美国国家公共电台 NPR--South Korea's supreme court rules on legal transgender recognition

South Korea's supreme¹ court rules on legal transgender recognition

Transcript³

In a victory for LGBTQ rights, South Korea's supreme court ruled that transgender people have the right to change their legal sex status, regardless of whether they have underage children.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

South Korea has been a democracy for more than three decades. Now, despite this, some minorities, including sexual minorities, are still battling for basic rights. From Seoul, NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports on a small but important legal victory for the country's transgender population.

ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE⁴: South Korea's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that transgender people cannot be denied the right to have their legal sex status changed solely⁵ on the grounds that they have children who are minors⁶. The ruling was in response to a 2019 case of a woman whose bid to change her legal gender² status was denied by a family court and an appellate court because she had underage children.

Kim Kyeoul was the head of the Seoul-based civic⁷ group Transgender Liberation Front.

KIM KYEOUL: (Through interpreter) I can't say the ruling is perfect. But the judges' opinions made me think that the court is at least aware of the difficulties that transgender people experience.

KUHN: The court's ruling applies only to single transgender parents with children who are minors, not those who are married with children. Kim also points out that South Korea has no law on legal gender recognition, and the decision is often left to the discretion⁸ of court judges. The ruling, though, says transgender people have the right to have their gender identities legally recognized. It's part of their constitutionally guaranteed right to pursue happiness. The ruling adds that a legal change of sex status is just a piece of paper. It doesn't fundamentally change parents' relationship with their children.

TOM RAINEY-SMITH: It also suggested that by allowing legal gender recognition, it can lead to a more stable family life.

KUHN: Tom Rainey-Smith is a gender rights campaigner with Amnesty International Korea. He says his group has called on South Korean authorities to drop abusive requirements for legal gender recognition.

RAINEY-SMITH: When an individual is considering applying for legal gender recognition, you have to consider the fact that you may undergo forced sterilization⁹. You may be forced to undergo surgery you do not want.

KUHN: Kim Kyeoul notes that South Korea has highly regarded national health insurance, but it doesn't pay for sex reassignment surgery or related medical care. Kim says it can be hard for transgender people to come up with that money themselves.

KIM: (Through interpreter) Because their legal gender doesn't match with their perceived gender, they find it hard to get decent jobs. So we need an anti-discrimination law that prohibits discrimination based on appearance.

KUHN: Civil society has pushed for an anti-discrimination law for more than a decade, but conservative politicians and religious groups have successfully opposed the law's passage. Kim Kyeoul says that while many obstacles remain, the ruling gives her hope that South Korea is making slow but steady progress.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

6 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

8 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

9 sterilization   

n.杀菌，绝育；灭菌

参考例句：

• Sterilization by filtration is subject to one major theoretical limitation. 过滤灭菌具有一个理论上的局限性。 来自辞典例句
• Sterilization is a treatment that frees the treated object of all living organisms. 灭菌处理是从处理对象排除一切生活的生物。 来自辞典例句