A Transgender Soldier
Byeon, a transgender soldier who is different from others clearly supports the anti-discrimination law for sexual minorities.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2 by the United Nations, the exercise of freedoms cannot be confined by the “ distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion.” Despite this global standard, around the world, LGBTQ rights are still restricted, with a serious prohibition particularly if transgender people want to join the military. Therefore, a lot of countries struggle, especially the United States. For this reason, the US changed the military service law after Joe Biden became the president, accepting transgender people to serve in the military. However, in South Korea, this hasn’t been disallowed until the incident of Byeon, a transgender soldier. After Byeon took his own life, there have been a lot of debates about whether to accept sexual minorities in the military. Even though Byeon was different from the soldiers, she should have been accepted.
Accepting Byeon, a transgender soldier who is different from others clearly supports the anti-discrimination law for sexual minorities. Compared to the United States and European countries that prohibit discrimination, South Korea hasn’t been accepted yet. They don’t acknowledge the basic rights of LGBTQs whom they think have a mental illness, rather than thinking of as a unique person. Transgenders are the same humans, with the only divergence in sexuality. However, accepting Byeon could change people’s perspectives and challenge past anachronistic conventions. In addition, there are a lot of people who don’t want to go to the military instead, get forced. Nevertheless, Byeon volunteered to go to protect the country as the first transgender soldier, which clearly shows his patriotism.
It is true that transgender people are still minorities in South Korea. People think transsexuals have gender dysphoria, different from humans. This could lead to very serious situations, such as Byeon committing suicide. In order to prevent this, not only the military, but the society should accept LGBTQ rights.