Global Roundup: S.Korea Court Says Misogyny is Hate Crime, Queer Black TV Drama, Malaysian Mothers' Citizenship Fight, Indigenous Women Weave to Heal, Palestinian Director Tackles Gender Equality

A women`s rights rally in Seoul. (Yonhap) via The Korea Herald

Activists in South Korea have hailed a decision by a South Korean court to recognise misogyny as a motive for a hate crime.

The ruling was made in connection to a case where a convenience store worker was attacked by a man shouting "feminists deserve to be beaten" because she had short hair.

The Changwon District Court on Tuesday upheld the assailant's three-year jail term -- and added a clause in its ruling that explicitly stated the crime was motivated by misogyny.

The assailant, who was in his 20s, committed the crime "based on unfounded hatred and prejudice against women, which constitutes a condemnable motive for the offence," the court ruled. The verdict cannot be appealed.

The victim lost hearing in her left ear after the attack and has been unemployed, according to activists supporting her.

So far, I personally have not seen cases where the court has explicitly identified misogyny as a condemnable motive for a crime, Many perpetrators claim, 'I don't hate women; I just hate feminists'.This ruling is significant because it clarifies saying things like 'feminists deserve to be beaten' is also rooted in misogyny. -Lee Gyeong-ha, the victim's lawyer

While South Korea is a leading technological power and major pop culture exporter, it remains a socially conservative society with a poor record on women's rights.

The country is currently grappling with a deepfake porn crisis, with the vast majority of the victims being young girls.

Women's activists in South Gyeongsang Province, where the crime occurred, described Tuesday's ruling as a "historic moment."

Misogynistic crimes that have not been adequately punished in court have reinforced gender stereotypes, hindered gender equality. -Lee Gyeong-ork of the Gyeongnam Women's Association