When someone mentions Thailand, people usually find themselves thinking about pristine beaches, great food, and a highly concentrated number of transgender men. I recently came across an article that depicts a step forward in Thailand's culture towards social equality. "Ladyboys", as transgender people are called in Thailand, have had incredibly difficult times finding jobs outside of careers that specifically use their physique as a quota, such entertainers. And until recently, that has been their main source in Thailand's job market as they are not accepted in other professions. PC Air's founder, Peter Chan, has seen and confronted this problem as a "question of human rights" and believes "[the ladyboys] work as dancers or entertainers or in shops, because society doesn't accept them in other jobs." Chan has thus changed his company's long-standing policy which discriminates against transgender flight attendants and hopes that this will send a profound message throughout the world about human rights.
Since transgender men are quite common in Thailand, the news of changing policy for PC Air seems to have been positively received by the general public. The journey towards social equality is a long and treacherous but progress is slowly being made worldwide. The small changes throughout the world have a much greater effect than before since in today's global society we have the internet which can telegraph ideas and cultures directly to our homes. The standard for gender equality is far from perfect but with the few people like the founder of PC Air, Peter Chan, I think people will slowly start to realize the potential in the individual and not just the negative label imprinted by society.
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