By So SungUk | Project Leader
The lives of people living with HIV matter, too.
On World Suicide Prevention Day in South Korea, a press conference was held to call for the inclusion of LGBT people in national suicide prevention plans.
"The history of the LGBTQ movement in South Korea spans more than three decades, and during that time, the movement and the LGBTQ community have played a vital role in our society, not only in achieving social and cultural visibility, but also in supporting and protecting each other, and in being the scaffolding that allows us to live our lives.
But it's not just us, it's the state and politics that have had to step up to the plate, first and foremost, and with great responsibility. But they haven't. While the LGBTQ+ movement and community have been unable to stop mourning those who have passed away, the state and politics of our society have been complicit in perpetuating discrimination and hatred, and the reproduction of exclusion and stigma continues to this day."
"“No life is unimportant” is the title of the press conference. The lives of all LGBT people who continue to make up our world in the face of hate and discrimination are certainly important. Countries and politics that have done nothing to prevent LGBT suicide must now respond and do their part. I would like to conclude my remarks by calling on the LGBT community, including myself as an LGBT person, to never stop fighting, and on our government and politics to realize their enormous responsibility and role."
Activist Soju participated in a panel at the Pocheon Human Rights and Culture Festival to speak about LGBT rights and the human rights of people living with HIV.
The warm hospitality and interest of the people of Pocheon made the event comfortable. Activist Soju shared his personal experiences, including his experience when he realized his sexuality and the reactions of others when he came out, and shared that LGBT people, who make up our society together, should have the same legal rights as other citizens. He also emphasized the need to end stigma, discrimination, and hatred towards HIV/AIDS.
Activists attended the 7th Activist Conference “Meet, Know, _Find” organized by Rainbow Action Against LGBT Discrimination.
They interacted with other activists, shared information, studied, and thought about what kind of action to take. The red ribbon symbolizing HIV/AIDS human rights was clearly visible in Soju and Sori's drawings, which were based on the theme of activism and dreams.
We also had time to promote and share information about upcoming events on December 1, World AIDS Day and Human Rights Day for people living with HIV.
It was a time to lift each other up. Even if the situation surrounding us is regressive, I believe that hope is real if we keep moving forward with our activities.
In time for the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, we held a rally and march, Trans Pide, this past Saturday. Despite the fact that it rained for a long time and hard, contrary to what the weather forecast said, it was a bit disconcerting, but I think it only fueled everyone's fight to show and defend Trans Pide. It was a time of crying, laughing, and vowing to do a better job of protecting each other. Activists are deeply concerned about how to better advocate for the human rights of people living with HIV who are transgender.
The HIV/AIDS Human Rights Movement will be hosting its first ever AIDS Forum on World AIDS Day, Human Rights Day for people living with HIV, on December 1st.
We will showcase the various strategies of the AIDS movement to combat discrimination against people living with HIV, and share with participants the new agendas that need to be addressed more strongly. As we continue to encounter infectious experiences such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19, we want to explore how the HIV/AIDS rights movement can expand its values, experiences, activities, and struggles with you.
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