Thailand’s gender diversity groups yesterday denounced a plan by the all-male Bangkok Christian College to host a seminar to help parents protect their children from “sexual deviation”. Saying such an obsolete term encourages dangerous ignorance, the LGBT network – including Together for Equality and Action (TEA), Non-Binary Thailand, For-sogi, Pink Mango and Sapaan – issued a joint statement calling on the school to “stop producing hatred and violence against gender diversity people”. “The seminar could foster hatred and bias for gender-diverse people,” it said. “The word ‘sexual deviation’ [biang bain] not only stigmatises LGBT people, but it promotes violence.” Also, when the school and teachers take such a position towards LGBT groups, it directly affects LGBT students, creating low self-respect and bullying.