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It is no surprise that the LGBTIQ+ community has greatly inspired the music that we listen to today. The latest phenomenon of ‘Queer Pop’ is making the world sway one track at a time, dominating top charts globally. However, pop music was not where it all started. To understand how Bangkok’s underground queer scene became what it is today, we transport ourselves back in time to explore where it all started in the early 1920s beginning with a beloved genre, Blues.
The History of Queer Music
Gladys Bentley, born in 1907 in Philadelphia, became an influential music icon amid racial segregation. Her childhood was marked by a desire to wear "boy clothes" and an early attraction to women, which strained family ties. Music became her solace, and at 16, she left for Harlem, immersing herself in the Prohibition-era nightlife. Bentley's career blossomed at the Clam House, a popular gay-friendly venue, where she gained fame for her tuxedoed style, a high hat, and signature luxury car. Her popularity soared as she headlined iconic clubs like the Apollo Theatre, Ubangi, and the Cotton Club. Later, Bentley moved to Los Angeles, where changing social norms led her to adopt a more conventional feminine style and even publicly claim marriage to men. Bentley passed away at 52 due to the flu, leaving a legacy as a groundbreaking and unapologetic voice in American music history.
During Bentley’s reign, many artists all around America, such as the gender-bending mother of Blues Ma Rainey were also gaining popularity. However, the genre quickly shifted with the rise of disco, electronic, and house music. The 60s and the 70s were the decades that shaped the music we listen to today, from Rock n’ Roll to Ball Culture.
Glam Rock emerged as a vibrant style of rock music in the early 1970s, known for its male performers donning flamboyant clothing and bold makeup. Iconic artists like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury of Queen exemplify this genre, with Freddie’s flair often linked to Glam, despite some debate about Queen's classification. As these artists rose to fame, drag queens Lottie and Crystal LaBeija established the first Ball Culture house in an underground Harlem venue. Ball Culture represents an African-American and Latino sub-culture within the underground LGBTIQ+ scene, created as a response to the exclusivity of traditional balls, which were often reserved for the wealthy elite.
Drag balls emerged as safe havens for individuals marginalized by society due to their gender and sexuality. Many of the iconic terms we hear in the LGBTIQ+ community today - like “vogue,” “strike a pose,” and “mother” - have roots in AAVE (African-American Vernacular English), which often conveys a sense of hierarchy. These phrases date back to the 1930s, when Ball Culture began to flourish as a creative force behind new styles of house music and other electronic dance genres, celebrating the essence of queerness. The ballroom scene blended various musical styles, including funk, house, hip-hop, disco, and electronic music, much of which was pioneered by artists of color. However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic significantly affected the LGBTIQ+ community, and the ballroom scene was not immune. Prevention and safeguarding organizations engaged with the community in these ball spaces, utilizing the existing hierarchy to educate attendees about HIV risks and prevention methods, with “Mothers” and “Fathers” guiding their “children.”
Houses, a place where chosen families were formed and members lived together under the same roof, served as safe havens for LGBTIQ+ youth who were forced out of their homes due to their identities. Primarily made up of Latino and Black LGBTIQ+ communities, these spaces sparked the growing role of progressive gender and sexuality politics in the nightlife scene. As the gay liberation movement gained momentum, drag queens, trans women, and queer people of color stood as the backbone of the LGBTIQ+movements.
Electronic music has continued to evolve, shaping the sounds that are heard today as it branches into unique sub-genres and futuristic beats crafted through algorithms. To spotlight this niche genre, Non Non Non organized an event aimed at enriching the understanding of fellow musicians and DJs.
Bangkok’s Queer Collectives and their Journey
Bangkok, a city that never truly rests, brims with culture, history, feminist and LGBTIQ+ acceptance, and an electrifying nightlife scene. While many in the LGBTIQ+ community understand the layers of our movements, this complexity remains a mystery to most outsiders. Mainstream media often frames Bangkok’s nightlife as wild and notorious, but on the other end of the spectrum, a unique queer collective has taken root. Founded in 2018 by Mae Happyair, Non Non Non was established as a ‘women and queer collective’ to provide a safe, inclusive space for all genders and LGBTIQ+ people to connect, grow, and enjoy themselves. With a zero-tolerance stance on homophobia and transphobia, Non Non Non emphasizes inclusion, respect, body positivity, and consensual interactions.
On October 19, 2024, Non Non Non, in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Cornea Cochlear Club, and The Botanics, hosted an engaging workshop titled “Decode and Create.” This event introduced participants to the concept of visual coding and the use of algorithms in music creation. The day featured two insightful panel discussions and a cozy fireside chat, offering attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how the visuals and sounds for Non Non Non parties come to life.
The afternoon kicked off with an engaging panel discussion featuring two talented VJs, Giang (Cornea Cochlear Club) and Wawa (c.t.r.l_w), whose visual creations ravers admired at recent Non Non Non events. They shared insights into crafting visual art that plays behind DJs during live performances, discussing how visual art can elevate the vibe for ravers and party-goers. Using platforms like Lumen, Hydra, and Resolume, Giang and Wawa captivated the audience, who followed along on their own devices. Next time those visuals at a show captivate the audience, it might just be the handiwork behind it. Both VJs described their process as layering various elements, similar to image editing, to create visuals that enhance the venue’s energy and match the music’s beat. Wawa even recounted snapping photos of ravers at a Non Non Non event to transform into visual backdrops, noting that any image can become part of their art.
The day continued with a fireside chat with inmintcondition, an audio engineer and music producer known for her skill in live music coding who got discovered on Instagram through the #AlgoRave hashtag. Her pandemic passion, AlgoRave - a style of music driven by live coding algorithms introduced her to to make coding accessible and fun. Mint, with no prior coding experience, embraced Sonic Pi’s number-driven approach, crafting beats and layers to match the venue's ambiance. In live shows, her twenty-minute sets start simple and grow in complexity, building on beats while crafting music. She jokes that many would think she’s writing emails due to the deceiving appearance.
The final panel discussion features LnHD from Myanmar and Suhsi from Malaysia, two artists who have recently dropped new music: LnHD with her album Slave Instincts and Suhsi with her track Bloody Lotus. This session is notable as both artists use music as a powerful political voice.
LnHD, a DJ and film sound designer from Myanmar, blends her experimental music background with traditional instruments from her homeland in Slave Instincts. The album incorporates cultural sounds, like local percussions and religious bells, grounding her music in her roots. For LnHD, who feels closely tied to Myanmar's situation, using these instruments symbolizes resilience and is a statement that her culture endures - especially meaningful for those displaced. She views both her identity and her music as acts of defiance. Recalling her own experience, she turned to music as a safe yet powerful means of resilience, convinced that art is a profound way to resist. After relocating to Cambodia and visiting Thailand, LnHD describes her life as a "dream" after the passage of the marriage equality bill, which allows her and her partner, also from a conservative background, to openly express their love. She hopes Thailand’s progressive stance will influence other nations towards tolerance.
Suhsi, a DJ based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, originally found her path to music through jewelry design, where she discovered the deep influence of sound on her creative process. Realizing music was a medium where she could freely express herself, she decided to dive into the world of techno. However, in Malaysia, where such music can be seen as “satanic” due to cultural and religious sensitivities, her choice wasn’t without challenges.
To carve out a safe space for expression, she launched an event series called Awaken, creating a welcoming environment for LGBTIQ+ attendees in a society where open dialogue around such topics is still taboo. Over time, Suhsi noticed her events brought together people from every background, from students to bankers, unified by a shared love of techno. By respecting diverse community boundaries, she’s maintained this inclusive atmosphere without causing friction.
With limited hope for progressive change in Malaysia, Suhsi looks to Thailand as a beacon of progress, hoping it can inspire similar acceptance back home. She reflects on the daily struggles of her LGBTIQ+ friends, from legal barriers preventing them from supporting partners in emergencies to police raids on queer events. To Suhsi, music is a powerful bridge, one that brings people together to tackle tough conversations and assert everyone’s right to be themselves. Her mission is to keep providing a space where that freedom is possible.
The event wrapped up with an open discussion and Q&A, capping off an engaging afternoon of learning. Tim, a new DJ and music production enthusiast, appreciated how welcoming the space was for beginners. Originally, from Myanmar, he shared his gratitude for inclusive spaces like Non Non Non, saying, “I don’t have to worry about how my genuine self looks. I can be weird and queer. We’re all just here to enjoy the music, and that’s nice.” The atmosphere mirrored the warmth of the attendees, leading seamlessly into an after-party where the speakers’ work was showcased.
Future Steps
Bangkok can look forward to Non Non Non continuing to bring unbeatable vibes and danceable tunes to its nightlife scene. The LGBTIQ+ community is more resilient than ever, thriving despite challenges, and diversity will only grow stronger in the coming years. We might even see ‘Mor Lam,’ the traditional Lao and Isan rhythm, merge with modern techno and AlgoRave, creating fresh sounds for the scene. Most importantly, we can hope that Thailand will keep pushing forward with progressive laws, from legal gender recognition to the decriminalization of sex work, which would significantly uplift both the nightlife scene and the LGBTIQ+ community.
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Shane Bhatla (he/they) is a non-binary disabled activist and Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) consultant. Shane’s advocacy focuses on trans and disability issues, working to destigmatize conversations about mental well-being in these communities.
Disclaimer: This published work was prepared with the support of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The views and analysis contained in the work are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the foundation. The author is responsible for any liability claims against copyright breaches of graphics, photograph, images, audio, and text used.
