UK, US embassies hosting “United in Love!” event to celebrate Pride Month

June is marked as Pride Month around the world, including in Thailand. The country participates in celebrating Pride and pushing for marriage equality to be legalised, especially by the soon-to-be-formed new government.

“The LGBTQ+ community deserve equal rights including taxes, healthcare services, and employment,” said Mark Gooding, British ambassador to Thailand. He also represents himself as the LGBTQ ambassador and stressed on the rights and equal treatment for the LGBTQIA+ community as the representative of this community.

Though the laws on LGBTQ equality and rights have been approved by many countries, Robert F Godec, the US ambassador to Thailand, said: "We are pretty much still facing challenges,” including in his homeland, the United States.

Godec added, "Respecting individual rights is foundational."

Both the UK and US embassies see the potential in supporting Thailand to achieve marriage equality due to the country's welcoming atmosphere and the diversity and acceptance in Thai society for the LGBTQ+ community. They were glad to see the lively debate in Thailand’s Parliament about the bill on marriage equality.

Although Thailand is a quite an openly diverse country, there is still discrimination in society out there.

In reducing this gap, it is crucial to raise awareness among people of different communities, including heterosexuals, on the benefits of inclusive behaviour of diversity and economics, Gooding said.

Thailand's marriage equality bill is still in the process of becoming a law. Both the UK and US embassies are looking forward to encouraging and supporting the enactment of the law soon.

Pride month is celebrated in June each year to commemorate the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a significant movement in the LGBTQIA+ history. This incident stirred the rights, legalisation, and equality movement of LGBTQIA+ people.