Contributor:
Ruangtup Kaeokamechun, Thailand
My name is Ruangtup Kaeokamechun, I identify as a queer lesbian and I do artivism work for child rights and taboo topics under the Hinghoy Noy organization as a founder and director.
My participation in the ILGA Asia 2022 conference can be described in three words: open, healing and connection. As founder of a local organization in Thailand, I am also a board member of the ASEAN Feminist LBQ network organization, which were taking a leading role in some sessions and activities at this conference. Hence, my reflection includes both perspectives from participant and observer.
I attended the following sessions:
- Making the Invisible Visible in Southeast Asia- Violence and discrimination against LBQ communities
- Monitoring& Making Linkages of Outcomes of Engagement with Treaty Bodies & UPR with SDG
- Violence and discrimination against LBQ communities
- Not breaking up – how LGBTIQ people across Asia are working to overcome the digital divide
- The Movement for Marriage Equality in Asia
- We’ll Walk with You: Welcoming and supporting parents as allies
- Feminist Resourcing in Asia
As a lesbian, I liked the session about Making the Invisible Visible in Southeast Asia- Violence and discrimination against LBQ communities the most because I could share and listen to others’ experiences in a circle with safety and health. Information from the process is vital to develop protection and security for mental health. Especially well-being programs and resources in nearly future for myself and the LBQ community.
On the other hand, as a person who works with children and through artivism, child online media. I enjoy participating in queer art sessions in the evening. Conversations with artists and audiences were beautiful and progressive in the LGBTIQNA+ rights movements. Also, I got many ideas to work with parents inspired by inspiring. We’ll Walk with You: Welcoming and supporting parents as allies’ session by OOGACHAGA, which shared the guidebook for the family to let parents understand their transgender children. I took all the information from the LBQ community and stories I could collect from the ILGA Asia conference to develop programs and activities for ASEAN Feminist LBQ Network and ideas to create media for communication to LGBTIQNA+ children and youth.
