Activists advocating for diverse sexual orientations said gender-based oppression and discrimination must be fought as fiercely as a military dictatorship.
In Myanmar, under stereotypical norms, LGBT community members continue to face discrimination, denial of rights, restrictions, unequal treatment compared to men, lack of recognition, and limited opportunities for leadership, activists highlighted.
Maw Phray Myar, Secretary 2 of the Karenni National Women's Organization (KNWO), urged that such discrimination be fought with the same determination as the struggle against the military dictatorship.
“With the ongoing Spring Revolution, we must fight not only against male supremacism but also against traditional stereotypes that devalue women. Only then can we truly uphold our commitment to promoting the participation of diverse groups and perspectives in building democracy. It’s crucial that we challenge male supremacism alongside our fight against authoritarianism,” she said.
There are also conclusions that male supremacism plays a key role in sustaining the survival of the dictatorship in Myanmar.
Maw Phray Myar emphasized that gender equality, along with active participation from people with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ communities, is essential for achieving the democratic goals that all people in Myanmar aspire to.
In an online political discussion on September 10 titled ‘Revolution against gender-based oppressions and ideas’, Liliane, founder of Politics for Women Myanmar, claimed that the issue must be addressed with the same urgency as overthrowing the coup regime.
“Of course, we must remove (coup junta leader) Min Aung Hlaing to build a federal democracy. But his downfall alone is not enough. We need to understand that it’s not just the military standing in the way of federal democracy. We also have to take a hard look at the ideas and systems that are blocking equality, freedom, and justice,” she noted.
There are criticisms that contemporary Myanmar society is primarily focused on winning the revolution to overthrow the junta, while largely ignoring issues of gender-based discrimination connected to racial, economic, class, and religious factors. Overlooking these issues will create obstacles to achieving true equality and justice.
“We’ve been talking about tackling these issues alongside the fight against the military dictatorship. But when it comes to actually putting this into practice, weaknesses start to show up in these areas. And then people begin saying things like, ‘Let’s focus on the more important issues and put the rest aside for now,’ very easily. The issues often labeled as less important than the revolution aren’t just about gender-based discrimination, they also include minority rights and self-determination. So, while we talk about revolutionizing ideas, I’ve come to realize that there are many challenges when it comes to turning those ideas into real action,” said Cielo, a conflict and political analyst.
He also noted that male supremacism, closely aligned with the fascism upheld by the junta, has been deeply rooted in Myanmar society for many years.
The Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) has also noted that male supremacism persists in Myanmar, making it difficult for women to achieve equal standing with men.
Activists and organizations advocating for diverse sexual orientations have emphasized that non-discrimination is a fundamental and essential principle for building a peaceful society.
