Waaddao was born twice.
In real life, people call her after her nom de plume, a combination of her grandmother's name with her own fragment. She changed her legal name to Ann Chumaporn (her last name from her former self) to break free from a patriarchal family.
"But there is no bad feeling between us. Renaming is just an act of liberation. I am born again," she said in an interview.
President and founder of Bangkok Pride, Waaddao joined the Bangkok Post Forum, which ran under the theme "Women Vision 2025: Her Story Our Story" at House Samyan Cinema on March 13 to mark International Women's Day. Waaddao was also one of BBC's 100 Women of 2024, recognised for the impact of their work on society.
As a lesbian activist from the South, Waaddao has been advocating human rights for over a decade. She proposed an amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code to allow individuals to register their marriage on behalf of a civil society network in 2023. Prior to that, she spearheaded the Feminist's Liberation Front, the Samanchon Party and many campaigns for gender justice.
Her long march began at her village in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Growing up in a patriarchal family, she recalled that while her brother could play outside, she and her sister had to do household chores. While men could engage in public conversation at rong nam cha (teahouse in southern provinces), women were confined at home. It dawned on her later that it was an exclusively male sphere.
"This kind of structure remains. That is why I called my first group rong nam cha or TEA (Togetherness for Equality and Action) to advocate gender and politics," she said.
At the age of eight, her parents sent her to a boarding school. Being away from home at a young age catapulted her into isolation and depression. However, she became more self-aware and independent. In this environment, she felt attracted to other female students and learned that same-sex relationships exist. At the time, there were only toms and dees in school, neither of which she identifies with.
"I remember my father said disapprovingly: 'You are so strong that I don't know if you are a boy or girl'. Someone commented, 'how could a tom have big boobs?' There were a lot of stereotypes, which I figured out later," she said.
On the same note, Waaddao revealed her experiences of being sexually harassed during which she went into freeze mode. A man groped her thigh on a bus and a dentist touched her breast for no reason.
"In those days, my body was not allowed to question itself. It was until I received therapy that I fathomed what happened," she said.
Like many LGBTI individuals, Waaddao enjoyed more freedom to express herself in the city. After completing secondary education, she left her hometown for Bangkok to pursue a BA in Southeast Asian Studies at Thammasat University, which laid the foundation in human rights and queer studies.
"It was really eye-opening. I learned how myths oppress women in society. I felt that I am not alone and I am not abnormal," she said.
After graduation, Waaddao tried hands at different jobs, including a direct sales agent and a secretary and went to graduate school. While struggling to write a thesis, she was shocked by the dispersal of red-shirt protesters in 2010. As her interest shifted to social movement, she quit academic pursuit and started a career in human rights at the People's Empowerment Foundation.
With the support of senior colleagues, Waaddao founded the group rong nam cha or TEA to promote LGBTI rights in 2013. A turning point came in 2020 when youth protesters rallied for democracy and equal rights. Students borrowed her campaign gear, such as rainbow flags and placards. She was inspired by how they pushed for the same agenda in public, such as marriage equality, abortion and sexual harassment.
"We decided to change strategy. Our campaign focus has since moved from seminar rooms to streets. It has become more enjoyable," she said.
A group of activists therefore emerged under the Feminist's Liberation Front, which defied patriarchal institutions, including the pro-democracy movement itself.
"We were never allowed to have a say in the protest. At first, some people said gender issues were not a high priority, but we fought very hard to make our voice heard. We received tremendous support on the streets. The media gave us a platform to amplify our calls for marriage equality. Celebrities and influencers who were hesitant to discuss politics aired their views on this topic instead," she said.
In parallel with street activism, Waaddao and her friends had planned to set up a political party to push for marriage equality in 2014. It was not until 2018 that they registered the Samanchon Party, which fielded candidates in two elections in 2019 and 2023. However, they faced hurdles of managing a political party.
"In the sixth year of its founding, the Samanchon Party did not have 10,000 members to qualify for its status. As of now, it is inactive and waiting for official termination," she said.
As a political party is no longer a viable option, Waaddao followed signature-collection campaigns during the pro-democracy movement. An amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code received overwhelming support in an online petition, with over 360,000 names and a parade. A draft was submitted to parliament under the tenure of former PM Srettha Thavisin in 2023.
"Our campaign took off when we took to the streets and changed means of fundraising and communication. We changed the name from a mob to Pride Parade. While our agenda remained the same, the event was proudly joined by the private sector and supporters who did not want to face violence and lawsuits," she said.
In 2022, Waaddao founded Naruemit Pride to organise Bangkok Pride, an annual festival that takes place in the first week of June, with three goals: advocating gender justice, raising awareness of Asia and boosting economy through inclusiveness. However, some said Pride Month allows businesses to exploit LGBTI identity in what is called rainbow washing.
"We are not a foundation, but a social enterprise. Sponsors must not be involved in discrimination and have LGBTI policies," she said. "Sponsorships from companies are used to push for legal change. That is how we find the balance between social change and business."
In a press conference on April 1, Waaddao announced that this year's festival marks the beginning of a four-year campaign leading up to the country's bid for WorldPride 2030. Running from May 30-June 1, under the theme of "Born This Way", the event will feature forums, performances and a grand parade in the heart of Bangkok.
Reflecting on the Marriage Equality Bill, Waaddao said it creates a "safe space" for same-sex couples, some of whom have lived together for over two decades. She said, however, the battle for gender equality remains an unfinished business, citing the controversial term "kiki" during the censure debate on March 24 as an example of misogyny.
"It is important that we take our progress to the next level. How should we promote a safe space, democracy and gender justice? At least, we have all the tools, from which you can use to further your cause. In the next decade, we may see Pride Parades across the country or new political parties. Who knows?" she said.
