Thailand to recognize third gender

[Nirish guy]

Courtesy of Gaystar news this morning........

New constitution will ensure protection for all sexual identities

Thailand's new constitution will recognize a 'third gender' for the first time, a move that has been welcomed by the country's large LGBTI community.
A panel hand-picked by the military government began work on the new constitution this week after the previous one was scrapped following a coup in May.
Panel spokesperson Kamnoon Sittisamarn yesterday (15 January) said the charter would ensure protection for all sexual identities and equal treatment under the law.
'We are putting the words "third gender" in the constitution because Thai society has advanced,' he told Reuters.
'There are not only men and women, we need to protect all sexes. We consider all sexes to be equal.'
The measure still needs to be formally approved by the ruling junta.
Thailand has a large and highly visible LGBTI community but society remains largely conservative. Parliament began debating gay marriage legislation in 2013 but the draft law was frozen after political protests broke out.
Activists welcomed the decision to include third gender in the constitution.
'It would treat all citizens equally and help to protect from discrimination in all areas including ease of doing business and also personal life,' said prominent gay activist Natee Teerarojjanapongs.

See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/thai ... H5d8k.dpuf (http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/thailand-recognize-third-gender160115#sthash.1zNH5d8k.dpuf)

[Brad the Impala]

Good news, I suppose, if it gives gay couples the same rights regarding registering a relationship and tax/inheritance as married couples. However Thailand is probably one of the countries that has least to learn in terms of "protection" for LGBT people.

Call me picky but there seems to be a suggestion that this "third gender", to be enshrined in the constitution, is seen to encompass all LGBT people, and that they are therefore not considered as men or women, who are the first two sexes. This seems a peculiar inversion of gay development which is that it is their right to be treated as equals legally whatever their sexuality, and are still individually men and women.

I may have misread this, and that this third sexuality is just intended for transexuals and/or transvestites. In which case where is the reference for gay rights?

[Nirish guy]

I totally agree with you there Brad - but I'm guessing the Government weren't actually thinking / intending this particular addition to be about "gay" rights but more about transgender ( ladyboy) rights now being taken into consideration and I think the "this is a good thing" statement from the LBGT spokesman was more just a general overview comment saying basically "well thats good, its about time they considered Trans / ladyboys in the constitution", but you'd like to think that elsewhere in this ( yet another) new constitution there are other protections aimed at sexuality rather than gender - one would HOPE anyway :-(

[bkkguy]

While GAYSTARNEWS claims on its web site to believe "the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender world needs and deserves quality journalism" they could perhaps turn to CNN for an instructive example on how the GSN writers and editors could improve their respective skills and help avoid the typical confusion surrounding sex, gender, gender identity and sexual preference such as poor Brad is obviously suffering from after reading the GSN coverage of this news story

CNN: Thailand's new constitution could soon recognize third gender (http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/16/world/third-gender-thailand/)

so give it a read Brad and see what you think then - the focus here is more on the "TI" rather than on the "LGB" part of LGBTI conglomerate of issues, and sorry to disappoint you Brad, according to CNN "Thailand does not have plans to legalize same sex marriages in its constitution"


However Thailand is probably one of the countries that has least to learn in terms of "protection" for LGBT people."

where do you buy your rose-coloured glasses from?

bkkguy

[Brad the Impala]

However Thailand is probably one of the countries that has least to learn in terms of "protection" for LGBT people."

where do you buy your rose-coloured glasses from?

bkkguy

Probably from the same store where you bought your blinkers! Meanwhile homophobic attacks continue in Europe, Russia and the USA. Homosexuality is illegal in most countries in Africa, and many in the Middle East, with punishments even as extreme as the death penalty or lifetime imprisonment.

[bkkguy]

so Thailand's "protection" of LGBT people by giving them no legal status and allowing discrimination and homophobic and transgenderphobic attacks at all levels of society places them where in the range of countries you listed?

most sexpats and sex tourists I talk to still see Thailand as a gay paradise where gay lifestyles and alternate sexual and gender identities are well accepted but most Thai gays and transgenders I know have a very different idea and would by far prefer the "protection" offered by most of Europe, the UK, the USA and Australia and even a few African countries!

bkkguy