Lesbians in Thailand speak out.

The following of which the author is unknown, appeared in Pink Ink (Vol 1. No 7. April, 1998).

Lesbian issues were in the spotlight last month when the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand hosted a discussion night on March 18 at its plush premises high above Bangkok.

Fielding questions from journalists and other members of the public were Anjaree organizer Anjana Suvarnananda, Pink Ink co-editor Jennifer Bliss, sexuality researcher Megan Sinnott from the US, women's health worker Kanokwan Tarawan and Anjaree member Khun Mau.

Outlining the work of the national lesbian group, Ms Anjana said they aimed to support lesbians and protect lesbian rights. She said that many lesbians did not feel comfortable coming out: "We want to put an end to this situation, not just for lesbians, but for everyone to be able to be themselves. It's a question of freedom of choice."

Commenting on the "coming out" episode of the TV sitcom Ellen which was screened before the discussion, Ms Anjana said that Thai women did not enjoy as much independence as American women did and were under more pressure from their families to be seen as "proper women" in public.

"Many of us who are not married live with our parents until they die. When we find a partner it becomes complicated. It's hard work to come out and it depends on the understanding of your parents," she said.

Ms Mau added that she didn't need to come out to her family as everybody guessed she was a lesbian from an early age: "But many parents don't accept their lesbian daughters and think they are abnormal. We try to explain that we didn't choose to be gay; we were bore like this. We feel it inside." Parents' fear of their children being lesbian or gay was understandable, said Ms Kanokwan. "It comes from being afraid of seeing their kids live in a society with much discrimination. We have all as a society created this fear."