Rainbow Teen Safe Space

Rainbow Teen Safe Space project: A third letter to our donors.

Since the website for the domestic fundraising (http://lgbtpride.or.kr/safespace) was opened on Apr 1, we have been making transparently a disclosure of the breakdown of our fundraising via the website once a month. On Apr 2, we had an opportunity to introduce Rainbow Teen Safe Space Project, along with LGBT human rights activists in Korea.

Rainbow Teen Safe Space as a first-ever project carried out in Korea has began with many expectation and concerns from more than 20 visitors, and they also gave good advice on the project. In particular, they worried about Korean government has never paid attention on planning a programe or project, and there are many institutional barriers in setting up shelters for LGBT youths. However, a shelter for LGBT youths is essential and they desperately need street counselling. They are suffering from abandonment from their family and school, and even churches are not supportive for them. Our proejct would be independently operated without any help from the government for the time being(perhaps it would be such a long time), and therefore, Global Giving fundraising must be going successful. We need funds to directly support LGBT youths, and from a perspective of care and changeover, we should actively address how wrong perception of LGBT youths the counselling groups for youths or the operators of youth shelters have, and how they make the dangerous the risky situation LGBT youths are facing even worse.

On Apr 27, we held a charity bazaar to support Rainbow Teen Safe Space project. It was the first fundraising event held for LGBT youth people in korea. So many people donated for the bazaar so we raised about 1,170 USD. We also made momentos like T-shirts and note pad. Through those the momentos, we are disseminating the significance of Rainbow Teen Safe Space Project.

We had met people who provide counselling for run-away youths, working at Moving Youth Center(EXIT). They gave advice on operational tips of the counselling and how we should maintain the relationships with youth people because we should start Street-Counselling for LGBT youths soon. They were very favorable to our suggestion of going with EXIT and meeting LGBT youth people. We also paid a visit to Youth Health Center. The organisation provides health check-up services to female youths who are engaged in prostitution and helps them stand on their own feet by providing vocational trainings. The Center workers showed their sympathy with the necessity of Rainbow Teen Safe Space Project and agreed to give full support when their helps are in need.

We have reached to one third of the goal amount through Global Giving nd the domestic fundraising. We are in course of preparation to meet LGBT youths from Sep. We appeal sincerely more your attention and participation in the donation.

Lastly, I would like to speak about myself. I have met so many LGBT youth people for the last 10 years while working in DongInRyun(Solidarity for LGBT human rights of Korea). I feel relief to see some of the youths I met came of age, some working, and some back to school. But, I have witnessed the death of three youth people in 1997, 2003, and 2013, who I had known. All their passing was mostly caused by family abuse, bullying from the school and sufferings or conflicts with religion. But it was not easy to figure out positive alternatives that can support them and save. There was no funds, no social attention and no space where they can go even if they desperately needed them. Those situation has not much changed. We can no longer postpone sparing safe space where they can go, rest, study, meet friends who have same sufferings and learn about human rights. Thus, we started up Rainbow Teen Safe Space Project to prepare the safe space for them. It may be taking long time to build the space, but if you, donors' help comes together, it would be such a great strength to all of us.

Please come and join with us.

With a thankful heart as always.

May. 2014

Min-seok, Jeong Project Leader from Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea

Links:

• http://lgbtpride.or.kr/safespace/

The Second Letter to the Global Giving Donors

It has been two months since we started fundraising through Global Giving so that we can provide a safe haven to LGBTQ Korean teens. The organizers are waiting for the day to come so that we can provide counseling sessions to the Korean LGBTQteens who are not protected by homes and schools and give them snacks and necessities. We have not started street counseling yet. The reason is because we have not met our budget in fundraising. However, we believe that we will be able to start street counseling for Korean queer youth as the number of donors go up.

On December 30th of 2013, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education(SMOE) announced a revision to the Seoul Students' Rights Ordinance after being pressured from the religious right of South Korea. The revision was to exclude language protecting sexual minorities by erasing the terms "sexual orientation" and "sexual identity" from the ordinance. However, after the announcement, SMOE received numerous complaints about the revision. Last January 14th, 1,232 Korean LGBTQ teens signed a petition and made a counter-declaration on the revision, mentioning "Do not erase our existence." The Rainbow Teen Safe Space Project organizers also attended this event and publicly opposed the revision of the Seoul Students' Rights Ordinance. The Seoul Metropolitan Council will soon discuss on whether to exclude LGBTQ teens from the ordinance or to keep them in it.

Last January 15th, Dong In Ryeon members attended the National Cham Gyo Yuk (True Education) Practice Rally, which was organized by Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union. They installed a booth to advertise the Rainbow Teen Safe Space project to school teachers who came to the event, and also was on the panel of a debate on homophobic violence against LGBTQ teens and the roles of teachers and schools.

As there is a social movement to eradicate Korean LGBTQ teens, more attention is needed to the issue. The Korean government, which should be responsible to provide a safe space to Korean LGBTQ youth, is not showing any interest to do so. There are no street counseling programs for Korean queer youth. When we reach our fundraising goal, we will be able to start street counseling. Please join us in this cause! We do not know a lot of people who can donate. I hope the recipients of this letter can introduce Rainbow Teen Safe Space to others.

With many thanks,

February, 2014

Minseok, Jeong

Project Leader from Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea

* The following is my personal statement delivered at the declaration of 1,232 Korean LGBTQ teens in front of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on January 14th. I am sharing this to all who are interested in the Rainbow Teen Safe Space project. 

"According to the Fact-finding Study of Human Rights of Children in Seoul(2012), only 29% of students responded that they were willing to be friends with sexual minorities and only 15.1% of parents were willing to be amicable. This shows the reality of Korean LGBTQ teens not being regarded as a friend.

There has been Korean queer youth being verbally assaulted, threatened for physical contact, or having their personal belongings ruined. What is worse, there have been Korean LGBTQ youth testifying that they were spit at, punched in the face, kicked at, and even assaulted by a weapon.

There is more research being done that conclude that these sexual minority youth are in danger of committing suicide, being abused, being assaulted within human relationship and experiencing trauma. However, the Korean society is ignoring the reality of what these teenagers are facing as well as trying to eradicate them and silencing them, and this is very troubling.

How many LGBTQ youth have to get hurt? How many LGBTQ youth have to lose their lives? And how many LGBTQ youth have to leave their schools and homes?

10 years ago, a gay teenager had committed suicide, and another teenager passed away last December. I question the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education; what is your response to these teenagers when they asked if a person like them are deserved to be loved?

Erasing the terms 'sexual orientation' and 'sexual identity' from the grounds of discrimination not only means that LGBTQ youth are eradicated from schools but also means that the hovering discrimination and hate towards sexual minorities in the education field are overlooked. Therefore, it is terrifying to even think about what will happen in the future.

Just because we cannot see it does not mean it is not there. It is not seen because we never tried to look at it. I wonder if the Korean society ever tried to look at the lives of Korean LGBTQ youth. Has our society ever sincerely listened to the voices of young teenagers who stress about the fact that their sexual orientation is different than their peers or that they are born with a different gender than their physical body? We do not need the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to create a selective and partial Seoul Students' Rights Ordinance. What we need at this moment is to enhance the human rights of overlooked sexual minority students and diminish the danger that they may encounter.

The SMOE must focus on this declaration. Actually, the SMOE must focus on the anger of the Korean LGBTQ youth. The attempt of the revision of the ordinance must stop at once, so that the ordinance can do its job. Do not forget that this is the fundamental and the first step of upholding human rights."

Minseok Jeong

Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea

Links:

• http://iamkoream.com/february-issue-gay-rights-activists-in-korea-step-up-to-support-lgbtq-youth/