Thailand Not the LGBT Paradise Most Believe It to Be, Say Activists

Although Thailand is regularly viewed as an LGBT-friendly paradise, in reality, gay and transgendered people living in the Southeast Asian country routinely face discrimination and still lack much of the basic rights that straight individuals enjoy, according to activists.

In Thailand, same-sex marriages are not legal and transgender individuals cannot change their gender identity on their ID or other documents.

On top of that though, a World Bank report found that LGBT people living in Thailand regularly face discrimination in many areas of daily life, from finding a job and education access to receiving healthcare and buying or renting real estate.

But while the LGBT community lacks some basic rights and often faces discrimination, there is also reason for optimism, especially when considering the public’s view of gay and transgender individuals.

In fact, 89% of would not mind if their coworkers were gay, 80% would not mind if they had a gay family member, and 60% are in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

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