Nachale Boonyapisomparn, a transgender woman and vice president of the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, said some laws need to be updated after the equal marriage bill is passed.
Nachale Boonyapisomparn, who spoke on the topic of” What after Thailand’s Marriage Equality” at the Bangkok Post inaugural Pride event forum on Wednesday, said such significant legislation calls for a significant update of numerous laws and cultural norms to keep up with the new legal environment.
For example, while the bill changes the legal term to “spouse” instead of “husband” or “wife, ” it still uses “mother ” and “father ” in the family section.
“ I am a transgender woman, under Thai law, if I want to have my own kid, I will still be a “father, ” Nachale Boonyapisomparn said. “ I don’t want to be a father in the relationship, I want to be a mother. ”
Nachale Boonyapisomparn applauds the new law, a success that came after 20 years of work, but acknowledges that more work is still to be done. Critical issues like legal gender recognition, access to hormone replacement therapy coverage, and gender-affirming care still need to be addressed.
Following the passage of the bill, Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an outreach representative from Bangkok Pride Youth and Global, expressed an overwhelming sense of being at a loss for words.
While recognizing this milestone, Ms. Plaifah also acknowledged the work that still needs to be done. “It is not just about marriage, it is about family, ” she said. Where will queer people live if only mothers and fathers exist? ”
Transgender woman Natthineethiti Phinyapincha, the founder of Trans Consulting Group, expressed her excitement over the fact that she and her partner are no longer required to relocate to the US to get married. She emphasized how crucial it is to bridge the gap between social change and economic impact by demonstrating the economic benefits of passing a marriage equality law.
“We are lacking data-driven evidence on why we need these policy changes for LGBTQ people, ” she said. “Once we have the data, we can help people understand that, wow, this is an opportunity, ” she said.
With more respected LGBTQ individuals in the workplace, she hopes to prove their presence can enhance work environments, challenging past perceptions of their credibility. When you realize how much workability you have within your field and in your area of expertise, Natthineethiti Phinyapincha said, you can really see how much workability you have.
This bill, according to MasterChef Thailand Season 3 celebrity chef Jitsak Limpakornkul, came too late because his partner passed away before they had the opportunity to get married. “ He would be happy, ” Jitsak Limpakornkul said.
I’m so happy for both the current generation and the upcoming generation, despite the fact that I would n’t have the opportunity to get this right. ”
Jitsak Limpakornkul faced numerous obstacles in planning the funeral because the couple was not married and he had no legal authority over his partner’s body after his passing. Additionally, he was unable to inherit his partner’s assets.
He claimed it took more than 40 years before his family finally accepted him.
You ca n’t expect everyone to agree on it, he said, which is the issue with equal marriage that we should have in Thailand. “Right now, it ’s more about education, it is all about action, to show them that what has been approved is actually benefiting everyone. ”
Miss Trans Thailand 2023, Paulie Nataya Paomephan, told the forum titled “Voice from Community ” that she is a panellist together with Jitsak Limpakornkul. She asserted that loving people is fundamentally about respecting other people as people. It transcends gender.
She urged people to support other people and put a focus on raising awareness of the value of equality of love.
“Do not forget to find time for yourself, love yourself more, ” Jitsak Limpakornku said. When you have your heart full of love, you can spread it to everyone. ”