Whether they’re activists, pop culture celebrities, artists or business leaders, these men and women are helping make the world a richer, more diverse place
A hotelier, filmmaker, pop diva and internet superstar on Asia’s Most Influential list are among the bright lights working toward more acceptance and greater understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community. They help pass landmark laws as social activists, create inclusive spaces as community leaders, or break biases as creative champions. By fighting for equality, they also give hope to LGBTQIA+ people who need to see more of themselves in the world. Through their different platforms, they help shape a brighter world where everyone can express their authentic selves without fear or discrimination.
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Glen Goei, co-artistic director, Wild Rice Singapore (Singapore)
Glen Goei is best known for starring opposite Anthony Hopkins in M. Butterfly at London’s West End, a role that launched his career; and as the filmmaker behind Forever Fever, one of the first Singaporean films that saw worldwide commercial release. But beyond his successes in movies and theatre, Goei is an advocate for equality. Under his Unseen series, the creative has produced documentaries that illustrate the powerful and difficult journeys of marginalised communities in Southeast Asia. In Some Women, director Quen Wang turns the camera on herself to bare her vulnerabilities as a transgender person. And in Baby Queen, Opera Tang navigates queer acceptance as she debuts as a drag queen during the global pandemic.
Goei is also the co-author of the Ready 4 Repeal petition, which seeks to change laws surrounding gay relationships. Of the movement, he said: “We must protect the rights of our minorities, who are our family members, our friends, our colleagues, and our fellow citizens.”