Hua Boonyapisomparn
“Like other families, my parents have always been worried about me being a trans woman, because they heard and saw other trans people being discriminated against and experiencing difficulty in life,” Hua Boonyapisomparn tells GO. “Working to pro- mote the well-being and human rights of trans people is to make my parents not worry and to prove to them that I can live as a trans woman, be happy, and make society a better place for all of us.” Boonyapisomparn has helped establish three trans-led organizations locally, nationally, and globally, and currently serves as Vice President of the Thai Foundation Board at Asia Pacific Transgender Network. She is also Project Manager for both the Intersex and Trans Movement Building Project at Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, and the Trans Health Access Thailand (T-HAT) Project. “I believe working in social change is a long-term commitment one must make,” she says. Legal protection, including gender recognition, still doesn’t exist for trans individuals in Thailand and many other countries in the Global South region, and Boonyapisomparn knows involving the next generation is key. “Working with other allies, and building capacity and leadership for young trans activists, are the most practical things that [will] sustain the movement and continue this important work,” she says. As a Buddhist, feminist, and activist, Boonyapisomparn also prioritizes finding calm among the chaos. “When experiencing setbacks and adversity, I will gain my inner strength from practicing simple self-care such as breathing, having a massage, and cooking good food,” she says. “Loving oneself is a necessary act.” –LE
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