Fridae

National Human Rights Day for Sexual Diversity, Nov 29
Thailand will celebrate its first National Human Rights Day for Sexual Diversity on Nov 29 at Lido cinema, Siam Square, Bangkok.

Organised by the Sexual Diversity Network with the support of the National Commission on Human Rights, the event is targeted at the local LGBT community with talks and forum sessions on transgender issues, same-sex marriage, LGBTI youth and LGBTI rights in Thailand which will be conducted in Thai. The one-day event will also feature performances, Thai Queer short film screenings, and the first Rainbow Umbrella March from Lido to the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center led by well-known Thai gay activist Viroj Tangwanit.

Click onto sapaan.org/diversity day.html for a schedule of events.

Manila Pride March, Dec 6
Manila will celebrate its 10th gay pride anniversary on Dec 6 with a march starting at Remedios Circle, Malate Manila. The march will proceed via Remedios Street, MH Del Pilar, Pedro Gil and culminate in a street party along Maria Orosa Street by the Orosa-Nakpil Courtyard.

Themed "Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Loves, Our Selves", the parade is organised by the Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines, a LGBT network that has organised the annual event since 1999.

"Every year's march aims to bolster the struggle to reduce and eliminate the stigma and discrimination against the LGBT community. It hopes to contribute to an effort in Congress to enact a measure that penalises discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders," reads a statement issued by organisers to Fridae.

"The March is particularly significant as it marks TFP's 10th year, coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR60) and the launch in Manila of the Yogyakarta Principles (www.yogyakartaprinciples.org) -an international instrument which affirms sexual orientation and gender identity and expression as part of fundamental and universal human rights."

Hong Kong Pride Parade, Dec 13
While the LGBT community in Hong Kong has marched for three years running since 2005 to commemorate International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), Hong Kong will have its first gay pride march on Dec 13 after the event was postponed from October.

Speaking at a rally at an IDAHO march organised by a group of mostly straight students in May this year, gay activist and parade organiser Ken Chai (Kenneth Cheung of Hong Kong's Rainbow Centre) announced plans for the city's first pride march and hopes for a massive turnout by the LGBT community.

The rally and parade will begin at Causeway Bay, East Point Road at 2pm. For more details, visit hkpride.net.