People should be free and beautiful

People should be free and beautiful Bangkok Pride Parade by Aleksandra Bankowicz The following is my statement on how Bangkok’s pride parade was an emotional outlet for so many who have to experience the daily struggle of their existence. It is difficult to summarize how much humiliation and daily suffering all of the representatives from different LGBTQ groups endure. Needless to say, they stand up for their rights and do not give up what they surely deserve - common respect and equal rights. The first Pride Parade in 16 years took place in Bangkok on June 5th, 2022. Representatives of many LGBTQ groups had their time and place along the centrally located Silom road. Misrepresented groups walked under one united umbrella, fighting for their basic rights. A single performance was made to take a strong stand against Russian atrocities and rapes in Ukraine. Inclusion was in the air. At the same time, the council approved implementation of the law that leads to approving same-sex marriages. However, these facts don’t represent the explosion of joy of this long-awaited celebration. To understand all angles, one has to take a closer look at LGBTQ communities in the country where “lady boy” became an awfully ugly sticker on all transgender persons, so numerous in the “country of smiles” (another misplaced metaphor). Even though accepted on many levels in Thailand, gender minorities keep being unrepresented and facing social and administrative rejection. What happened to th