Call for the retention of protection from discrimination against sexual orientation and gender

Dear Members of the Education Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council,

I signed the petition to support the original draft of the “Seoul Student Rights Ordinance” established by the Residents Initiative Movement (a draft willingly signed by 97,702 citizens of Seoul in a rare act of direct democracy).

I strongly ask you to keep the clauses prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the final version of the ordinance. Please do not surrender to the pressure from conservative right-wing Christian and parental groups. Please stand with the LGBT students of Seoul who deserve to enjoy their basic rights to the full.

Please remember that by passing the LGBT rights-inclusive original draft into the ordinance you can prevent the 'Seoul Student Rights Ordinance' from becoming another discriminatory document against the LGBT students of Seoul. Remember that you can prevent many LGBT students in Seoul from being beaten, bullied, taken into correction therapy, or punished based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Your courage to pass the bill in its original form can help the LGBT students of Seoul obtain proper protection and enjoy their basic rights at their schools.

As one of the countries which voted in favor of the resolution “17/19 Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council on June 2011, the Republic of Korea has an obligation to undertake full responsibility for securing the rights of its LGBT people. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, the Republic of Korea is also committed in the eyes of the international community towards inclusive and comprehensive human rights. And it is an undeniable fact that LGBT rights are human rights.

No exception is acceptable from the Seoul Metropolitan Council. As representatives of ALL the citizens of Seoul, the elected members of the council must not ignore the voices of the people from marginalized populations.

Please keep the original draft of the ordinance including every clause which clearly illustrates the type of discrimination that should be prohibited.

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
William Nicholas Gomes