MYANMAR

Myanmar Times  

Oct 2, 2017

ASEAN members have different standards and laws in dealing with the LGBT community, which includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand are among the most liberal when it comes to LGBT issues.

In Vietnam, the LGBT community enjoys more freedom than any other country in ASEAN. The government lifted a ban on same sex marriage in 2015 and is trying to end all forms of discrimination in the workplace and the rest of society.

However, one of the biggest problems is in the home, as many families still try to hide their children’s sexual preferences.

In comparison, Indonesia has stringent laws against the LGBT community due to its Islamic teachings and practices. Other Muslim countries such as Malaysia and Brunei hold similar values. Same-sex couples are not entitled to sign any legal documents or receive the same legal protection as different-sex married couples.

Early last year, LGBT people faced fierce opposition and verbal attacks in Jakarta. Indonesian authorities were also implicated in hate speeches that said LGBT rights are intolerable in Islamic society. Many human rights organizations have urged the Indonesian government to defend LGBT rights and publicly condemn officials who make discriminatory remarks.

Sodomy is criminalized and carries jail terms in Malaysia. In 1998, former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was imprisoned on charges of sodomy brought by his political opponents.

The Philippines is another country with a very liberal attitude toward LGBT people and is one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world. However, some members of its community still cannot find jobs easily due to discrimination in the workplace.

When it comes to Thailand, the LGBT community is the most active and dynamic and includes all kinds of sexual orientation. Prof Vittit Muntrabhorn, a leading Thai human rights lawyer, recently said that five key steps are needed to end discrimination and violence against the LGBT community.

He said these include lifting criminal laws that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and no longer seeing members of this community as suffering from a disorder.

Other key steps include giving all people the right to have their gender identity recognized on official documents, working with different cultures and religions to ensure inclusion, and ensuring children grow up with the ability to empathize with people of different sexual orientations and gender identity, according to Vittit.

ASEAN needs to get rid of this discrimination in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Its members still have a lot of work to do to eliminate violence and discrimination against the LGBT community.

Under the Philippines chair, it is hoped that ASEAN will give this issue high priority when discussing human rights.

(https://www.mmtimes.com/news/asean-has-more-work-do-lgbt-rights.html)