Intersections of LGBTI Exclusion and Discrimination in Thailand: the Role of Socio-Economic Status

Previous studies have found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people in Thailand experience discrimination and exclusion based on their non-normative sexes, genders, and/or sexualities. However, such studies have insufficiently analyzed how intersecting characteristics shape these experiences. We conducted 19 life story interviews with LGBTI individuals in Thailand to track how exclusion and discrimination are influenced by their socio-economic status (SES). The study documented cases of discrimination and exclusion in education, employment, health care and insurance, housing, and financial institutions. Experiences of exclusion and discrimination were not universal but were profoundly shaped by an individual's SES. Participants with more economic and social capital encountered less anti-LGBTI exclusion and discrimination and had greater protective factors to negotiate any discriminatory experiences they encountered. Our findings point to the necessity of considering the role of SES in policy advocacy, development efforts, and future research on LGBTI issues in Thailand.