Korean Job Discussion Forums

mspencer1983 · Joined: 17 Sep 2007

i know we've all heard a lot about different ethnicities and skin colors and their struggles with finding an employer etc...

but has anyone experienced discrimination for being gay? i have only heard "friend of friend" stories...and was just wondering...is that something koreans can even tell?

im concerned mainly because im teaching adults...and although i dont plan on telling any of my students or korean co-workers i am just wondering if they would be able to tell....im not excessively flamboyant but im sure any socially inclined westerner would know without much investigation.

any insight would be greatly appreciated. thanks

articulate_ink · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject:

So far it's been fine. In my first job (a hagwon) I was out to the director and my Korean co-teachers and they were unfazed by it. I'm in my second year at a small university now and am gradually opening up more about it. My own pattern -- and this seems to reflect what others do as well -- is to come out to the other Westerners at the beginning, then to the Koreans later, if at all. They tend not to pick up on the same cues that fellow Westerners would. Well, some of my students have dropped hints that they know: you can only be nonspecific with pronouns for so long before the light comes on. So far no one has had a problem with it yet. This may be because I'm an expat, therefore exempt from the norms around marriage and so forth. Some of the hard-core Christian psychos may react with less warmth but fortunately I haven't had to deal with that ilk in person. Just on here.

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

Treefarmer · Joined: 29 May 2007

hahaha you're gay

atomic42 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Location: Gimhae

hahaha you're Christian.

jay-shi · Joined: 09 May 2004 Location: On tour

I think it's like anything else in life, you have to walk the line between your public and private life carefully. Trust your instincts and you'll know who and when to tell.

I would advise against coming here and jumping on rooftops screaming in a flaming rage "I'm queer as a three dollar bill! Look at me!" The same way I would advise against people who smoked dope every day back home, making it their mission to tell the Korean world.

Your community is well organized on the net here, and everywhere from what I understand. So you should have no problems seeking sound advice.

Treefarmer · Joined: 29 May 2007

atomic42 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Location: Gimhae

Wasn't talking to you, Einstein. Did you see a quote?
But come on over anyway. Laughing

articulate_ink

mspencer1983 · Joined: 17 Sep 2007

so i can assume then by the looks of the responses in here....the problems might be the other foreigners and not necessarily the koreans. great. lol

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

My gay friends have no problems. Their social life is none of the schools' business and since they live in Seoul, the school doesn't see them after work.

atomic42 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Location: Gimhae

It's 2007 and I honestly think people don't really care as long as you don't rub their noses in it. I would probably approach it on a need to know basis, and I can't imagine why any of your colleagues, esp the K ones would ever need to know what you stick where.

Chris2007 · Joined: 20 Mar 2007

If I were in your shoes I don't think I would tell anyone at work. It seems most Koreans would still view it as a perversion, even if they're nice about it to your face. Generally, people are VERY bad at keeping secrets. They always think it will stop with the next person they tell but of course thats not the way it goes. And if it gets back to the parents then it could cause problems.
I guess it just depends how content you are to keep work life and personal life seperate, although that can be challenging in Korea.

Treefarmer · Joined: 29 May 2007