Toward a Struggle against Invisibility

Lesbian-like relationships and lifestyles exist in Thailand, yet many Western (often male) analysts of Thai sexuality and homosexuality have focused solely on the gay male subculture in Thailand. ¹ Unwillingness to uncover information on same-sex relationships between Thai women on the part of such analysts reinforces the multiple invisibility of these women—as women, “Third World’VAsian women, and lesbians. I hope to break such invisibilities by constructing a general discussion of lesbian-like relationships and lifestyles in Thailand as culturally, regionally, and class specific to and within Thailand. I want to stress how many Thai women in same-sex relationships are creating more terms and concepts to define their identities, thus revealing that lesbianism is not a Western import, but very Thai. Furthermore, an important argument underlining the overall discussion is that although Thailand lacks the extreme homophobia ingrained in many Western societies, discrimination against lesbian-like lifestyles and behavior persists in Thailand. Such discrimination takes on varied, subtle forms and is particularly addressed in family pressures on women to marry, have children, and take care of elders; reluctance to discuss sexuality in general; and reluctance to see lesbian-like relationships as a legitimate choice and issue. Thai women who love other women face incredible invisibility (again ramified by class and region)—an invisibility that shapes how they conceptualize their identity and struggle to change their position(s).