Beyond Pride Diplomacy: How Asian Countries Build Their Pro‑LGBTQ Image on the Global Stage

Sneakers Diplomacy in New York

Amid the hustle of the 2024 UN General Assembly, Aiko Zhang—a young non-binary diplomat from Taiwan—chose to wear white sneakers with rainbow soles to a European Union reception. “It’s just shoes, but also a message,” Aiko whispered with a soft laugh. Her photo quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter), sparking both praise from human rights activists and backlash from conservative online users. For Aiko, the viral attention was secondary—what mattered was simply being herself. Her story encapsulates the paradox many Asian countries face: at home, LGBTQ rights are still a work in progress, but on the international stage, they aim to present an inclusive image. This balancing act is what scholars have coined beyond pride diplomacy“—an effort to polish a country’s reputation globally without necessarily revising domestic legal systems.

From Rainbow Diplomacy to Beyond Pride

The term rainbow diplomacy emerged in Europe in the late 2010s when embassies from countries like the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany began flying rainbow flags on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT). While this was a bold move in support of LGBTQ rights, it often triggered backlash in countries where conservative values dominate. In response, Asian governments adopted a more subtle approach: integrating inclusive narratives into trade, health, and cultural agendas without making loud proclamations (Chen 2024). This more refined strategy is called beyond pride, focusing on small gestures wrapped in diplomatic smiles.

Queer geopolitics researchers have identified three main approaches:

1. Pragmatic Rhetoric—Countries mention LGBTQ rights in trade proposals, but the legal framework remains ambiguous.
2. Selective Coalitions—They partner with European nations on specific issues (e.g., HIV prevention) while avoiding PBB resolutions on third-party gender recognition.
3. Measured Symbolic Diplomacy—They send nonbinary delegates to cultural or sports events, but the legal recognition of gender identities remains “under review.”

Policy Map: ILGA 2024 Scores vs. Diplomatic Reputation Index

Data often speaks volumes. According to ILGA-World 2024, 20 European countries now allow the “X” gender marker on passports, while only a few Asian countries—Nepal, Pakistan, and India (for diplomatic passports)—have adopted such a measure. Interestingly, the 2024 Fletcher School survey shows that a country’s reputation as LGBTQ-friendly doesn’t always align with its domestic policies. For example, Japan has yet to legalize same-sex marriage but scores high in reputation, while Taiwan has both solid legal and diplomatic standing. Indonesia, on the other hand, struggles with its domestic policies and has a lower global ranking.

Source : ILGA world report: 2024 global LGBTQ legal rights scores. International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. https://www.ilga.org/world-report-2024.

Japan, despite not yet legalizing same-sex marriage, has successfully cultivated the image of “Asia’s liberal democracy” through cultural exports (such as anime and J-pop), which increasingly feature non-binary characters. On the contrary, Indonesia is viewed as an “underachiever” due to the mismatch between its human rights rhetoric in ASEAN forums and its domestic legal framework, which still contains exclusivist morality clauses in its draft criminal code.

Image Engine: How Countries “Glow Up” on the Global Stage

·       Consular Cooperation.
Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on gender-sensitive consular services with the Netherlands in 2023. While Singapore only decriminalized homosexuality in 2022, this MoU was showcased as evidence of the country’s “inclusive commitment” at the 2025 Osaka Expo.

·       Creative Economy & Edutainment.
K-Drama Non-Binary Heart won multiple awards at Canneseries in 2024, with backing from South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, exporting an inclusive cultural image (Kang 2024). Behind the scenes, activists are still waiting for the Anti-Discrimination Bill to pass.

·       Health-Security Framing.
The Philippines leveraged the decline in HIV cases reported by the Global Fund in 2024 to attract additional funding, highlighting its SOGIESC-inclusive approach—despite the SOGIE Equality Bill still being stalled in Congress.

Domestic Barriers: When Morality and Nationalism Collide

No matter how progressive a country appears abroad, the true test lies at home. In Jakarta, the British Embassy’s rainbow flag was met with protests (The Guardian, June 18, 2024). In Bangkok, Parliament passed the Marriage Equality Act in 2025, but when activists requested a gender-neutral ID card, civil registry officials shrugged: “Our database isn’t ready.” Nationalism, religious morality, and political calculations make legal reforms feel like walking on a slippery bamboo. How do Asian countries polish their pro-LGBTQ image on the global stage despite domestic policy gaps? This question was posed by Michaela Bernardo, a Filipino-Dutch activist, during her podcast (Bernardo 2024). She argued that without real reforms, beyond pride risks turning into “pink-washing 2.0.” To counter this, the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, in collaboration with ILGA-Europe, has launched a mentoring program for young queer diplomats. The goal is simple: to have people inside the system who can say, “Hey, the global stage and home should shine equally bright.”

International Organizations: Pushing or Watching?

The UN’s SOGIESC Independent Expert sometimes feels like a whistleblower—loud but with decisions still in the hands of the players. While the UN helped Nepal release the “X” passport, efforts in Sri Lanka have stalled. The European Union expanded its 2024 Human Rights Global Sanctions Regime to target SOGIESC violations, but Asian countries have accused the EU of double standards. ASEAN? Still holding onto the non-interference principle—like a neighbor who doesn’t want to meddle in the next-door yard.

Moving Forward—Small Steps That Count

1. Open Soft-Power Budgets. Make public how much of diplomatic funding actually goes into inclusion programs so the public can check, not just hear slogans.
2. Civil Documents Collaboration. Form an EU-ASEAN task force to harmonize birth certificates and neutral-gender passports, streamlining bureaucracy—and airport drama.
3. Queer Diplomacy Learning Spaces. UNDP is creating an online platform where diplomats from Manila to Madrid can share policy struggles.
4. Representation Quotas. Canada aims for 5% of its diplomats to be from the LGBTQ community by 2028. Asia could follow suit, adapting to local contexts.

Sneakers in the City of Love

In April 2025, Aiko Zhang is now stationed at Taipei’s Representation in Paris. She was invited to speak at the OECD Forum on Inclusive Growth 2025 (OECD 2025) about innovations in gender-neutral passports. After the session, a young Indonesian student shook her hand: “Your story gives hope that identity doesn’t have to be sacrificed for a career.” Aiko smiled, recalling the rainbow sneakers—now displayed in her office locker—as a reminder: diplomacy is not just about statistics and MoUs but about personal courage bridging global aspirations with domestic realities.