THAILAND – Nada Chaijitt stands at the provincial hall in Northeast Thailand, facing a room of local government officials, medical professionals, and community leaders. Many are hearing the term “intersex” for the very first time. Her mission was gentle but firm: to explain why a new law for Legal Gender Recognition and the Protection of Sex Characteristics (LGR & SC) is needed, and why it must include everyone.
“Which groups are already protected by our current systems, and who has been left behind?” Nada, the co-founder of Intersex Thailand, posed this important question to the room. This intervention highlighted how intersex persons remain excluded from current protections and why it is essential to advance a law that recognises both gender identity and sex characteristics
This scene in Roi Et was just one stop on a significant journey for Nada and Intersex Thailand during this past Pride Month, spanning from late June to July. Kickstarted at the Bangkok Pride 2025 with a series of sessions, parade, and collaboration, Intersex Thailand and Nada’s campaign for equality hit the road, moving beyond the familiar Bangkok to reach more communities and universities across Thailand. The goal was clear: talking to people across the country about the draft bill that allows intersex people to have their true gender legally recognized and protects them from unnecessary medical procedures as infants.
A Conversation with Community Leaders
The event in Roi Et, namely “The Impact of Gender Recognition Law on Transgender People in the Northeast, and the Future of Equality in Thailand” as part of the local Saket Pride Forum’s Pride celebration, was critical. For many attendees, this was their first time hearing the concepts of gender identity and sex characteristics.
It was never easy to have a conversation with authoritarians, let alone a sensitive topic such as gender and sex characteristics, as some community leaders were hesitant, wondering if these identities were “real.” But by creating a space for respectful dialogue, Nada and the team did something rare: they brought the national conversation on intersex rights directly to the local leaders. The event, attended by 120 people (only 17 of them were LGBTQIs), was a crucial step in making sure the future of equality includes all of Thailand, not just its big cities.
Planting Seeds with the Next Generation
If the Roi Et event was about persuading today’s leaders, the next stop was about empowering tomorrow’s.
At Mae Fah Luang University (MFU) in Chiang Rai, the energy was different. Over two days for “MFU Pride,” students engaged in deep, transformative dialogues. Nada facilitated conversations where young people could ask tough questions, share their own experiences, unpack misconceptions, and break down stereotypes about intersex people.
The result was incredible. Students didn’t just learn; they took ownership. They immediately formed their own youth advocacy network, committed to continuing the work of educating their peers and gathering support for the petition long after Pride Month ended. This shift from learning to action is exactly what keeps the movement sustained and growing.
Educating Thousands at the University of Phayao
The final key stop was at the University of Phayao, where Nada, an alumna of the law faculty, was invited to give a special lecture.
Speaking to an estimated 4,000-5,000 students, she connected the dots between complex legal ideas and everyday life, such as self-determination, bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and family recognition. Students from different fields like law, medicine, and social sciences came together to share their concerns and found a thoughtful, evidence-based conversation waiting for them.
The university didn’t just host a talk; they embraced the campaign. They allowed a petition booth and educational banners to be placed in the high-traffic Legal Clinic, turning a central campus spot into a hub for intersex visibility, bridging academic discussion with tangible activism, exposing thousands of students to the materials, the concept of intersexuality, as well as giving them the chance to actually join the cause and support the bill through signing.
Building a Movement, One Signature at a Time
This journey wasn’t without its challenges. Funding shortages, global misinformation, and a shifting political landscape are just some of the barriers that delayed the bill’s submission to the parliament. But in a way, Nada and Intersex Thailand manage to turn that delay into an opportunity, allowing them to do the essential groundwork and build a foundation of public support.
By the end of this Pride trip, over 2,000 more signatures were gathered, and many more thousands of understanding was built, which proved that with friendly, persistent conversation, even the most complex ideas can find a home in communities across Thailand. The road to legal change is long, but with Nada and Intersex Thailand’s effort, the journey toward equality is becoming more inclusive, one conversation at a time.
