It looks like your finger got stuck on the keyboard. But LGBTQQIPSA++ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-spirited and asexual. More identities are waiting in the wings such as gender fluids, agenders, bigenders, nonbinaries, ace spectrums and demisexuals. Not to mention the autogynephiles who are apparently sexually stimulated by just now and again wearing female clothing.
Thailand stands ready to welcome more gays to get married or enjoy themselves long and short term. But the language can’t really deal with the complexities of alphabet soup even though there is a term for gay lingo namely “saeng ke”. None the less, the immigration bureau is doing its best to help. Police major general Choengron Rimpadee said that discrepancies between the photo or gender marker on the passport, compared with actual appearance at check-in, need not be a problem as biometric data could still prove your identity.
Gay alphabet soup has its strong supporters in the civil rights movement. The more inclusive the definitions become, goes the argument, the more broader society will understand just how many non-traditionalists there are. Eggs Benedict, who heads up a small group representing the interests of transpeople in Pattaya said, “Same sex people travel to different personal destinations and deserve to be included.” She added that not all transpeople are gay in the traditional sense.
The Thai government has its own standpoint far removed from soup of any kind: to get a bigger share of the 200 billion dollars revenue which represents gay travel internationally. The hope is to create more jobs in the hospitality industry and to raise the gross domestic product by 0.3 percent. From early next year, same sex marriage will be an option. Thailand won’t make the mistake which Taiwan originally made by banning foreigners from the nuptials. All are welcome from day one as long as you are at least 18 and have cash a-plenty.
Activists say alphabet soup in Thailand is in reality irrelevant as nobody gives a damn. As Kent Murdock from Thai Gay Lobby puts it, “It’s just silly trying to fuse sexuality, genders, fetishes and preferences into one huge caravan of collective identity. We should be concentrating on practical issues such as discrimination in employment and gay bashing.” In other words, take alphabet soup off the menu.
