Being that I'm from a country in which homosexually is practiced (in most families, friendships, even religions), a person will get frown upon for being homosexual. Homosexually has divided families, ended friendships and associations, caused division in the "church," Look at the fight America is having now as it concern civil union. I myself am not homosexual, and neither do I vouche for civil union. Yet I know family members and friends whom are homosexual. Personally, I don't condone homosexuality. Though it makes me feel uncomfortable being exposed to it, whether direct or indirectly, I still got to show love to the persons whom are or maybe. (The maybes: DOWNLOW brothers & sisters) Why, because despite of what we all might be or consider ourselves, we're all people. We're all fighting for the same peace, despite our views or values being different.
So here I am in South Korea, where the Koreans will argue that homosexuality doesn't exist. Yet despite the Korean myth, it's here. And it's not surprising to me nor to any persons of the expat community. As we all know, Korea is a homogeneous society. Even though foreigners have been here for years, they're still scared, ignorant, afraid or in awe of us. The weird part about it is, we know more about them than they know about us. Being here, I learned and was told (by some Koreans) that a Korean student only focus on their studies (major/minor) and not anything that doesn't contribute to that. Therefore if their major/minor isn't history, other parts and people of the world they have little to no awareness about, besides the b.s. they get from movies and Korean television. And that's how they draw the conclusion to what a person is or isn't about.
Now this is where I wanted to take this post. It some cases it's hard to tell whether a Korean is hetero or homo because in other countries, well at least in America, you just don't see two heterosexuals walking around holding hands with each other, unless it's in a conforting situation (death, spiritual experience, etc.). Even though, as for the male gender, the warm embrace is still "macho." Yet over here, young teenage boys, college kids, grown men (single and/or married) massage, caress each other, wear make-up, lipstick, etc.. However, if you walk up to them and call them HOMO, they'll quickly say NO! I'm NOT gay. Funny, strange, sad in some cases, but true. That's their society. Even the women won't believe that the guys whom appear to be feminine are homosexual. I'm not saying they are; however, it would surprise a Korean woman more than it'll surprise a foreigner to find out that their "Korean" boyfriend/girlfriend or best friend homosexual. And the reason "he's not giving it up to you" is because he's letting Kim Hyung Lee give it to him. No I'm not leaving out the women; because I have seen what we call in America, "butches," over here too. Even too I've also saw some of the finest, most feminine Korean women loved all up on other Korean women whom are just as feminine or butchy.
Here's the cultural confusing reality, many of them aren't homosexual at all. Many of the things Korean men and women do that seem feminine/masculine is just cultural. Two guys holding hands is just two guys holding hands. Same goes for the Korean women. Therefore, I call it a ying yang society. But whom are the ying and whom are the yang?
