THE POLITICAL MOVEMENT LGBT IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA

Abstract

This research article aimed to 1) study the political movement of the LGBT group in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, 2) study the roles and methods employed in the political movement of the LGBT group in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and 3) present the findings reflecting the social movement of the LGBT group in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The key informants were 15 people from the LGBT community who willingly provided information, selected through purposive sampling. The research tool utilized interviews, and for the qualitative analysis, a descriptive data analysis method was employed.

           The findings revealed that 1) The political movement of the LGBT group in Nakhon Ratchasima Province encompassed various strategies, including petitioning the state to address issues, scrutinizing the application of state power, protesting against state authority, empowering marginalized individuals, and engaging in constructive collaborations with the state. This was coupled with creative participation in the exercise of power within civil society. 2) The roles and methods employed in the political movement included staying informed about political developments, active participation in election campaigns, involvement in political rallies, and making informed political decisions within the framework of democratic governance, with the King as the Head of State under the constitutional law, which serves as the supreme law governing the country. 3) Reflections highlighted the initial formation of a network comprising individuals with diverse sexual orientations during the early stages of the LGBT movement in Thai society. This process involved creating a collective identity amidst prevailing conflicts and political polarization. This identity construction was based on the social construction concept, unifying various gender identities to form a new LGBT identity.