Out &About

Published on November 2, 2007

The annual Bangkok Pride celebration will be more subdued this year, with no parade around the Silom area planned as in past years.

It almost escaped my gaydar, but this year's Bangkok Pride will go ahead as usual, starting with a bowling tournament tomorrow, and ending on Nov 11 with a party bash on Silom soi 2/1.

A friend of mine wondered if the lack of publicity surrounding this annual event was an omen that Thai brothers and sisters have returned to the closet after last year's coup. The answer would be hardly. If anything, the past year saw more gay rights progresses in this country than any 12 months before.

Having compelled the military to stop branding katoey as "mentally ill" in their crucial Sor Dor 43 forms, gay activists continue to push for retrospective corrections of years of damages. Our new constitution now includes non-discrimination based on sexual orientation, at least in spirit if not in letter.

The successful battle against Novotel's katoey ban also made international headlines. And now the law to allow transgenders the title of their choice is being debated by the National Legislative Assembly. Of course, there's a lot more to do, but these incremental steps are no small cause for celebration.

Usually Bangkok Pride would be the perfect time to wrap up a year like this. But despite last year's well-participated community fair and sports competition in Lumpini Park and a meaningful, beautiful Silom parade, this year's event will have neither. After talking to some of the organisers, it emerged that political uncertainty, coupled with the economic downturn, indeed put a brake on things, with sponsorship and cash scarce.

So virtually all that's left is a series of exclusive dinners and parties organised by gay bars and restaurants, which admittedly have much to gain from the weeklong "festival". Although parts of the proceedings will go to Rainbow Sky and Swing to help both organisations continue their Aids awareness efforts, it's lamentable that virtually everything free and community-inclusive has been scrapped. It almost makes the cynics among us call it Price Festival.

This is fundamental problem for Bangkok Pride, born not from a grassroots fight against homophobia but out of economic interests to promote Silom's gay-related businesses. (Despite some involvement of gay groups, it's usually the dollar votes that have the final say.) That's why, like a Frankenstein, it tends to have more muscles than soul.

With the thankless job of mediating between various interests, the beastly event also requires new blood infusion every year to replace the haemorrhage of burned-out volunteers. If not for a few die-hards who persevered at gluing the pieces together, it would have lost all shreds of meaningful existence long ago.

And now even the muscles are atrophied. Similar to government projects to make Bangkok the hub of this or the centre of that, Bangkok Pride's ups and downs closely follow economic boom and, at the moment, bust.

It would be easy to blame the business sector for Pride's shortcomings. But without them - and there are different opinions within the group - there would be no event at all. Instead, next time I will argue that it's actually the gay activists who need to do some serious soul-searching. Especially because the outgoing Pride organisers have reportedly reached a consensus that gay groups should form the core of organising committee for next year's event.

Is there any way to turn Bangkok Pride into a win-win event for all?

It's time to collectively think outside the box.

AYOR  

Suggestions are very welcome at ayor@nationgroup.com.