• Ageing TG: Understanding transitional technology, chemical use and body modifications among older transwomen through a life course approach

Introduction: The current situation of gender diversity in Thai society is being increasingly discussed. Common issues among transgender people in Thailand include the use of chemicals and transitional technology to alter their bodies, as well as unequal access to services, which affects their quality of life and health. This study on the experiences of using transitional technology, chemical use, and body modifications among older transwomen throughout their lives will help fill gaps in understanding and develop appropriate health and welfare services. This will enable them to lead healthy lives and maintain a good quality of life at every age.

Methodology: This project is a qualitative study examining the use of chemicals and body modification technology among Gen Z, Gen Y, and Gen X transgender women across five regions of Thailand. The project involves 50 transgender women individuals and 10 healthcare providers.

Results: The findings show that transgender women and healthcare providers have diverse experiences and perspectives on the use of chemicals and body modification across various dimensions. It was found that transgender women use birth control pills, female hormones, and body modification technology, often influenced by friends and seniors. Their decisions to alter their bodies are influenced by different conditions depending on individual contexts. Acceptance in the family, economic limitations, and issues related to health, partners, relationships, and sexual behavior all affect decision-making, potentially leading to health vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities include health problems caused by body modifications and pre-existing conditions. Transgender women navigate and overcome life’s challenges and obstacles in various ways, drawing on their unique and everyday life experiences.

Recommendation: In striving to support a well-rounded quality of life, it is important to address shifts in thinking and attitudes through the education system, raise awareness of health rights, and advance the development, improvement, and transformation of healthcare systems for transgender women. It is also necessary that healthcare services prioritize safety, inclusivity, and provide friendly support tailored to transgender women. Furthermore, both transgender women and healthcare providers must adopt a new perspective on transgender welfare, acknowledging it as a fundamental human right, and an urgent and necessary matter.

Keywords: transgender women, chemical use, transitional technology, body modification

• RELIGION AND HEALTH IN HIV-AFFECTED THAI COMMUNITIES: Buddhism and Healing Traditions as Cultural Resources for Thai Gay Men and Transgenders

This collaborative international research project seeks to examine how Thai gay men and male-to-female transgender individuals (kathoey) utilize Buddhist and popular religious healing traditions to address HIV/AIDS and other health crises affecting their communities. In a context where sexual and gender minorities in Thailand face limited institutional healthcare support, the study aims to investigate how religious healing practices serve as cultural resources, offering alternative or complementary therapies for health management while addressing psychosocial challenges such as stigmatization, identity formation, and social recognition. The project responds to scholarly calls (e.g., Van Griensven 2012, 2017) for innovative strategies to tackle a health “syndemic”—a synergistic interaction of multiple epidemics exacerbating disease burden (Guadamuz 2014: 2089)—among Thai men who have sex with men (MSM).

During prior research for the collaborative project “The Sexualised Body,” we observed that many Thai MSM and transgender individuals supplement Western medical treatments with traditional practices such as folk medicine, Buddhist meditation, and life-enhancing rituals to manage health and wellbeing. Notably, Thai LGBTQ+ NGOs often organize Buddhist rituals, leveraging collective religious practices to foster community development and integrate MSM and transgender individuals into broader society. Furthermore, some gay men and transgender individuals have gained social respect as ritual specialists in spirit cults, with revived ritual practices serving as a platform for queer social recognition.

Religious culture not only preserves healing traditions but also profoundly shapes the wellbeing and HIV-related vulnerabilities of young Thai MSM and transgender individuals. This influence arises from its role in establishing ethical frameworks and gender norms that affect all sexual and gender minorities. Despite extensive studies on Thai MSM’s sexual and gender cultures, the role of religion and ritual in these communities remains underexplored, even though religious beliefs directly inform health behaviors, risk perceptions, and wellbeing outcomes related to HIV and sexual practices.

This research focuses on understanding how religious and spiritual contexts influence multidimensional health outcomes—including sexual health, risk behaviors, quality of life, and healthcare access—among MSM and transgender individuals aged 15 and above. The inclusion of adolescents (15–17 years) is critical, as HIV incidence in younger demographics rises, and Thai law permits individuals aged 15+ to independently consent to HIV testing and treatment without parental approval, per the 2014 Thai Medical Council HIV Guidelines and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations (45 CFR 46.402(a)). By this definition, individuals aged 15+ are not classified as “children” in research contexts. However, existing studies predominantly focus on adults aged 18+, neglecting sexually active adolescents (15–17) who exhibit comparable risk behaviors (e.g., condomless sex, substance use) to older peers. This gap underscores the urgency of inclusive research to address the unique vulnerabilities and healthcare needs of this marginalized youth demographic.

• GenderLab @ MU: Developing an interdisciplinary, multi-level, multi-sectoral gender equality index for Thailand’s top 100 companies

This study proposes the development of a Gender Equality Index (GEI) to address systemic gender inequality in Thailand’s corporate sector, aligning with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5 and 10). Despite evidence linking workplace diversity to innovation, productivity, and employee retention, Thai companies lag in adopting inclusive practices, partly due to inadequate measurement tools and accountability frameworks. The project, spearheaded by GenderLab @ Mahidol University (MU), introduces a pioneering academic-corporate partnership to design, implement, and rank gender equality standards for Thailand’s top 100 companies, with scalability to startups and SMEs.

Context & Rationale: Thailand’s gender policies remain binary-centric, overlooking non-binary and LGBTIQ+ communities, despite the 2015 Gender Equality Act. Government initiatives, such as Bangkok’s recent non-discrimination policies, lack enforcement and longitudinal evaluation. Internationally, indices like the EU’s Gender Equality Index and frameworks like B-Lab’s certification model demonstrate the efficacy of standardized metrics in driving systemic change. However, Asia lacks analogous tools, creating a critical gap this study aims to fill.

Objectives:

1. 1. Develop a context-specific GEIfor Thai corporations, integrating domains such as work, power, health, and intersectional inequalities.
   2. Conduct market researchto refine GEI’s design, ensuring appeal to diverse stakeholders.
   3. Rank Thailand’s top 100 companiesannually, fostering competition and accountability.

Methodology: The GEI adapts Harvard’s Atlas of Economic Complexity and the EU’s Gender Equality Index, tailored to Thailand’s socio-cultural context. A Gender Equality Index Advisory Board (GAB)—comprising corporate leaders, academic deans, and gender experts—guides protocol development. Partnerships with Thai universities (e.g., Chulalongkorn, Thammasat), international institutions (UCL, Florida State), and NGOs (Thai Transgender Alliance, SCG) ensure multidisciplinary input. Dr. Thomas Guadamuz, a social epidemiologist with expertise in economic complexity, leads the team, leveraging prior work with Harvard’s Growth Lab.

Significance:

• • Timeliness: Post-COVID workplace restructuring offers a strategic window to embed gender-inclusive policies.
  • Innovation: First Asia-focused GEI, addressing non-binary and LGBTIQ+ inclusion gaps in Thai policy.
  • Impact: Aims to reduce workplace discrimination, enhance corporate reputations, and improve economic outcomes by tapping into underrepresented talent pools.
  • SDG Alignment: Directly contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) through measurable, scalable interventions.

Expected Outcomes:

1. 1. A validated GEI platform visualizing real-time equality metrics for corporations.
   2. Annual rankings incentivizing policy improvements among top Thai firms.
   3. Data generalizable to SMEs, fostering nationwide inclusivity.
   4. Enhanced corporate accountability through public transparency, mirroring B-Lab’s global success (5,000+ certified entities).

By bridging Thailand’s policy-practice divide, this project seeks to transform gender equality from a theoretical commitment into actionable, measurable progress, positioning Mahidol University as a regional leader in SDG-driven research.

Keywords: Gender Equality Index, corporate inclusivity, SDGs, Thailand, LGBTIQ+, non-binary, workplace diversity.