South African Paul Heymans is the founder of OUT BKK, a non-profit organisation whose goal is to address the needs of the LGBT community in Thailand. In this exclusive interview, Paul talks to us about how his organisation started and the impact it wishes to create.
How did you end up living here?
I needed a break from my home country and decided to take a year to teach and travel. Little did I know I would still be here years later.
Why did you start OUT BKK?
It was originally a social networking group for LGBT locals and expats in Bangkok and beyond. It continued to grow every month and our "Bangkok for Orlando" fundraising event was what made me realise that we could make a huge impact here. I had no previous experience of running an organisation, but that did not stop me from tackling this project headfirst. It has been quite the journey so far - but one I am not even for one second regretting.
Photos: Out Bkk
What do you think about Thailand's tolerance for LGBT people?
Thailand has a reputation for being very open towards LGBT people. However, you'll see, on closer look, a distorted undercurrent. Not everyone enjoys the same tolerance and that is where the real problem comes in. For example, unfair employment opportunities for trans women forces many of them into the dark underbelly of Bangkok. And, of course, same-sex couples still can't legally marry here. There is still much to be done before we can truly call Thailand LGBT-friendly.
How do you plan to bring together LGBT locals and expats?
As a new organisation, it's very important to get them to know us and what we stand for. Therefore, we host at least one or two, sometimes three events every month where we focus on building relationships and bringing people together. This allows us to establish fantastic relationships with key figures within the LGBT community on local and international levels.
We have hosted events like "The Big Gay Picnic" at Lumpini Park. The most amazing rainbow burgers were made just for the occasion. We have also hosted two Margarita Madness events. With all of the events we host, we make sure that the venues are either owned by members from the LGBT community or are LGBT-friendly so everyone feels welcome. We have had many people joining our events that are not "out" yet and this gives them an opportunity to experience what the LGBT life is like, other than going to clubs.
What do you think are some of the biggest issues the Thai LGBT community faces?
HIV and AIDS will most probably be the number one issue. Thailand has a significantly high rate of HIV infections and a large percentage of that is within the LGBT community. As I have mentioned, there is also the issue of trans intolerance that we should all address. I do also think that many people in the LGBT community are not properly informed on the "T" within our community, and that's also something we need to change. How can we advocate for the acceptance of something if we do not even understand what it's about?
OUT BKK will play a big part in bringing Bangkok Pride back next year. How is it coming along?
We are absolutely ecstatic about it! We have a fantastic team working on this project, breathing life into something that has been in slumber for many years. OUT BKK has teamed up with local organisations like Rainbow Sky, Bangkok Rainbow, HIV Foundation and Queer Mango - to name a few - to celebrate the most important event of the community between May 15-20. We also have a large number of embassies involved as well, which we are also very excited about. We have already accepted AXA Insurance Thailand as our main sponsor. We are currently working on the activities programme and if anyone would like to host an event, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can't reveal too much about it yet but it will be a big treat for everyone for sure!
What kind of impact do you want to create with OUT BKK?
We would love to see a significant change in basic rights for LGBT people living here and we will continue to make it our mission to advocate for change. Thailand could become a beacon for LGBT acceptance in Southeast Asia and I would love to play a part in making that happen.
What does OUT BKK have in store for 2017?
We are currently working on a number of programmes. One of which will be a LGBT awareness programme within schools for both teachers and students. Another one we are working on for its launch in January is the Bangkok LGBT Business Network. Its purpose is to address LGBT issues within the workplace and to create a network for LGBT collaboration not just in Bangkok, but in Thailand and eventually, Southeast Asia.
Please keep an eye out for all of the upcoming events that will be posted on our Facebook page (http://fb.com/outinBKK). There are loads to choose from and to look forward to! We have a fantastic team on board and I am so excited to make a difference in the community.
