Breaking Boundaries: The Power of Protests in Shaping Cambodia's LGBTIA+ Education

• In Event: Roundtable Group 5
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Insights for SOGIE Inclusion and for Understanding Intersections of Identities in Education

Proposal

Over the past decade, Cambodia has seen significant strides in recognising LGBTIA+ rights, including decriminalizing same-sex relationships between consenting adults in 2007. However, the country still lacks comprehensive anti-discrimination laws and gender identity recognition, while same-sex marriage remains illegal, and same-sex couples are ineligible to adopt. Despite these challenges, there have been noteworthy efforts to promote and reduce HIV/AIDS within the LGBTIA+ community.
This round table presentation explores how the protest movements for LGBTIA+ rights have influenced and impacted the Cambodian public education curricula. Organizations such as Rainbow Community Kampuchea (RoCK), a prominent advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, have paved the way for other movements to emerge. Notably, the recent PrideCambodia event in May 2023 has pushed the boundaries, hosting the country's largest and most prominent LGBTQIA+ PrideFest. The study's central concept revolves around challenging the current limitations in Cambodia's public education curricula, where conversations about gender and sexuality remain framed within restrictive gender norms. The social studies curriculum in Cambodia tends to avoid discussions about alternative sexualities beyond normative understanding. This research addresses how queer theory can catalyze change, leveraging the empowering and positive advocacy created through protests and movements as a foundation for discussing LGBTQIA+ matters in Cambodia's classroom setting.
The objectives of this round table presentation are to stimulate discussion on how protest influences progress in curricular development, specifically on sexual orientation and gender identity expression, while addressing the challenges in a country with conservative nature and possessing strong descriptions of gender norms like Cambodia.
To achieve these objectives, the study leverages the comparative case study approach, centring its analysis and focus on the transversal axis. It first situated the LGBTIA+ rights protests in Cambodia and examined its influence on education. Additionally, it examines domestic and international political pressures and changes in other Southeast Asian nations that contribute to shifting perceptions of LGBTQIA+. The size and the impact of those movements in Cambodia and the regions will be analyzed to investigate the processes unfolding over time, documenting how the protests' impacts on the curricula evolve and unfold in the long run.
The round table presentation seeks to generate discussions among educators, policymakers, activists, and researchers to promote a more inclusive and diverse educational landscape in Cambodia. By exploring the effects of protest movements and leveraging queer theory, the study aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to advance LGBTIA+ rights and representation within the country's educational system. Understanding the impact of advocacy and empowerment through protest will be instrumental in fostering meaningful dialogue and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ individuals, making the Cambodian public education system more inclusive and progressive.

Author

• Vongrathayuth Hingphith, University of Minnesota