A shocking incident has recently occured. The largest female-dominated online community in the country has sparked controversy by secretly taking and posting photos of Korean and foreign men, sharing content that demeans them as sexual objects.
On the 15th, Maeil Business Newspaper reported, "In an online community with 840,000 members, nude photos of foreign men were posted and sexual harassment occurred."
This is not the first time such an incident has been reported. In 2021, it was reported by a few media outlets that numerous Korean men were illegally photographed and sexually demeaned in a female-dominated online community. However, South Korean media outlets and politicians remained silent.
This time will likely be no different. They will remain quiet as if nothing happened. Politicians will also keep silent, fearing a loss of 'female votes.'
Let's imagine if this incident had happened in the opposite scenario. What if a male-dominated community had secretly taken photos of women, posted them, and demeaned them as sexual objects? Numerous media outlets and even politicians would have all jumped in to get involved.
This is the reality of South Korea in 2024.
Issues from Social Perspective
The double standard in female-dominated online communities presents a significant problem. While they criticize the sexual objectification of women, they simultaneously demean men as sexual objects, which has drawn criticism for being hypocritical. This creates social unfairness and calls for serious reflection on our perceptions and attitudes.
The Reality of Sexism and Sexual Harassment
Members of this online community have made sexual evaluations of Korean and foreign men, discussing their appearances and genitals in obscene terms. Such behavior is a typical example of sexism and sexual harassment. This should be recognized as a very serious social issue, far beyond personal defamation.
Issues from Legal Perspective
This action can be punished under the Information and Communications Network Act and the Stalking Punishment Act. However, legal measures alone are not enough to resolve this issue. Along with legal measures, there needs to be awareness and education because sexism and sexual harassment are not just personal issues, but serious social problems.
First, we must eliminate the double standard behavior, where strictness is applied selectively based on convenience. Moreover, politicians should not remain silent out of fear of losing votes. They should proactively address these issues, criticize them, and work towards a more just and inclusive society.
