Fearless LGBTI advocates from across Asia were honored for the first time in a glitzy awards ceremony in Bangkok. Marriage equality, HIV prevention, transgender rights and community health advocates were among eight winners at the HERO Awards.

Hosted by APCOM the HERO Awards stands for ‘HIV, Equality and Rights’. APCOM is a regional HIV and LGBT community network. The event also raised funds for APCOM’s work in HIV education, prevention, treatment, care and support, and human rights.

The awards acknowledge outstanding service to the HIV response in Asia and the Pacific, and to the region’s LGBTI communities. Over 300 people attended the inaugural event in Bangkok and saw the eight award recipients take out the top honors.

Some of the winners included Community Hero award recipient Chi Chia-wei. He is Taiwan’s acclaimed LGBT rights campaigner who led the country’s recently successful charge for marriage equality. Malaysia’s esteemed transgender activist Khartini Slamah was named Transgender Hero for over 30 years of dedicated service to transgender rights and health. India’s Ashok Row Kavi received the inaugural Shivananda Khan Award for Extraordinary Achievement. It recognized his 40 years of outstanding service as an LGBT rights activist and HIV advocate.

The award, presented by APCOM, is named after the late Shivananda Khan. Khan founded APCOM and was a pioneering hero of the Asia Pacific response to HIV and LGBT health and rights. Read more via Gay Star news