A safe shift Lea Lybecker hopes that the support from the state will make a gender change in Thailand both lighter and more safe. In the past, most Thai transgender people have received hormone therapy without follow -up from health professionals, which can be a significant risk. If you take too much of the hormone treatment, it can affect the liver and heart, among other things, and increase the risk of blood clots. The new support for transgender people may also have several other positive consequences, says Lea Lybecker. – Many transgender people suffer from what is called gender dysphoria. That is, an unpleasant feeling that your body does not fit the one you feel you are, and the gender you have. It can help a gender -affirming treatment, she says, adding: – Both the legislation that came in the last year and the new investment is an important signal from the upper part of society. It shows an acceptance and recognition that LGBT+people exist and are part of society. Hope for change Thailand is known to be a place where gender and sexual minorities can live safely and openly. The country experiences great acceptance above LGBT+persons, and, for example, plans to keep World Pride in 2030. A 2019 UN Development Program (UNDP) shows that 69% of those surveyed in Thailand, who do not identify as LHBT+person, have a positive attitude to LHBT+persons. But even though there are more flashes of light, this does not mean that Thailand is in goal. A report from Human Rights Watch shows that transgender people in Thailand are being bullied, mocked, and generally banned from society. For example, many transgender people are forced to dress after the gender they were awarded at birth, to be allowed to attend school. Some also feel that they do not get a job, because they are trans. It is also not possible to change legal gender on ID cards or in a passport in Thailand. This means that even if a person changes gender from man to woman, it will still be “HR”. In front of the person’s name in the passport. Nevertheless, the law that allows same -sex marriage, and the sum of money is set aside for transgender health, is creating hope for change, says Lea Lybecker. – What happens in relation to the population’s attitude towards such topics, and what happens to the government, is constantly affecting each other. This does not necessarily mean that the discrimination and marginalization will disappear, but it can at least send signals, leading to more steps in the right direction, she says.
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