The Cambodian Center for Human Rights released a groundbreaking report on the 9 December titled "Coming Out in the Kingdom: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Cambodia."
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Rex Wockner
PinkPaper.com
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights released a groundbreaking report on the 9 December titled "Coming Out in the Kingdom: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Cambodia."
It says that LGBT Cambodians face unique challenges, including ostracism from their families and communities that often leads to economic hardship as well as discrimination by employers and authorities.
The report argues that the concept of homosexuality as understood in "the West" may not directly transfer to Cambodia.
"The Cambodian understanding of sexuality is derived from concepts of gender, character and personality," it says. "The focus on these character traits and outwardly visible characteristics instead of sexual orientation means that many Cambodians who are homosexual do not identify themselves as such."
Buddhism, the report says, generally tolerates homosexuality.
"Homosexuality, whilst seen as an oddity, does not attract the kind of aggressive reaction as can be seen in Christian or Muslim cultures," it states. "Buddhism itself places no value on marriage or procreation. Marriage and procreation are considered positive if they bring about love and respect, but may be deemed negative if pain or strife is caused. However, in Cambodia, cultural, social and economic pressures override Buddhist teachings on marriage -- family values are incredibly important and pressure is strong for sons and daughters to marry and have children."
"Sexual behavior amongst male youths may be seen as harmless experimentation, since women are expected to remain 'pure' until marriage," the report continues. "Youthful indiscretions may be forgotten or may continue unnoticed. However, eventually men are expected to marry and father children. Given traditional gender roles, women have less ability to pursue same-sex relationships than homosexual males, either privately or publicly."
"The risk of ostracism from a close family network and economic difficulties posed by living outside the family network may mean that LGBT persons do not live the lives they wish to or have to conduct homosexual relationships in secret," the researchers conclude.
Nonetheless, an LGBT community is emerging in the nation. A pride celebration, which includes workshops, movies, art exhibits and social gatherings, launched in 2003. Four hundred people attended the culmination of the events in 2009.
Pride organisers have formed an organisation called RoCK to support LGBT people and raise awareness among non-gay Cambodians.
A gay "scene" has developed in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
And "the Internet has allowed gay Cambodian people to connect to other gay people, thus raising awareness of a wider, global LGBT community and the possibilities of participating in this," the report said.
7 comments:
i think this special group of people should have a home or district to call their own like they have for san francisco the castro district, san diego the hillcrest district, los angeles the west hollywood district, etc... yes, i think the lgbt should have a district of their own to call home for themselve and their admirers, etc... it is wrong and unresponsible of gov't to ignore them and abandon them. there ought to be organizations to help them seek help, counseling and other related matter, etc... yes, everyone ought to help out to make a real difference. it is good to have diverse kind of people, not only it's good for the local economy, it will be good for tourists, businesses, etc... it's not like ignoring them will make them go away, you know! be acceptance and tolerant; it's their rights as well as anyone else, i think, because all over the world, this group of individuals do exist, whether you want to believe it or not, the reality is out there all over the world, you know! yes, it will take education to make everyone to understand, really!
Can! the faked behave themselves just like other? do sex act in the close dor not do it in publig like animal?????
Cambodia is a country with conservative culture! Can the LGBT respect the culture too, don't try to pretend they are Thai or white !
Act like a human and people will respect you! Act like dog we treat you like that!
i see business that generat income for local economy in cambodia. so, i say more power to them for born that way. hey, it's not just in cambodia they have lgbt, ok, it's all over the world, give them a break. go travel the world and see for yourself, ok! leave them be! it's good for the tourist and local economy, yes, think that way for a change, ok!
1:39 AM and 7:15 AM,
I think both of you are the same person and want to invite you to come to Cambodia to help speak on the behalf of these LGBT people so that the people of Cambodia have more understanding of them and stop being full of prejudice against them.
You can get King Father's help in raising the awareness to the people of Cambodia!
Prime minister Hun Sen! your lost your land and sea again, next time Cambodian border next to your home, Heng Somrin he lost his entire home village to Viet already but dare to say nothing, Chea Sim is too weak to say anything except prepare himself for judgement day, where is our belove king please get out from closet and give a big slap on Hun Sen face and say louder "why you gave my land and sea to Viet and punish my people hasss!"?, His majesty the king you can not stay in closet for too long, Cambodian are waiting for you to do something, you have no wife no kid must not afraid to die, you will be our hero king forever.
think business, please! no money no honey, ok!
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