28 May 2018

South Korea Hosts First Drag Queen Parade

Seoul drag parade hailed by rights activists as small but significant step in visibility of LGBT community.

 

Dozens of drag queens strutted their stuff in South Korea's capital city, Seoul, on Saturday in the country's first drag parade, according to AFP.
Local and foreign participants marched through the city's Itaewon suburb, home to a number of gay bars, waving rainbow flags. 
With a large conservative evangelical Christian population, South Korea does not recognize same-sex marriages and it is impossible to legally change one's birth gender.
"When it comes to South Korea, human rights guarantees for sexual minorities are insufficient," Yang Heezy, a drag queen and the organiser of Seoul Drag Parade, told AFP.
"Today's drag parade and more queer culture festivals should take place to bring attention to sexual minorities and help those who are not from those minorities learn more," he added.

 

Dozens of drag queens strutted their stuff in South Korea's capital city, Seoul, on Saturday in the country's first drag parade, according to AFP.
Local and foreign participants marched through the city's Itaewon suburb, home to a number of gay bars, waving rainbow flags. 

With a large conservative evangelical Christian population, South Korea does not recognize same-sex marriages and it is impossible to legally change one's birth gender.

"When it comes to South Korea, human rights guarantees for sexual minorities are insufficient," Yang Heezy, a drag queen and the organiser of Seoul Drag Parade, told AFP.

"Today's drag parade and more queer culture festivals should take place to bring attention to sexual minorities and help those who are not from those minorities learn more," he added.