VIENTIANE – Anan Bouapha is the founder of Proud to be us Laos, the country’s first LGBT group. He uses his persuasive soft power to establish an advocacy network on behalf of gay, bisexual and transgender Laotians at the Lao Women’s and Youth Unions – two state-run organizations.
Laos is a communist country that views human rights as a western import. This means Bouapha must use cultural relativism to educate Laotians on LGBT rights issues.
This story aired Monday, January 14, 2019 on Southeast Asia Dispatches.
Adam Bemma is a journalist, humanitarian, and media consultant based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Adam Bemma 
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