19th Annual Student Research Conference
Social Science
Changing Perspectives on Korean Homosexuality
Justis A. Tuia
Dr. Candy Young and Dr. Eun Jung Choi (Ajou University, Republic of Korea), Faculty Mentors
Prior to the Joseon Dynasty, homosexuality was widely practiced amongst the nobles of peninsular Korea; however, with the adoption of Confucianism as the primary state ideology in 1392CE, gender roles solidified, and homosexuality disappeared as a socially acceptable institution. In the past half century, Korean society has transformed dramatically and emerged as a modern entity with strong Confucian ties. This highlights seemingly marked generational differences. This study seeks to examine the generational differences as they pertain to homosexuality. It seeks to accomplish this objective by utilizing both survey results (N=45) from a convenience sample and interviews. While the primary purpose of this study was to examine the ideological differences which existed among older and younger Koreans, secondary independent variables (gender, religious affiliation, relationship status, and race) were also considered. Surprisingly, the study found that while there was a generational difference in views toward homosexuality, the difference was not statistically significant.
Keywords: homosexuality, Republic of Korea, United States, generation gaps
Topic(s):Sociology/Anthropology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 29-2
Location: VH 1412
Time: 10:00