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17 Nov 2006

an issue of pride

One of the most important key missions in having a gay pride parade is to create societal acceptance. But some Bangkok gay residents are resistant to accepting the event themselves. Fridae's Bangkok correspondent Vitaya Saeng-Aroon writes.

This article is written in reponse to Douglas Sanders' column ''bangkok pride: together and more local'' published on November 13. Click here to read article.

For more photos of Bangkok Pride 2006, visit www.pridefestival.org.
"You mean, the extravaganza at Silom?," Yo, a 28-year-old Thai university lecturer exclaimed when asked if he had attended any of the Bangkok Pride festivities held early this month.

"I attended one of the events a few years ago. It's fun but I'm not sure if other people, I mean, the mainstream straight people truly get the point of it."

"What do you mean?" I urged.

"It's fun to see the colourful costumes and the outrageous street performances but I'm not sure if this is the way to convince mainstream society to accept gay people. What we are showing them in the parade does nothing but reinforce the negative perception people already have in their mind about gay people. So what's new?" asked Yo, who says he is out to his family and friends about his sexuality, but not at his office.

I told him that it's simply a kind of rally or 'street show' to remind the public that gay people exist, and that the spectacle of the participants' dramatic outfits is simply to draw people to the parade.

"I just wish they could come up with something more meaningful. Since the parade is usually full of half-naked men and gyrating marchers in freaky dress, how can that make others accept us based on that perception?" Yo asked.

For some local gay men and lesbians, the gay parade which is typically held on a Sunday annually since 1999 simply does not feature in their things-to-do list.

"It was held last week?" Pong, 32, an office worker, shouted, insisting he liked to see it.

He cited that many years ago, he and his friends would call each other up a day before and make it a point of meeting earlier to get a good spot on the streets.

So I made sure that he remembered the gay parade of Bangkok, and how it was not a three or four-hour long affair in other major cities since they do not close the street proper for the parade.

In Bangkok, the parade usually wraps up in less than an hour under the urging of police who would wave, whistle, and hurry marchers so as to not hold up the busy streets.

For Eddie, a young gay man who has just turned 21, he said that he had heard about the gay parade but was not motivated to see it himself. A frequent patron of a gay bar outside the popular gay district of Silom, he felt that he could not relate to the Silom scene nor to the parade.

"I saw some pictures from recent years. Most of them dress up like women and I do not like to dress like that. I think many look fine in the dress, but some of them look very scary. Really!"

When I asked Eddie if he knew why these gay people were motivated to join the parade in the street, he said, "I guess they just want to have fun?"

Pong once overheard his co-workers talking about the parade and the subject of the participants' choice of outfits came up. "They asked if the marchers were gay men who enjoyed dressing up as women, and if they had nothing to do than to show that off in the streets?"

He added that his colleagues might have thought that most of the marchers were bar workers or katoeys (a Thai word refers to transgenders).

Although Pong's office building is right in the center of Silom's gay scene, he says that the recent parade which he had forgotten about, is "something most local gay people wouldn't mind missing" as they do not feel any "pride" in the Pride events.

读者回应

1. 2006-11-17 20:35  
This is a pretty accurate report. How sad that in one of the most tolerant places for gays and lesbians, the apathy and lack-luster response is typical. Perhaps this is the way of the Thai culture, or is it inevitable that only a tiny minority sees the significance of Pride?
2. 2006-11-17 20:42  
Why do you think the mainstream think of us as freaks?
Becos thats what's represented at gay prides!
3. 2006-11-17 20:48  
i've seen some pride marches where half naked men rim each other in public. it's disgraceful and does nothing to help in civil rights. some parades are more of OTT performances than anything else and while the more placid one in BKK might have drawn attention to the queer spectacle, how much of it would persuade the moral majority (although i understand that BKK scene is great, i'm sure they have their limits as well)?.
4. 2006-11-17 21:20  
Gay right movement! Do most Asian gays know what we are standing for? How the gay right movement began? Why do we walk? What rights do we have? Or just adopting the movements from the Westerns?
5. 2006-11-17 23:30  
"I just wish they could come up with something more meaningful. Since the parade is usually full of half-naked men and gyrating marchers in freaky dress, how can that make others accept us based on that perception?" Yo asked.

I agree with Yo's statement here.

justcutehere, as an expat in your wonderful country, I certainly hope that Asian gays do not adopt all movements from Westerners. As a teacher, I have always taught others to maintain their own identities, do not lose their own culture but also do not be afraid to embrace positive ideas from the world around you. As an 11 year Asian resident, I have adopted many cultural traits that my family and friends in my native country think strange. My only hope is that here in Thailand the gay community can find acceptance in their own way, whether it be a quiet passive acceptance or a loud agressive presence. I have too many friends here who would be banished by their families if they had any idea. (I have many friends on the other extreme as well.)

Cheers.
6. 2006-11-17 23:53  
Well the cross dressing surely promotes stereotypes. Why not something more universal like marching bands and commorative floats? Gay people have interests in horses, why not parade on them? Gay people have interests in classic cars, why not drive them in the parade? Few of us are into the same old tired sight of ugly flamboyant transvestites with musclemen. It is so old and tired and no source of pride to me to see the celebration of crossdressing. Men and women who celebrate the crossOVER into the rest of society will see acceptance. Celebrate our similarities, not our differences.
7. 2006-11-18 09:32  
Great! It would seem to me that there are more gay people who are NOT cross dressers and NOT transvestites, who are willing and passionate about showing up in a gay pride event this part of the world. Perhaps, they can try doing something for it as well.

It is so easy to say who's doing what wrong, but hey, take personal responsiblity and ownership. Contribute your thoughts and actions and be counted. As much as some do not think the people on the parade represents the "gay" people, these same "gay" persons are not showing up to be counted, to begin with.
8. 2006-11-18 11:28  
Listen to you.
"THEY are not US and so THEY should not be seen"
you all sound like straight people talking about gay people.

I LOVE pride. I love seeing a whole DIVERSE range of who WE are being expressed in parade. If you're not being represented, GO MARCH AND REPRESENT YOURSELF. If anyone accuses the parade of being too "Western" remember that that is the SAME bullshit that our governments tell us about being gay in the first place. Being gay is 'too Western.'

In addition, consider that the people in the parade that you speak of are trans? Don't trans people also get to be visible? Even if they are 'just' crossdressers, what the hell is wrong with crossdressing? Why does it offend your sensibilities? Does it threaten your manhood? Since when did colour, festivity, feathers and fun become so offensive to us?

In addition, I am so tired of downplaying our SEXuality just so that we can 'get acceptance.' Gays have Gay Sex, and we know it. It is one of the primary ways that we are differentiated from straight people. Do we want to be accepted for LYING about what we do in bed? Or for hiding it so we can be 'normal'?

We are all beautiful, and we are DIVERSE, and damnit I'm Asian, born and bred in Asia, and I love my sexuality and I love people who are different from myself, and I love watching them MARCH in my name, flaunting their glitter and glam while I wear my slacks and t-shirt cheering.

In the meantime, I have no desire to placate straight people, and a gay movement that does is pretty shameful to me.
9. 2006-11-18 12:42  
Yes, dysk-tonic that's the spirit. The spirit of diversity is however also allowing everyone to have their point of view and expressing themselves sensibly.

I don't think it is such a crime to think a certain presentation does not represent oneself, and i'm not about to be so politically correct and insist that festhers/leathers/glitters are fabulous in ALL the hours of the day and in ALL places. Face it, its just an expression.

If some people don't like it, then they should bring their view of how things should be balanced on to the table. Do something, actively participate and make the changes that they like to see. If its more normal gay man on floats of unspectacular designs, or fully clothed gay people holding up posters calling for equailty, gay rights, etc. Then just do it. Let these gay people who feels, not represented come forth and represent themselves, show up and be counted!

There is no divide, just inaction. There is no shame in wanting to be who we are regardless of our expressions, be it in larger-than-life profusion of colors in our costumes or just plain and simple showing of a real face.
10. 2006-11-18 13:54  
As a new gay visitor to thailand i must agree with some of the coments,in some respects silom gives a bad impression sleezy .If we want to be accepted we need to show a different image like most of the gay people in bangkok that we are the same as the straight people not two headed monsters dressed in drag.
11. 2006-11-18 17:52  
Those who decry the ones who have the guts to walk down the street and declare to everyone who and what they are should take a good look in the mirror.

Unless you are out of the closet, out to your friends and family, and are such a great role model of a gay person, then you ought to reserve your comments until you have half the balls to do what the Pride marchers are doing.

And if you do, then march alongside them to show the world that there are "normal" gay people like you, just as there are colorful, fun, brave, flamboyant gays and lesbians.

We are all family, and it takes all of us to show the world who we are. If you don't play your part, you're simply invisible - so stay that way.
12. 2006-11-18 18:04  
No surprise that people like mcoopers9 and polkt don't even show their face on fridae.

Guess they feel they can fit into the straight world better that way. It's more "representative" of them...to be invisible and silent.
13. 2006-11-18 19:35  
Sad to hear the negative comments. In all homophobic societies those closest to the negative stereotypes have led the way out.
Gay guys who do not see themselves as female-like stereotypes, and who would like a more athletic, masculine or "regular-guy" looking parade need to attend.
Your attendance would help break the stereotype. You know the gay community is diverse. If you want to educate society, you must attend the parade so the parade can change over time.
14. 2006-11-19 10:22  
Who cares about being openly gay? I am comfortable the way I am so whats this deal about flaunting it openly in gay marches.

When I was in my late 20s, marching alongside Sydney Gay Leather Pride during Mardi Gras was an annual affair. It was no doubt fun. Now I am back in Singapore, there are more important things to focus on, like bread and butter issues....

And by the way, what do people do after the pride march on Oxford street at Mardi Gras? Take drugs, get high and wake up in someone else's bed...so much for the cry of acceptance.

15. 2006-11-19 23:24  
'nuf said
16. 2006-11-20 00:46  
This discussion makes a lot of sense if we are talking about pride parades in general but I suspect there's something different with the situation in Bangkok. Although the pride festival started in the late 90s, it has always been organised by the (non-local) Silom area bar owners until this year; and for the longest time, the people marching were the staff and performers at those said bars. If people don't already realise it, the Silom bars are not well-patronised by local gay men for various reasons. That being the case, why would local gay men march at the parade if they don't feel a sense of ownership or belonging. The way I see it, there's a lot more that is not being articulated and it's not just about being outnumbered by cross-dressing men.
17. 2006-11-20 04:23  
I read with interest about BKK Pride perspectives. I am a "farang"---an American. I can relate to this view stated by Vitaya Saeng-Aroon. Worldwide,the avergae "Gay" person is hardly the parading drag queens and leather boys. The average gay person is made up of the well groomed spectators behind the sunglases lining the streets to amuzingly oberve the parades. The parades here in the USA, as well as in other countries, do carry the danger of enforcing the stereo-types that gays are outrageous dragsters. The parade is "fun"...but does not help the cause for opening the eyes of straights re: a healthy, normal images of gays who make up the majority of "our" population. Celt-USA
18. 2006-11-20 11:18  

Those who don't like the flamboyance - DO SOMETHING then! Try organising your own parade where everyone walks down in plain clothes - talking about bread and butter issues.. That way no negative stereotypes about gays.

If you want a cause - then organise a political march - no need for dressing up then.
19. 2006-11-20 21:23  
How fantastic that in addition to having the straight world at large oppress us, we can tear ourselves to shreds over the question of whether Bangkok Pride presents an appropriate image of us.

Pride parades, as fun and empowering and wonderful as they can be, are just one moment of shaping others' perceptions.

More powerful moments occur every day in our lives as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people as we interact with our friends, families, colleagues, and neighbors:

-What is our own self-image and how do we project that to others?
-How open are we about our sexual orientation and to whom?
-How supportive and caring are we to others in our community who are unable or not yet ready to be as open as ourselves?

There is no one right answer, no one right way to be, no one right degree of being out. We each must make our own journey, and respect that we are all at different points on that journey.
20. 2006-11-20 21:38  
A parade is supposed to be fun. That's why you see people dressed in funny and bizarre costumes!
Who wants to see normally dressed gay people? "Oh look, it's the gay lawyers of Bangkok! Wow! the gay computer geeks of Bangkok!" I'm sure people would love to see gays in business suits parading on the street.
Wake up already!
21. 2006-11-21 13:21  
So, sad...

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