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#Thailand Is Not the LGBTIQ+ Paradise We Think It Is!
#WhatsHappeningInThailand The struggles of LGBTIQ+ persons in Thailand are more than real. They face discrimination in many areas of their lives including recognition of their identity, education, career, their love lives, and even healthcare! đŁ Share this with your network to spread the word about #WhatsHappeningInThailand!
Even though Thailand hosts one of the largest LGBTIQ+ communities in Asia and is seen as the âLGBTIQ+ Paradiseâ, it still has a long way to go in terms of embracing this community socially and legally. Fundamental rights of LGBTIQ+ people are not fully recognized and they are not treated as #EqualHumanBeings! For example, marriage in Thailand is still defined as only "between a man and a woman", effectively outlawing same-sex marriage!
The realities have gotten worse with our current digital age, where LGBTIQ+ persons become targets of transphobic harassment and cyber-bullying insulting their gender identity and sexual orientation. Such attacks on their dignity have a deep impact on their well-being and mental health. Nobody deserves such treatment for simply being themselves and following their heart!
LGBTIQ+ persons also face degrading treatment when they try to get quality healthcare, find a job, or even renew their passports! They become targets of religious dogmas even within their families... and we wonder what is the Thai government doing? It has failed to put in place a comprehensive approach to recognize nonstandardized and non-binary sexual relations, gender identities, and expressions. It has failed to protect the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, including LGBTIQ+ Youth and Children who particularly suffer from mental health issues that even deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
đ On 10 November 2021, Thailand will undergo its 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) â a comprehensive review of its human rights record where it will be held accountable for its human rights violations in front of delegations from the whole world. Each UN Member State, each individual country, can make recommendations to Thailand to improve the human rights situation on the ground. The Thai government will accept or note those.
đŁď¸ We call on Thai authorities to:
âď¸ Recognize the right to family of LGBTIQ+ people;
âď¸ Adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law that prohibits discrimination on all grounds;
âď¸ Ensure that LGBTIQ+ Youth and Children have access to adequate, available, and good-quality physical and mental health services;
âď¸ Ensure all persons have the right to the recognition of their gender identity!
#VoicesOfThailand âđ˝ To support the initiative, Manushya Foundation and Young Pride Club have prepared the UPR Advocacy Factsheet on the Situation of LGBTIQ+ Persons, including LGBTIQ+ Youth & Children to tell the world the truth.
đđź Access the UPR Advocacy Factsheet on the Situation of LGBTIQ+ Persons, including LGBTIQ+ Youth & Children here.
đđź Access all the UPR Advocacy Factsheets on #WhatsHappeningInThailand here.
đđź Learn more about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) here.
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