Alternately, what’s the evidence that it was accepted?
That damned colonial legacy. Before the British Empire was homosexuality accepted then? Zina, Goa Inquisition, seriously even the Arthashastra.
Despite the recent setbacks with the referendum votes, Taiwan is still the most LGBTQ friendly country in East Asia. I have many students that are openly gay or lesbian. Even had one transgender one last semester. And it’s no big deal. In Korea where I used to teach, you’d never see that level of openness. Many students would mock or joke about homosexuals in class. A lot of them have a belief that if you’re gay you must have some Japanese mongrel blood in you. Because no pure blood Korean could possibly be gay. Ridiculous, I know. So I don’t know why Taiwan is ahead of its neighbors when it comes to this.
Korea is truly a scarily conservative society. The most Confucian of any country. More than one Korean guy has told me they can only be friends with people the exact same age. Because anyone younger must obey them as an elder and they must obey anyone older than them. Some messed up shit if you ask me.
Yes. I remember two girls who sat next to each other in class. They always talked and seemed tight as thieves. One day one was absent, so I asked the other one “oh is your friend sick?” And she laughed in embarrassment and said “oh she’s not my friend. She’s just my junior!”
@Biggus Dickus As mentioned above, Taiwan could hardly be characterised as homophobic, and while homosexuality in China is not quite as openly tolerated as it is now in the West, it’s not illegal and it’s no longer considered a mental illness. It’s widely accepted among younger people in large cities. As I mentioned, the CCP inherited the prudishness and homophobia of Soviet Communism. Mainland China might evolve towards Western style tolerance of homosexuality, including gay marriage, but that will depend largely on political considerations.
That homosexuality was openly “accepted” in many cultures at certain points in history is indisputable — I mean, I’d say something’s “accepted” if it’s not illegal, if it’s not criticised as immoral, if it’s celebrated in art, if it’s not something people try and hide or disguise, if it’s a social norm. It’s equally indisputable that in many cultures/times, homosexuality wasn’t accepted or was even a taboo. Sexuality is something that cultures everywhere try and control. Even in cultures where homosexuality in itself was perfectly acceptable, during certain periods in Chinese history for instance, this didn’t mean that life was a tolerant rainbow free for all. A Ming Dynasty aristocrat couldn’t walk hand in hand with his gardener boyfriend down a Beijing street.
1 Like
I believe they ended up in Bognor.
I don’t think young people make it a big deal anymore unless the other person has a significant age difference. I rarely have someone younger around my age group call me Hyeong and “obey”. No more than people call me Ge in Chinese.
Also depends on your social group. You’re right that it’s less important in the younger generation, but there’s still a lot who adhere to it.
From what I’ve heard it’s more apparent in the work culture. Koreans are right up there with the Japanese in working themselves to death.
You can’t go home before the boss leaves the office. So if the boss decides to stay in until 10pm, you have to stay until 10:15.