 25-year-old gay man was subsequently promoted to her old position. Months later, a lesbian woman was chosen for the position for which she had applied.
A monument honoring the gay victims of the Nazi regime -- as well as all LGBTQ people who have been persecuted throughout history -- was recently unveiled in Paris.
Designed by French artist Jean-Luc Verna, the monument consists of a massive steel star, dark on one side and reflective silver on the other. It's embedded in the public gardens close to the Bastille Plaza.
Verna, an LGBTQ activist, commented on the monument's color scheme, noting that "there's a black side in front of us, forcing us to remember.... At certain times of the day, it casts a long shadow on the ground, evoking the dangers looming over, sadly."
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