LGBT Pride in Timor-Leste?

This is a special video and a touching story.

While in Timor-Leste, I got connected with a local named Nata. He’s a really cool and friendly guy, who has been kind enough to take me around his country!

Nata and his youth group, Hatutan, recently started a LGBT pride parade in the small country of Timor-Leste, which has been making international headlines. Their movement has provided an opportunity to promote social inclusion for everyone in a country where LGBT people have struggled to gain family/social acceptance.

Their first pride parade was held last year, which attracted 500+ people and was so powerful that it brought in support from the previous Prime Minister. They are already planning their second pride to happen this coming June.

I really admire Nata's approach to make an impact in his country’s society, so I sat him down to question him and learn more about his story.

This is the longest video I've ever made, at nearly 5 minutes, and also the hardest I've spent editing... I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Special thanks to PixelAsia and FilmDeit Productions for the extra footage, and to Nata & his friends who helped make this video happen. Music: Epidemic Sound

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[absharanabilla]

⚠ TW : Some Homophobic Comments from Comment Section ⚠

This comment section contains some homophobic (mostly Indonesian) comments about East Timor, so beware if you read the comments.

[Ill]

I didn’t know that East Timor had supportive people it makes me happy, because my parents are Timorese and they always tell me that if you were lgbtq+ you would get killed or beaten and it made me even more scared to come out to my parents and this video really helped tysm

[youngbess]

My husband and I visited Timor Leste in August. We can’t wait to come back. Such a wonderful country. Great video Nada! Wishing you all the best.

[NewRepublicMapper]

FUN FACT:
EAST TIMOR WAS THE SECOND COUNTRY THAT IS PREDOMINANT CATHOLIC COUNTRY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AFTER THE PHILIPPINES

[uhuhhanny]

I'm loosing all my brain cells from all the homophobic comments.

[brildidge]

Nice to know there's somewhere in the world where people are trying to respect and get along with one another. God bless Nata !

[Eu-Abreu]

Timor was a Portuguese colonie and province (that's why they speak in part Portuguese)... but more important and above all excelent they great Friends and have a countrie that is a paradise in their hands!!
Best regards from Portugal

[joejoey]

This is activism, not typing on your computer about what someone said or did 10 years ago

[assonamor]

I've been to Timor Leste back in 2013 n staying over for 2 years... Timor Leste is such a beautiful country with crazy beaches... I love Atauro islannd..

[sQSZeSVEUhyUkaoIx]

Dude this is amazing, i'm legit looking at flights to this place right now

[dympulls]

I love that you bring topics like this up. So many people have no clue that most of the world is not available for safe/ easy travel to LGBT people and it is great to see where it is safe for us to go and that you are willing to take the time to talk about it!

[renatopereira]

Amazing video! Thanks for sharing it. Way to go, Timor-Leste!!

[Saved-by-Grace]

As someone who is Christian themselves, it's great to see more predominantly Christian nations opening up and accepting LGBT people for who they are. Love will always triumph over hate!

[tobiascabrejas]

I hope East Timor joins beauty pageants soon.

[southpacificexplorer]

This video is great work and underrated. You're giving these people a voice and working for human rights is democratic grassroots work. The guys have so much motivation and good spirit and I wish them all the best. I really wonder how you can hate them or their work as seen in other comments - but hate is the problem of haters, and this video is a message of love and that's all that counts! :)

[kumpulanvidiohiburan]

as an indonesian, now im thinking to move to timor leste. it was part of indonesia before

[emilydioptase]

It’s sad how many homophobes are in this comments section.

[santiagoh]

I think 500 its a fair number for TL first pride... Ecuador’s first pride was attended by 100-200 and now pride is huge with thousands and thousands!

[ARosethatBloomsinEarlyMay]

Drew Binsky - Kindly disable the comments section. It's swarmed by homophobic trash.

[krealyesitisbeta]

This needs to be the 2nd country in Asia to allow gay marriage. Taiwan can’t be the only one forever.