Thailand award ceremony honours champions of LGBTI advocacy

Thailand award ceremony honours champions of LGBTI advocacy

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Thailand award ceremony honours champions of LGBTI advocacy
Gay social network app Blued and filmmaker Tanwarin Sukkhapisit were among the recipients of the inaugural Ardhanareeswara Award recognising LGBTI rights advocacy.

This week, the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science and their partners announced the recipients of the inaugural Ardhanareeswara Award to honour distinctive individuals and groups working for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) rights and health advocacy. The event was held inside the auditorium at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

The award takes its name from Ardhanareeswara, the Hindu deity with half the body male, half female. This deity is said to be an amalgamation of Shiva and his consort Parvati (commonly known to Thais as Uma Devi), the goddess of fertility and love.

The recipients of the award were nominated and later judged by a panel consisting of LGBTI advocates, and representatives from civil society organisations, health organisations and academics. It was the first international and national award given in Thailand in recognition of gender diversity advocacy.

The Ardhanareeswara Award was presented to outstanding individuals and groups in three categories: health promotion, human rights advocacy, and solidarity support.

The award winners are:

Health promotion

Dr Frits Van Griensven -- Senior adviser for HIV Prevention at the Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre, and director of the Tangerine Clinic for transgender health.

Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital -- A state hospital in Ubon Ratchathani that cares for thousands of HIV and Aids patients yearly.

Human rights advocacy

Anjana Suvarnananda -- A gender advocate with over 30 years of working experience. She is also the founder of the Anjaree lesbian rights group.

Bandhu Social Welfare Society -- A long-time Bangladesh-based group advocating for LGBTI access to health services and social protection.

Solidarity support

Dr Nittaya Phanuphak Pungpapong -- A doctor with keen interest in HIV prevention. She helped to establish the MSM (Men Who Have Sex With Men) Sexual Health Clinic at the Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre.

Blued Application -- The world's largest gay social network application that aims to improve LGBTI lives with technology and give gay people an online community.

A special Pride Award was also given to those who recognise the importance of gender identity expression and choose to stand up to protect their own rights and the rights of others. Filmmaker Tanwarin Sukkhapisit -- director of the previously banned Insects in the Backyard -- took home the award. Sisters Foundation -- a Pattaya-based group that supports transgender health and rights -- was chosen as the Pride award recipient in the group category.

Lastly, US Ambassador Glyn T. Davies received the Friendship Award for his ongoing support of the LGBTI community in Thailand.

Gay social network app Blued and filmmaker Tanwarin Sukkhapisit were among the recipients of the inaugural Ardhanareeswara Award recognising LGBTI rights advocacy.

The Ardhanareeswara Award takes its name from the Hindu deity of the same name with a half-man, half-woman body. photos: Melalin Mahavongtrakul

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT