Southeast Asia’s vibrant creative economy is growing quickly and shaping jobs and cultural life across the region but LGBTQIA+ artists and cultural workers still face an uneven playing field. This exploratory research allows the reader to take a glimpse of the region’s LGTBTQIA+ inclusion in the creative economy: from criminalization and censorship in Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, and parts of Indonesia, to piecemeal protections and self-censorship in countries like the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and Lao PDR, and to Thailand’s milestone of legalizing same-sex marriage in January 2025 alongside persistent workplace gaps. Without clear SOGIESC-inclusive policies, fair access to finance and grants, and safe, open pathways to participate, many queer creatives are pushed toward self-censorship, precarious freelance work, and informal or underground circuits. These strategies show resilience and resourcefulness, but they also highlight the difficulties that queer creatives face in order to sustain themselves.
This matters now because inclusion is both a rights issue and a smart economic strategy for a region that has put creativity at the heart of its recovery and long-term vision. The fixes are within reach: embed explicit SOGIESC protections and targets in creative-economy policies; pass and enforce anti-discrimination laws; open transparent funding and commissioning streams; expand access to training, venues, and regional circuits; and invest in data and safety protocols so artists can work and travel openly. When LGBTQIA+ creatives can participate fully and safely, Southeast Asia gains more innovation, richer stories, stronger cultural ecosystems, and broader, more sustainable growth for everyone.
