The University of Maryland has launched a new LGBTQ+ Empowerment study abroad programme that will enable students to learn from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied “change agents” in Thailand.
Through the three-week programme, which takes place in June, students will meet with LGBTQ+ leaders, visit places of cultural importance, such as temples and archaeological sites, and undertake independent fieldwork.
Students will also receive guest lectures from representatives of international organisations such as USAID and the UN, and attend a kathoey cabaret performance.
“It’s so important for all students to understand how LGBTQ+ issues are addressed in other countries around the world”
They will aim to gain a better understanding of the differing needs and histories of LGBTQ+ communities in Thailand, looking at issues such as Buddhism and sexuality, and advocating for kathoey/transgender people to be able to access proper identity documents.
An introduction to the programme on the university website states: “Thailand provides a unique and multi-layered vantage point for understanding leadership for LGBTQ+ empowerment.”
“On this programme, you will explore the idea of self as international practitioner and the opportunities and ethical challenges that can come up for international practitioners,” it adds.
Students will learn about LGBTQ+ communities and issues in Thailand, as well as how national and local communities interact with international and regional efforts.
“Few other institutions have offered short-term study abroad courses with LGBTQ+ themes, and almost all of those programmes have been offered in Western Europe,” said Nicholas Sakurai, director of leadership initiatives at the LGBT equity center at the University of Maryland.
“I wanted to do something different.”
Sakurai said that as Thailand is a base to a number of international organisations as well as local and national, students will be provided with the opportunity to understand how social change work operates on many levels.
“Much of our programme will focus on meeting with organisations, activists, and experts to learn about the work they are doing and the issues of critical importance to LGBTQ+ communities in Thailand and in the Asia Pacific region,” he said.
Trixie Cordova, student outreach coordinator at Diversity Abroad, which aims to increase access for diverse and underrepresented to international education and career opportunities, said she was “excited to see such a unique opportunity available for students”.
“It’s so important for all students to understand how LGBTQ+ issues are addressed in other countries around the world,” she said. “And how history, politics, class, and social/cultural norms impact how we define these terms.”
