Page 36 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2025 THAILAND

Bangkok also was our introduction to another
OAT mainstay - Controversial Topics, talks on a
local contentious issue. For this tour, the subject
was LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand. We were tempted
to skip this presentation, anticipating the kind of
charged debate too familiar in America these
days. Instead, we met Scene, a beautiful
transwoman who shared her journey and life
with us. One of t wo boys in her family growing
up, she admitted, ”I always loved pink.” Her can-
dor and warm smile banished any awkwardness
and reluctance to discuss gender issues in a
country that only legalized same-sex marriage
in 2025.

36 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025