Paravee Argasnoum — Being a young trans queer activist in Thailand
This is the third in a six part series featuring interviews with Thai lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists and allies on their motivations, the issues that concern them most, their views on progress to-date and looking ahead.
Paravee Argasnoum (Evan), 19, is a young trans and gender-nonconforming activist in Thailand. He represents the new generation in LGBTI activism. As a trans queer youth, it is his genuine passion and personal experience that drives him to advocate for the rights he wishes to see in his country. Evan is a remarkable writer and also an active participant in LGBTI activities. Although he may be young, his interventions at forums organized by local and international non-governmental organizations have been impactful. He is confident that his voice can have significant influence on the LGBTI movement and Thai society more broadly.
You’ve just entered university as a freshman, what inspires you to be an LGBTI activist on the side? How does it make you feel?
Evan: The inspiration comes from my very own personal interest since high school. It was the time I came to the realization that my gender does not conform to the mainstream. I used social media as a platform to enter the field. Although I had a limited amount of experience, I became an active member of the Non-Binary community group. When opportunities knock at my door, I answer them.
It definitely has been a great experience and has provided me with lessons outside of a classroom. For me, life is more than just taking and reading notes to answer in quizzes. Working as an activist gives me opportunities to be myself with no shame and express my ideas that I believe are good and beneficial for the future of our society.
It makes me feel worthy as I am working for myself and people who are like me. I feel proud to be a voice for young LGBTI people in Thailand providing support and inputs from a youth perspectives to organizations working on these issues. The majority of activists are adults and that fact may lead to issues faced by young LGBTI persons being underrepresented. There should be more people of my generation who actively engage and contribute to the development of society.
“Working as an activist gives me opportunities to be myself with no shame and express my ideas that I believe are good and beneficial for the future of our society.”
There are several aspects to LGBTI rights and issues, which of them do you prioritize and why?
Evan: I would start with something fundamental which is the general acceptance of LGBTI people. I want the perception of them to be positive, for them to be taken seriously and treated as ordinary humans. Members of society need to be aware that LGBTI people are not for comedy value and deserve respect. I can give you an example of what needs to be changed. In a quite recent national entrance exam, one of the questions was regarding how to appropriately treat a friend who meets transgender woman criteria. Two of the multiple choices answers were: a) convince her to become heterosexual, and b) take her to play football. This is not what you teach the new generation.
Another issue that I have been particularly involved in is gender-neutral toilets. It is important because we use toilets everyday and should feel safe and not discriminated against. Having unisex toilets also can benefit non-LGBTI people. Not long ago, I saw a woman with a father who clearly needed assistance struggling to choose which bathroom to use at a mall. Think about it — should she bring him into the ladies room or bring herself to the gentlemen’s room? This might not be a regular case for the majority of people but the minority should not be overlooked. We need bathrooms that have no gender.
“I want the perception of them to be positive, for them to be taken seriously and treated as ordinary humans. Members of society need to be aware that LGBTI people are not for comedy value and deserve respect.”
What have you achieved that contributes to significant changes in this field?
Evan: I write a lot online. The feedback I have received is mostly positive. I hope for my stories to inspire and empower LGBTI people. Body positivity, for example, is the kind of awareness I am raising. I want everyone, especially transgender people, to feel comfortable and positive about their own skin. The stereotype that’s usually misunderstood is that trans have to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. That’s not true. Anyone can be trans. It’s not always about the body but also the mind. You can be a trans man without a mastectomy. There is also a ridiculous expectation that trans men have to look exactly like men with hulky muscles and trimmed beards, and trans women should have supermodel bodies and be more an 100% feminine. I use my body to raise the right awareness. I am a trans man and I will wear pink or be called “flower boy” with pride.
Additionally, there have also been occasions at university where I get to educate my classmates and professors about transgender people. I study English literature and somehow trans issues come up. I speak up and explain from experience. One of my papers focuses on LGBTI laws and policies in Thailand and everyone was keen to take notes and further discuss. The class may be small but I’m sure those who have learnt from me will correct those who understand it inaccurately in the future. That’s an effective form of advocacy.
“The stereotype that’s usually misunderstood is that trans have to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. That’s not true. Anyone can be trans. It’s not always about the body but also the mind.”
You’ve previously said that being an LGBTI person in Thailand has an impact on your mental health, can you please elaborate on that?
Evan: This goes back to when I was in secondary school. Asking myself who I was, it was pure confusion. I still remember the feeling of alienation and isolation very well. Depression grows out of the environment you are in. For me, at school, I was surrounded by people who were insensitive and showed no respect and effort to understand me. Bullying and harassment became my phobia, to the point where if my friends called me by my given name, my mood would fall off the cliff for days.
Parental rejection was another source of my unbearable anxiety. I knew that not everyone in my family would come to terms with my gender identity and sexual orientation. My grandparents who are traditionally conservative would change the topic when I mentioned the words ‘hormone’ or ‘mastectomy’ and it hurt. I also got agitated when my dad repeatedly asked me uncomfortable questions, ones that he already knew the answers to, such as ‘what is trans?’, ‘why do you want to become a man?’, ‘aren’t you okay with what you are?’ Depression enabled itself to be part of my identity.
Fortunately, I am now getting the counselling that I need. I felt safe and protected because I was accompanied by a friend who studied counseling psychology and also works as an LGBTI activist. My gender and sexuality were brought up but it was only a necessary part of the diagnostic procedure. It is all positive. I am not only supported by the LGBTI community, but also my friends and family members are making efforts. Of course, it takes time but one day it will all pay off.
Being LGBTI in Asia is a regional programme aimed at addressing inequality, violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status, and promotes universal access to health and social services. For more information on Being LGBTI in Asia, visit: http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/operations/projects/overview/being-lgbt-in-asia/.
Note: Using a preferred gender pronoun is one way of showing respect and acknowledging a person’s gender identity. Throughout this series, care has been taken to ensure that the preferred gender pronoun of interview subjects has been used.
