HOME-GROWN HATRED
Kath Khangpiboon. Photo: Pawat Laopaisarntaksin
A piece of gay-related news this week began with the Austin bomber, who was allegedly behind a series of bombings in the past weeks and who blew himself up in a car as the police closed in. On his blog, the suspect wrote: "Homosexuality is not natural. Just look at the male and female bodies. They are obviously designed to couple."
Gay and transgender people still have a lot of things going against them, and not just from the twisted mind of the person mentioned above. Discrimination, prejudice, harassment, to downright transphobic violence, these problems are still prevalent, limiting the potential and opportunities in life. Professionally, many are looked down upon, and some are denied outright of the work they're qualified for.
And yet we're seeing a brighter picture this month with Kath Khangpiboon, who won her case against Thammasat University. In 2015, Kath was denied a position as a lecturer even after passing the screening qualification. This rejection was viewed as discrimination against transgender people, though the university later claimed it was due to the profanity that Kath posted on social media as the basis for their decision.
Kath sued the university. And after three years of fighting, she now emerged a victor following the court's judgment. She is expected to start her teaching job at Thammasat in two months (The university decided not to appeal).
While we celebrate her victory, it's best to remember that this problem unfortunately is something that rings true globally, persisting unyieldingly. Discrimination in employment and workplace remains one issue that continues to torment the transgender community around the world.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Earlier this month, Life went backstage to visit some of the transgender beauty queens competing for the title of Miss International Queen 2018 at Tiffany's Show Theatre in Pattaya. During our conversation, the ladies shared their perspective regarding transgender rights in their own country. And one of the topics that resonates worldwide is employment, or rather the lack of opportunity for transgender people to get hired due to discrimination and prejudice based on their gender on a professional level.
"We're not equal in the view of straight people," said Brazilian beauty Izabele Coimbra via an interpreter. She works for a modelling agency in Brazil. "I've been rejected from many casting jobs when people realised that I'm a transgender woman. They believe that hiring me would ruin the organisation's image."
"For many years, I was really sad about it. I felt as if I was born in the wrong place," she added.
This same problem also exists in the Philippines, according to Filipina beauty queen Carla Madrigal who noted that she was surprised to see, in Thailand, that many transgender women are able to work in restaurants, dressing openly in women's clothes. This level of freedom isn't really available in her own country.
"We're still struggling in the Philippines," said Madrigal. "Philippines is a Christian country, and people believe that there are only men and women."
She said that, right now, the country is pushing to pass what she termed a Sogie (short for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) Bill that would protect the right of transgender people.
"If we can pass that, we'll have the equality that we want, especially in the employment system in the Philippines," Madrigal said. Equal opportunity, for her, would mean that every individual receives equal chances to make the most out of their lives. In order to attain that, she views that education can play a crucial role at making people understand what gender diversity and transgenderism are about in order to eradicate misconception and prejudice in the country.
Looking over to one of the more progressive countries such as Australia, the representing queen said that there is always more room to grow in terms of acceptance towards transgender people, even in a progressive country.
On top of marriage equality, Australia also offers employment rights for transgender citizens.
"We do have rights to protect us," said Australian model Jacqueline, the show's first runner-up. "For one thing, you can't be fired for being transgender." Jacqueline is working within the hospitality and fashion industry in her country, and believes that the chance for people to get a job has more to do with the level of confidence they have, rather than their gender identity.
"No matter who you are, where you're from, or how you're born, if you have the confidence, you should try and you'll succeed at finding a job," she said. "It's achievable to have full-time work as a transgender woman. It's definitely possible and I'm a living proof of that."
A progress she'd want to see further in her own country, and eventually the world, is that no one would ever faze at the word "transgender", that the idea of transgenderism would be completely normal to everyone.
"For me, that would be the complete utopia of what the world could be," Jacqueline said.
ELEVATING VISIBILITY
March 31 marks the annual International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to celebrate the lives of transgender people and to raise awareness on the discrimination they still face.
For the second consecutive year, there will be an event held in celebration of the TDOV at Museum Siam. The event -- hosted by Museum Siam, Phayao Youth News Agency and TEAK Trans Empowerment -- will bring together performances from transgender artists, talks, workshops, exhibitions, and a transgender-friendly job fair under the theme "My Hope For Today And Tomorrow".
"We choose the theme hope in order for everyone in the community to remain hopeful for today and tomorrow that our lives will get better, that one day we shall have gender recognition law, a law to protect us from discrimination so we can be equal with everyone," said Kaona Saowakun, Thai transgender activist, co-founder and secretary of TEAK Trans Empowerment.
Highlights of this year's event include a photo exhibition by Naeree Photography and Nana Chen, which brings to light the imagery of transgender men and women that captures the essence of the transgender movement in Thailand. Talks will be going on during daytime, touching on the topic of non-binary people, elderly transgenders, and more. After sunset, there will be performances by artists such as Johnnifer from The Voice, Chinz from I Can See Your Voice, Tara Transitory and Nguyen Baly, Noey Taritsara, and a show by Sisters Cabaret from Pattaya.
From 1-4.30pm, the first transgender-friendly job fair in Bangkok will be held in support of the inclusion within workplace. Some of the confirmed companies that will be participating include Watashi Engineering, Krungthai Axa, APCOM Foundation and more. Don't forget to bring your resume if you're currently seeking.
"We intend to host this transgender-friendly job fair to raise awareness and challenge our community that there is discrimination in employment. Many people can't get a job because they are transgender, and some are faced with verbal harassment. We wish for the community and the society to realise this problem," added Kaona.
