NextSharkNextShark.com

Over a quarter-million people demand marriage equality in Thailand after ‘homophobic’ court ruling

Over a quarter-million people demand marriage equality in Thailand after ‘homophobic’ court ruling

More than 275,000 people have signed a petition demanding marriage equality in Thailand, one of the few countries in Asia that boasts being a warm safe haven for the LGBTQ plus community.

December 8, 2021
SHARE
More than 275,000 people have signed a petition demanding marriage equality in Thailand, one of the few countries in Asia that boasts being a warm safe haven for the LGBTQ plus community.
Driving the news: The petition came in response to a Nov. 17 ruling by the Thai Constitutional Court, which determined that Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code — the law defining marriage as between a man and a woman — does not violate the nation’s constitution.
  • The 12-page ruling was the outcome of a hearing initiated at the request of the Central Juvenile and Family Court, which received a petition from a same-sex couple whose request for a marriage registration was rejected on the basis of Section 1448, according to the Bangkok Post.
  • The ruling upheld that marriage is for“when a man and a woman are willing to live together, to build a husband and wife relationship to reproduce their offspring, under the morals, traditions, religion and the laws of each society,” according to Thai PBS.
  • Still, the Constitutional Court urged parliament, the cabinet and other government organizations to draft laws that ensure the equal protection of rights of all people, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

View post on Twitter
Fighting back: Proponents of LGBTQ plus rights have since accused the ruling of being homophobic, sexist and dehumanizing, especially for its parts that likened LGBTQ plus people to animals with strange features or behaviors.
  • “If science discovers more details that some animal species exhibit strange biological behaviors or characteristics, they will be grouped separately for further study,” the judges wrote, according to Qnews.
  • “When prejudiced feelings or beliefs move into the realm of behavior, the result is discrimination, which denies to individuals or groups of people equality of treatment,” human rights lawyer Busayapa Srispompong tweeted, according to Thai PBS. “#TheConstitutionalCourtIsSexist is clear evidence of ‘institutionalized discrimination.’”
  • Human rights activist Guts Thorngrop Rodsavas told Pink News: “In the ruling, there [are] a lot of homophobic tropes and transphobic arguments. I feel like, coming from the court, this could make conservatives who hold these points of view think that their views are legitimate.”
  • A petition for a bill that would make way for marriage equality has garnered over 275,000 signatures as of this writing. At least 10,000 signatures are needed to advance the bill to parliament.
Featured Image via Bangkok Post
 
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Carl Samson

      Carl Samson is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.