Fun Fast Facts
- Myanmar has been under military control since 1962 rates as 180th out of 183 “most corrupt” countries.
- Section 377 pf penal code prohibits homosexuality.
- Only 20% with HIV have access to Anti-Retroviral Treatment.
- 2011 began an LGBT-targeted TV show – “Colours Rainbow TV”.
- In May 2012, held its first International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
LGBT-friendly organisation: Human Rights Education In Burma
- Sponsored the event to mark the International Day Against Homophobia.
- Provide support for people from Burma to take part in international Pride Parades.
- Documents the situation of LGBT people inside Burma.
- Publishes its findings in a monthly publication, Colours Rainbow, the only magazine of its kind in Burma.
W3JOY interviewed Benjamin Law, author of Gaysia:
On homosexuality:
It was the country that shook me up the most. It was the poorest country…It had the highest rates of HIV that I went to…it probably was the worst country that I went to with these issues.
They don’t have homophobia as we know it. They don’t have that vocal hatred of homosexual or queer people. But on the other hand, they have this completely ‘invisibiliised’ culture of queerness and homosexuality, and that probably amplified the HIV and AIDS problem.
Their concept of homosexuality is very different. They’ve got three categories…I don’t think a lot of non-queer people are very aware.
On HIV:
A lot of people in Myanmar don’t really understand what HIV is…There’s very, very little education about what HIV is or what condoms do.
Condoms are freely available, but there’s sort of a stigma around them.
One of the reasons why they’ll [sex workers] say “yes” to unprotected sex–whether they suspect their client is HIV positive and they’re not or they’re HIV-positive and a client isn’t–there isn’t really this long-term living mentality in Myanmar. Life expectancy is short.
You’re living in a country where the government isn’t going to help you out.
There came a point when MSF [Doctors without borders] reached capacity…It’s a heartbreaking situation for an overseas charity to deal with.
I went in 2011….things have started to improve. In a way, I think when I went over, things were at such rock-bottom that it could only get better.
On sex workers:
It’s some of the most shoddiliy paid work that you could ever come by.
They literally work them around the clock without much time for leisure or sleep.
On a bad night, they get 60-70 cents per hour.
A lot of people would be selling themselves for even cheaper out in the region as well.
I remember talking to one [transgender] sex worker…she was living with her family, and when they found out what she was doing, they were absolutely mortified like a lot of families would be. But then they saw that she was actually bringing in money, they never spoke about it again…the fact is when you are in a country like Myanmar, you really do need money, so you are going to accept it any way that you can.
In an agency like MSF, if you happen to come across them in peak, you just don’t get them [ART], you die.
Published on: Apr 2, 2013 @ 2:54
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:38 — 40.9MB)