SPEAKER:
Best Chitsanupong Nithiwana, Human rights defender and Co-Chair of ILGA Asia.

DISCUSSANTS:
Helena Berglund, Associate Prof., Department of Political Science, Stockholm University.
Yaya Godwiller, International Program Manager, RFSL.

Please rsvp here not later than 29 October, 2023.

While the struggle for transgender and queer rights, as well as their visibility in public space, work life, and civil society, previously seemed to be on a slow but nevertheless successful path, recent developments call for caution. A global backlash against LGBTQ-groups is now underway, and this seminar discusses the possibilities to counter this trend. This seminar will discuss transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse issues in Thailand, with particular reference to transgender youth. The presentation will focus on the work of the Young Pride Club, a trans and youth-led community from Chiang Mai, Thailand, working on both policy and digital advocacy, confronting the cultural representation and stereotypes of transgender people as well as the lack of legal gender recognition and its impact on TQs in Thai society.

Best Chitsanupong Nithiwana is a Thai human rights defender working for the rights of LGBTIQ+ youth and the founder of Young Pride Club in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is the co-chair and youth representative of ILGA Asia (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association), and has worked as a public information assistant consultant at the UN headquarters and currently resides in London.