by Zon Pann Pwint
The 39-year old U Myo Min Tun has always been forthright about his political options. But before entering politics he decided to be more forthright with his personal life, and officially announced he was LGBT.
Though Myanmar LGBT people may be accepted by some within their communities, they’re not always guaranteed a hassle-free life. As a public figure, and running in this year’s elections for the seat of Aung Myay Thar San in Mandalay, U Myo Win Tun wanted to make things clear.
Without having a background in politics he decided to get involved in the election just five months ago after he started studying the policies of each political party. Though his sexuality might be different from most candidates, it’s his age that stands out in this year’s elections. With many of the nation’s politicians being in their 60’s and 70’s, U Myo Min Tun hopes to bring some youthful balance to Myanmar’s aging parliament.
“I am still young, and have a lot to give to Myanmar. If someone asks me to do something important, sometimes that will take a long time to see things through. I want to commit to the parliament, and will serve people for the long run,” he said.
U Myo Min Tun joined the People’ Pioneer Party, an organisation that was established last year from former members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and will run for his home constituency in Mandalay.
"I like its banner saying 'the lives of civilians are a priority', and the party slogan 'our lives, our jobs, our future'. At first, I didn’t know if it was just a populist party or whether they actually believed in those ideals," he said.
Nang Hsu Mon Thar is a human rights lawyer who advocates for LGBT clients, and said that – whether U Myo Min Tun wins or not – his campaign will be a first step towards affirming LGBT’s rights. It will show the world that LGBT are not just make-up artists or designers, she said. "His efforts will change the peoples’ views, and show the public that they play an important role in the future of the country," Nang Hsu Mon Thar added. Read more via Myanmar Times