“I can’t imagine our movement without Pride celebrations,” says Enkhmaa Enkhbold, Executive Director of the Mongolia LGBT Centre, the leading advocacy and movement-building organisation for LGBTQI people in Mongolia. The Centre advances LGBTQI rights through various programs and is the sole organiser of Mongolia’s annual Pride event, held from the end of August to the beginning of September. This year marks their 12th Pride celebration.
While Mongolia has progressive LGBTQI rights on paper, Enkhmaa explains that these rights are rarely implemented in practice. “Trans youth are at risk of being homeless, experiencing domestic violence, and having nowhere to turn,” she says. “Many trans girls end up in the sex work industry, which is illegal in Mongolia, further criminalising their survival. There are no services available for trans folks at all.”
The challenges extend beyond the trans community. Enkhmaa highlights the dangers faced by gay and bisexual men in a society steeped in traditional masculinity. “Mongolia’s macho national identity puts these individuals at risk of harm, both in public spaces and within their own families,” she explains.
Against this backdrop, Pride takes on a profound significance in Mongolia. It’s not merely a celebration but a vital platform for visibility and advocacy.
“Our campaign works are vandalised, the general public are angry, and there are very negative discussions across social media. The press often ignores our Pride, which is very frustrating.”
Last year’s Pride events attracted over 3000 attendees, featuring a community theatre, film festival, and panel discussions to raise awareness about the LGBTQI experience in Mongolia. Their Pride party alone, attracted 1200 people. But despite the vibrant celebrations, the Centre faces significant challenges. Their visibility campaign, prominently displayed on bus stops, billboards, and buildings, often meets with vandalism and negative public reactions. “Our campaign works are vandalised, the general public are angry, and there are very negative discussions across social media. The press often ignores our Pride, which is very frustrating,” Enkhmaa laments.
Since 2019, the Centre has been unable to organise their equality march, initially due to the pandemic and later due to governmental restrictions. “Even after the pandemic eased, we couldn’t organise an equality march because the government wouldn’t approve our request. It’s been a battle,” Enkhmaa explains. The Centre took the government to court twice, and although they eventually won one of the cases,, Enkhmaa shares “the spirit of Pride was already gone, so still we couldn’t organise.”
However, due to the Centre’s tireless efforts, they are now planning to organise the first Pride march in Mongolia since 2019, eagerly anticipated by the community. For Enkhmaa, Pride is more than a celebration; it’s a crucial tool for advocating for LGBTQI rights. “It is vital for community building, seeing one another in unity, and understanding that our struggle and resilience are shared. It is a collective expression of resistance against systematic oppression and discrimination, done beautifully.”
Enkhmaa recalls a powerful moment from last year’s Pride party. Having lived abroad for over a decade before returning to Mongolia five years ago, she feared acceptance by her community. “My biggest fear was to be accepted, genuinely accepted, by my community as a leader,” she shares. During the Pride party, she was called on stage, and the crowd began chanting her name. “It was amazing. That’s when I truly felt the love and acceptance.”