[Online Forum] A Youth-Driven and Equal Future:  A World without Hate and Discrimination towards Queer Communities

Published by AYF Secretariat on

We live a life where hatred is normalized by our society, especially hate on the basis of sexuality and gender identities. Southeast Asia is the region where diverse sexual orientation and gender identities are stigmatized as western culture. This stigma is perpetuated by the government, law enforcement and religious institutions. Stigma that lead people to hate other, to discriminate and persecute people in diverse sexual orientation and gender identities; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex persons.

On Wednesday, May 19th, 2020, to commemorate International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia  ASEAN Youth Forum together with ASEAN SOGIE Caucus held a space where you can discuss this topic. The key questions to be addressed are

  1. How youth can take action towards a safe community and world for queer community
  2. How youth can end homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Southeast Asia
  3. What real and immediate actions towards the imagined world in the future

At the end of the forum, the participants pledge to create a better world. Some participants also took their activism online on twitter by tweeting their pledge with #BreakingTheSilence #IDAHOBIT2020

Kolase Foto Zoom AYF ASC pledge

The online forum result several recommendation, which are:

  1. incorporation of technology
  2. utilizing SDGs as entry points
  3. having  collaborative actions, partnership and support system to combat hate and discrimination toward Queer community
  4. providing a mechanism that enables us to create a safe environment and advocacy for LGBT youth in school because many LGBT youth face bullying and discrimination in school environment
  5. providing training not only for the LGBT community but also for the cis gender about LGBT rights so we can work together creating a safe place
  6. Don't tolerate the homophobic jokes.
Online Forum 19 May 2020

Here are some highlights from the forum

[When] we are talking about LGBT issues and religion is incredibly sensitive. For me personally, if you have your religious friends who is questioning their sexuality or gender identity and want to support them. First it is important to [have] tolerance with their religion. There are queer moslem out there and they are exist. There is not only one way to practice religion. And religion is much more personal relationship and queer moslem is out there and as a positive representation because they are able to reconnect the sexuality and religion together and may people can do that. 

Mandy (Singapore)

Most of the religion teach us love and compassion. And let us just loving each others no matter race, sexual orientation, gender identity. It is not going to be easy to make them understand but at the very least  just try to tell them don't hate people just because they are different from you, and that is the most religion teach us to love human being or other creature

Lini (ASEAN SOGIE Caucus)

I believe that the rights of LGBT people are like, similar to other people. Like they have the right to express themselves. They have the right to get the education, they have the right to be who they are. They have the right to get a safe place. There is no difference.

Fatimah (ASEAN Youth Forum)

Categories: Activities


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