The issue of Thai transgender women and the military draft

[the_future_modernes]

WARNING: Violence spoken of in article and pronoun issues. The Murder of a Transgender Lawyer in the UK and Transgender Rights in Thailand

Despite the visibility of transgenders in Thailand, there are few represented in professions and public life other than in the entertainment industry. An informal survey of Thai people indicates that almost all well known transgenders in Thailand work in the entertainment industry. There are few, if any, acting as courtroom lawyers, politicians or judges.

The Lawyer Act of Thailand does not forbid cross dressing, nor does it discriminate based on gender or sexual preferences. The code of ethics of Thailand Lawyers requires only that lawyers appearing in Court dress respectfully. There is no restriction as to cross dressing. Court personnel have indicated that transgenders can practice in Thai Courts as long as they dress respectfully.

Other aspects of Thai society are perhaps less progressive. Each year thousands of men are conscripted into the military and a certain proportion of those young men are transgendered. Traditionally, transgenders have been excluded. Unfortunately one of the main grounds for exclusion has been “permanent insanity” and “mental illness”. This designation was recently challenged by [WARNING: The article linked is by globalpost. I...am fairly sure that this article is not the most respectful ever, but unfortunately it is the most comprehensive I've seen on the subject so far. Comments are pretty good though as of now] Samart Meecharoen , a young transsexual or “katoey” as they are known in Thailand.MORE