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Leading liberal and conservative candidates have proven to be homophobic, displaying a visceral dislike toward sexual minorities so that their presidency would likely lead to the continuation of stereotyping and discrimination against them.
Frontrunner Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said in a recent televised presidential debate that he objected to gay sex and had no intention to legalize it, if elected. Later in a Facebook posting, he argued that he misunderstood the question and corrected himself, saying, "There should be legal grounds to be laid out to eliminate discrimination."
Moon was a human rights lawyer and hearing him say that he was against a minority because of their sexual orientation was nothing short of shocking. His correction could sound as a campaign tactic as claimed by his conservative rival, Hong Joon-pyo from the Liberty Korea Party.
Surely, sexuality should be left to the discretion of an individual and members of the LGBT community should have their rights protected just like any other minority, and efforts should continue to embrace them into society.
Conservative candidate Hong's hostility toward same sex love is lamentable enough to make him a bigot clinging to the fear-mongering of the 1980s when the human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was regarded as a god-sent incurable scourge against gays and lesbians. Now, the disease is controllable by drugs and much of the stigma has been scientifically lifted. Hong's ill-educated broadside hits off well with Christian communities who are alerted by a social trend to tolerate the coming-out of gays.
True, there is a long way to go to reach a social consensus on the endowment of full rights for LGBTs but leaders should be open-minded about people with different sexual orientations and deal first and foremost with the matter strictly as a human rights issue. That could be the first step.
