Homosexuality in Kurona

Homosexuality in Kurona has been one wrapped in controversy from Kuronans and the international community. Because of Kurona's strict conservative nature the subject has always been taboo.

History of Homosexuality in Kurona

In Kurona's early days Homosexuality wasn't techinically illegal nor legal. It wasn't on the books because it was such a rare practice. The conservative values of Kurona in a way made a defacto law.

However when the Homosexual and counterculture movements began to take place the issue became to light. The Cabinate comprised of an all Traditional Orthodox Catholic and Roman Catholic offically outlawed Homosexuality in Kurona. This came as a crushing blow to small homosexual communties around Kurona. Breaking this law could mean death or ejection and exile from the country. Many turned bisexual and married an person of opposite gender. Some left the country only to come back under a new gender. However thoes that came in under a new gender were exiled and put onto prison ships. Younger people (Bellow 18) were sent rehabilitation clinics to be deprogrammed and cleansed of their evil.

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During in the reign of Prince Mako Mikanu the debate regarding homosexuality arose again. Now the Cabinate was mixed of both Conservative Christians, Liberal Catholics, as well as Conservative and Liberal Shintos. A petion with over 35,000 signatures came to the Cabinate calling for legalalization of homosexuality and transexuality. Prince Mikanu offically started a debate on the subject however fillebusting, constant revision of bills, and seemingly endless debate Mikanu came with a compromise, to split the jurisdiction of legallity regarding the homosexual question. The infamous line set a 65 degrees Longitude divided the legallity of homosexuality. The line became famously known as the Mikanu-Dixion Line.

65th Line

The 65th Line (Aka The Mikanu-Dixion Line, Line of Tyrany and many more) was established following an endless debate as compromise. While the line didn't make too many people happy, Mikanu saw it as a temporary solution untill a real solution could be found. However this wasn't known and following his death his daughter as well as the cabinate have kept it intact. The line almost resembles that of a Demilitarized zone strictly guarded by the military and illegal to cross with the intent to preform homosexuality. People have died crossing this line but it is usually kept quiet. The law specifically states it is illegal to cross this line with the intent to perform homosexual acts and/or marriage. Thus all are subjected to a strict search and background check. Unfortunatley many guards go off of sterotypes and assumptions including the so-called "Gaydar" and will arrest anyone who posses such traits even if they are not gay. Penalty may varry by the incharge officer as well as pardons granted by the Princess or Advisor of Justice.

Issues

Unfair Treatment

Financial

Gays and lesbians may face extreme prejudice. It is perfectly legal for a person to discriminate a person in the case of housing or other methods. Gay and lesbian couples may be denied land purchase for faming or even be given double the mortage of straight couples. Again people will ask but many will go off the sterotypes. Some are either foolish or prideful enough to admit they are gay. A banker once lamented on methods to reject gay or lesbian couples:

Naturally we wouldn't think twice about the sexual prefrence if a married man and woman came to our office asking for a lone. But it would be pretty strange when two women or two men would. We would always look out for this and take advantage of the situation to protect our banks good name or to simply manipulate it in our intrests. With no laws to stop us, why should we treat these weirdo fags better than a straight one?

Some towns are known to charge gays and lesbians double in their stores.

Legal

Gay and lesbians are also known to recive unfair treatment under the law. While the Charter of Kurona does not gurantee equal treatment before the law, it's usually be a defacto practice. There are many cases of serious lawsuites, criminal allegations and other complaints being thrown out by judges when filed by a gay or lesbian person. Some cases of assault have even been dissmised. In an old case of Kursoawa v. Novotny a clear case of aggravated assault was not prosocuted because the judge had been tipped off that Himeko Kursoawa was a lesbian. In another case, Kamiya v. Ito, Tai Kamiya was convinced to drop his complaint of attempted murder against him because the defense attorney threatend to tell the judge and the court he was gay.

Kids in Homosexual Famlies

Technically under law Gay and lesbian couples can not adopt children. However they can take an abandoned child in, but the child is subjected to be put into another family at anytime. Children of homosexual couples are known to face persecution from peers and teachers. A former teacher admitted he purposefully failed a student because he had two mothers. Some kids have been known to be summoned daily to the principals office to copy verses from The Bible or to be deprogramed of "queer ways."

Marriage

Gay marriage isn't legal even in the west. While it is strictly illegal in the east thoes that do get together are civil companions and are listed as such. The ongoing question to legalize it contiunes to this day. There are justices of the Peace who will do it but these justices can face ridicule from their colleages.

Movements

There have been widespread social movments to reverse these effects. Including removing the 65th Line, allowing adoption and making laws to prevent the unfair treatment. People have become openly gay and encourage it. Film makers from Kurona have taken up the social commentary position in tell of the conditions that exist. The most famous film Into the West which starred the two proud lesbians in the pictures bellow, was a film about two lesbain girls trying to get to the west to betogether.

</div> </div> Chikane Himeko Kurusugawa and Chikane Himemiya the stars of the film are both lesbian activists. Although being credited under a diffrent name upon the international theatrical release they went under their own names for the home video release. Both have also marched and protested for the rights of Gay and Lesbians.

We do it because we feel right about it. It makes no sense to us to disapprove of homosexuality. It's like disapproving of rain. Chikane Himemiya

Both girls had to work their way through prejudice when they purchased their farm. Since then they have helped protect others from the unfairness of some bankers.

Well being a farmer and an advocate isn't easy, but it's worth it. Himeko Kurusugawa