This Kind of Love

Aung Myo Min is one of the most compelling figures among Burmese human rights activists, not only for his commitment to the establishment of democracy in Myanmar but also as a pioneer calling for LGBT rights. Filmmaker Jeanne Hallacy's documentary details his tumultuous life, starting with his role as a student leader in the 1988 anti-government uprising and his subsequent escape into the Burmese jungle to join a rebel army commanded by the ethnic Karen minority (no mean feat for an urban youth with no previous experience in either a jungle or a militia). Min avoided capture by his country's junta regime and fled to Thailand—not returning to Myanmar for 24 years. Once back home, Min became a prominent advocate for ensuring that LGBT citizens were guaranteed equal protection, an effort that presented two huge challenges: mounting a legal assault on a law that criminalized “unnatural sex” with the threat of fines and prison sentences, and breaking down a historic taboo in Burmese society regarding the open acknowledgement of homosexuality. This Kind of Love is a remarkable tribute to a bold man who has helped broaden the concept of civil rights in a nation that has only recently begun to re-enter the family of democracies. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)