Accepting LGBTs in Asia

Feb 06

Episode

Accepting LGBTs in Asia

How are activists making gains for sexual and gender minorities?

An LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activist participates in the Hyderabad Queer Pride parade in Hyderabad on February 3, 2013. AFP PHOTO / Noah Seelam

Wednesday, February 6 at 19:30 GMT:

In Asia, LGBT activists are changing attitudes towards sexual and gender minorities. In the past year, Taiwan had its first same-sex Buddhist wedding, Myanmar and Laos held their first gay pride parades, and now, Nepal issues IDs for a "third gender". What role has culture and religion played in changing mindsets towards sexuality and gender? And what challenges remain?

In this episode of The Stream, we are joined by:

Grace Poore, @IGLHRC
Program Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
iglhrc.org

Rosanna Flamer Caldera, @equalground
Executive Director, Equal Ground
equal-ground.org

Ienes Angela, @angelienes
Coordinator for Advocacy and Membership, GWL-INA

Jean Chong, @_sayoni
Founder, Sayoni
sayoni.com

Charlese Saballe, @chaonthego
Secretary, Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines
facebook.com/strap.manila

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

View the story "Accepting LGBTs in Asia " on StorifyAccepting LGBTs in Asia How are activists making gains for sexual and gender minorities?Storified by The Stream· Wed, Feb 06 2013 09:36:12In August 2012, a Buddhist cleric presided over Taiwan's first Buddhist same-sex wedding. 2012-08-11First! Buddhist style Lesbian marriage翰聲潘Taiwan was also the site of Asia's largest gay pride parade, which attracted more than 50,000 participants last year. Via Taiwan LGBT Pride:超過六萬五千人，至少二十三國同志參與2012第十屆台灣同志遊行 Over 65,000 ...facebook.com彩虹旗進場！引領遊行隊伍出發！facebook.comMembers of Vietnam's gay community held the country's first-ever parade for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) awareness.1st Gay Pride Vietnam 首屆同志プライド ไพรด์พาเรดburkhardleeNepal, known for its progressive stance on LGBT issues, has started issuing government-approved ID cards for people who are "third gender". The Stream covered this story in January:'Third gender' identityA Nepalese Transgender person attends the inaguration function of the First south Asian LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) spo...Nepal also hosted its first gay sports festival in October. The event was organised by the Blue Diamond Society, the country's leading LGBT advocacy group. Via @BDS_Nepal:#Olympic #diver #GregLouganis at the First South Asian #LGBTI Sports Festival last weekend in #Kathmandu. http://twitpic.com/b54pj8Blue Diamond SocietyNepalese gender minorities, however, are not without obstacles. Here, a Nepalese transgender woman describes the discrimination she faces in society.Via photojournalist Anya Vaverko:Transgender Rights in NepalnepaldocsWhile some parts of Asia are slowly opening up to the discussion of LGBT issues, others still have reservations.

For example, in Indonesia, 80.6 per cent of the population objects to having gays or lesbians as neighbours. According to a study by the Indonesian Survey Circle, that figure increased by 15.9 per cent since 2005.

RT @actuporg: This week: #Indonesia – New survey reveals 80.6% object to having #LGBT #neighbors, up from 64.7% in 2005 http://i.actup.org/WS3o0bMithya S

Many countries in the region still criminalise homosexuality and have laws that target and discriminate against transgenders.

This video, by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) LGBT caucus, explains how there are still many legal challenges faced by sexual and gender minorities. We Are ASEANASEANLGBT CaucusSingapore is one of six ASEAN countries that have laws criminalising LGBT persons. Section 377A of Singapore's penal code, which says that sex between men is illegal, is currently being challenged in court.Video via Pink Dot Singapore:PINK DOT 2012: SOMEDAYpinkdotsgDiscriminatory laws against LGBTs also exist in Sri Lanka. In 1995, a law criminalising sex between men was amended to include sex between women. Equal Ground, Sri Lanka's LGBT activist organisation has posted an online petition calling to repeal this law. Via Equal Ground:Repeal 365 Aequalground123