Nightmare looms for transgender Thais at army draft: HumSub.TV
Nightmare looms for transgender Thais at army draft: HumSub.TV: A group of young transgender Thais sits together in women’s clothes behind rows of men, waiting for military officers to call their names and decide whether they must be drafted as soldiers.
“I was born male, so I must be here, as duty calls,” said Kanphitcha Sungsuk, 21, in a cream-colored dress, holding up a mirror to check her make-up and long black hair.
Many in Thailand complain of being treated as second-class citizens and the obligation to respond to the draft can be a nightmare when they turn 21.
“Most are stressed and worried that they will be undressed, stared at, or humiliated in public,” said Jetsada Taesombat, executive director of the Thai Transgender Alliance for Human Rights.
“Some are so stressed out they want to commit suicide to avoid conscription.”
Every April, Thai men who turn 21 must either volunteer to serve for six months or take their chances in a lottery, where a choice of black ticket lets them go home but a red ticket means they must serve for two years.
A conscript’s death following a beating by soldiers this week highlights the brutality of army life that many men want to avoid. Conscription can also mean serving in the south, where Muslim Malay separatists are fighting an insurgency.
Exemptions are made for those who are physically or mentally incapable. They are also made for transgender women, but only if they can prove that they are not faking it.
A doctor takes them to a private room, or behind a wall, to see whether they have undergone a gender reassignment process.
Those with physical alterations, who show “gender identity disorder,” are exempt from the draft and need never return, but those who have not undergone such changes must return for up to two more years unless an army hospital certifies they have the “disorder”.
Transgender women say the reference to a disorder stigmatises them, although the army has softened its description from the previous “permanent mental disorder” and says it has improved the way they are treated.
“The army is instructed to treat and respect transgender women as women,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ongard Jamdee, who is in charge of a recruitment center in Pasi Charoen, Bangkok.
Transgender women figure on television, in beauty pageants and at hair salons and cosmetics counters in Thailand. But they cannot change the gender designation on their identity papers, despite a 2015 law against gender-based discrimination.
Some transgender women told Reuters they had been told to leave women’s toilets so as to not “frighten” women.
“Society looks on and thinks we are accepted, but it’s actually not so,” said Khwan Suphalak, 23, adding that hotels had barred her entry over her gender. “We’re always treated differently.”
Nightmare looms for transgender Thais at army draft: HumSub.TV
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Introduction
HumSub TV is Pakistan’s leading forwarding-thinking, edutainment channel, aimed at promoting and upholding peace, interfaith harmony and social responsibility within Pakistan through informative and insightful programmes and documentaries; analytical interviews on issues pertaining to social, economic, legal and environmental set-up; dedicated shows to canvass and thereby promote the culture and heritage of Pakistan and in-depth coverage of national and international news.
HumSub TV is the first channel and thus a pioneer within its own right that mainly focuses on emphasising the “Rights” as well as the “Obligations” of the citizens in light of the Constitution of Pakistan, numerous International declarations signed by the Government and various laws that have been promulgated over the years but are not in the knowledge of the common citizen.
HumSub TV also aims to enter into bilateral agreements with other countries to promote not only their culture, heritage and tourism, but also their educational and medical facilities.
Following the successful launch of HumSub TV’s head office in Blue Area, Islamabad; the bureau office has been set up in Lahore.
Vision
To project positive image building of Pakistan and inculcate nationalism, as per the vision of the founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Mission
HumSub TV is resolute about the promotion of a pluralistic, inclusive and egalitarian society in Pakistan where all citizens are allowed to contribute to promote interfaith harmony, peace and collective wisdom in the social, political and economic development of Pakistan and to encourage critical and lateral thinking in the society. HumSub TV strives to make a positive contribution to this end.
HumSub TV’s Theme
HumSub TV, Pakistan’s first EDUTAINMENT Channel, has been set up for not only those audience residing in Pakistan or overseas but the international community on the whole. The vision of the channel is to project positive image building of Pakistan and inculcate nationalism as per the vision of the founder of the nation.
HumSub TV strives to make a positive contribution to this end by promoting pluralism, inclusiveness and egality in Pakistan and give voice to the suppressed. It endeavors to act as a positive catalyst for social change and Pakistani nationalism. It envisions providing a platform for airing critical and lateral thinking and collective wisdom by inviting positive minded intellectuals and opinion forming individuals for the promotion of interfaith harmony and peace in the social, political and economic development of Pakistan.
Whereas the channel airs upbeat edutainment programmes, it, nonetheless, has the primary objective of countering negative anti-Pakistan regional and international propaganda as well as advancing fundamental rights as encapsulated in the Constitution of Pakistan.
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