Nok Yonlada (Photo – Bangkok Post)
THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — Newly elected in a Thai provincial election, Yollada ”Nok” Suanyos, or Nok Yonlada, (both names have been used in news reports) by all accounts, is a trans woman on a mission. Propelled to the top by a backfiring attack on her trans status by an opponent, Nok now commands the attention of the people in her homeland and around the world as Thailand’s highest elected transgender official. While prompted into politics by party insiders, it was her hard work that earned her the electors trust.
Nok is well-known transgender and LGB activist and is currently president of the Trans Female Association of Thailand. She helped get the Sister’s Hand Project started — which offers free surgery to Gender Identity Disorder individuals.
For now, Nok plans to start work on local issues and hopefully down the road push for human rights laws — not just for LGBT people, but also for the elderly, patients and to stop racism. While she has an eye on perhaps running for a Parliament, she’s also pursuing a PhD and runs several businesses.
Transgender politician vows to fight for rights of all – The Nation.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/295482/transgender-wins-pao-seat
Nok Yonlada (Photo – The Nation)
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Filed under: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Nok Yonlada, parliament, politican, Sister's Hand Project, Thai, thailand, Trans Female Association, Yollada 'Nok' Suanyos
This is awesome!!! I am really happy for the Thai TG people, I have always been sad that they live in the country with the best surgeons but cannot afford the surgery they need – I think it is very unfair! Finally they too can have access to surgery
You are being overly optimistic. The contest was (IS?) a great idea, but its second year was supposed to be televised, no doubt both to attract the kind sponsors and show the many different and strong stories of the people who need the surgery, but was ordered off the air at the last minute by a government health minister, and has never been broadcast, although it is on Youtube. So it may never run again.
Thailand of course still doesn’t even provide any proper documents for people after transition, so there is a lot still to be achieved. Nok Yollanda’s standing for elected office will of course challenge that in another way, not least because such officials have to wear uniforms, according to sex. But describing her as anything but a woman snatches the ground from under her. Please describe her as the woman she is everywhere, not “a transgender”. Thailand isn’t some gender theory seminar; there are thousands of very real people there in need to real practical rights.