By Hongchhay Chan (he/him), Sovansere Pheoung (she/her), and Reaksa Pin (she/her)
This article contains discussions of homophobia, including legal persecution of LGBTQ+ people.
The LGBTQ+ community is a long-identified vulnerable group when it comes to human rights discussions in Southeast Asia — a region where conservative values, especially divergent religious influences, shape gender constructs. For decades, progressive Western donors have played a major role in advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ people in this region. However, the recent rise of conservative politics in donor countries and the reframing of gender diversity as a social threat rather than social justice has led to declining support for LGBTQ+ causes. This withdrawal of foreign aid to assist the local cause, resulting in a funding crisis, serves as a signal that gender rights must now be viewed as a local problem to be independently addressed by local actors. In this navigation, a more informed and accepting generation of Southeast Asian youths is crucial in shaping how this region collectively views and addresses LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, and supportive norms moving forward.
Challenges faced by Southeast Asia
Various studies have shown that the stigma and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community contribute to negative social, economic, and health outcomes, which harm both individuals and society. Despite the evidence, progressive policies for LGBTQ+ rights in Southeast Asia remain limited. The region’s current path to pride is heavily challenged by its conservative values and stringent religious influences. These influences remain so dominantly embedded in the socio-political systems that, in certain states, there is no legal protection against gender discrimination, and freedom of LGBTQ+ expressions could be punished with fines and imprisonment. Furthermore, same-sex relations are a serious criminal offense in some states, blocking pathways to same-sex marriages.
LGBTQ+ rights vary across the region based on each country’s cultural and political context. For instance, while Thailand has become the first ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member state to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption, Brunei is still treading far behind with extremely anti-LGBTQ+ laws, such as the death penalty for gay sex (albeit minimally enforced). Meanwhile, ASEAN offers little protection towards LGBTQ+ communities as its Charter avoids explicit commitments to LGBTQ+ rights and operates on principles of non-interference.
Hence, while older and conservative policymakers continue to view LGBTQ+ related discussions as mainly ‘imported’ issues, younger generations of policymakers present the opportunity to challenge existing legal structures. Ideally, this should be reflected and complemented by a promise to guarantee respect for universal human rights.
Role of Foreign Donors
Foreign donors such as USAID, Sweden's Sida, and Australia's DFAT play a central role in shaping the LGBTQ+ movement in Southeast Asian states. They provide essential financial resources needed for developing programs addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ groups, while also enhancing the legitimacy and visibility of these groups. This support enables local organisations to continue their efforts and shift public perception, fostering greater acceptance and understanding.
Recently, there have been counter-movements against the LGBTQ+ community in donor countries, which have disrupted funding. In the United States, bills attacking the LGBTQ+ community are increasing, and conservative ideology has led to the scaling back of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As grants are withdrawn, local groups in Southeast Asian countries lose both financial support and symbolic backing. The implication will vary across the region. In countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam, where LGBTQ+ rights have been socially and legally progressing, the withdrawal of donor support that began in early 2025 may slow ongoing efforts but is less likely to reverse significant developments. However, in more conservative nations, this retreat in external donor support may reduce the much-needed international pressure and signal further state repression.
Southeast Asian Youths and Their Growing Awareness
At the onset of these setbacks and milestones, a new generation of Southeast Asian youth is growing up with a fresh perspective on gender and sexuality. Despite ongoing marginalisation and uneven progress on gender-based policies, youth in Southeast Asia are increasingly identifying as LGBTQ+. The system and slow reforms are leaving them underserved. Unfortunately, due to censorship that restricts formal research, this supposition remains anecdotal. However, approximations from national ‘mental health surveys’ detect a ‘considerable’ proportion of LGBTQ+ youth, including in Muslim-majority states such as Indonesia. These emerging numbers reveal a growing community of queer youth in Southeast Asia.
In the age of globalisation and the internet, the region’s youths have greater exposure to ‘Western’ progressive values than previous generations. This generation’s view of gender constructs subscribes to the progressive idea that living in the 21st century means inclusion and acceptance of diversity of gender and sexuality. Restrictive thinking regarding gender identity and related norms is seen as outdated.
Despite diverging cultural and social dimensions across the region, Southeast Asian youth demonstrate a unity in their heightened awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Social media has enabled grassroots-oriented advocacy to reach new audiences, shaping the cultural landscape on- and offline. The growing visibility of annual commemorations and festivals is a testament to this changing tide. Furthermore, shifting social environments led by online discourse have led to local youth being increasingly exposed to LGBTQ+ culture, resulting in shifting perspectives.
In the co-author’s recent thesis research, Cambodian university students mainly cited experiences with their peers and exposure through social media as factors in their understanding of the LGBTQ+ community. One interviewee stated they previously held a negative view of the LGBTQ+ community, but making LGBTQ+ friends encouraged them to reflect and shift their view. Many other interviewees directly cited their exposure through social media as a factor contributing to their awareness and/or improved understanding of the LGBTQ+ community.
Youth have a crucial role in advancing human rights aspirations for ASEAN’s shared identity and community building, echoed by its guiding motto of ‘one vision, one identity, one community’.
The Way Forward
It is time for Southeast Asia to take action, independent of foreign movements and aid, to address what is fundamentally a local problem. As a community, we must take ownership and lead with pride to secure gender equality, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and justice for all. The future of LGBTQ+ rights and Southeast Asia’s stance on gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights must be recognised as a key issue that the ASEAN community must factor into its regional identity-building.
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Header image: Photo by Len Crockett on Unsplash