Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip is a celebrity, with regular TV and magazine appearances and a company that has tripled its revenue since 2014. The transgender CEO of JKN Global Media Pcl credits her company’s revenue growth to her openness about her gender transition, observing that her reputation and visibility have led to increased opportunities with prospects and suppliers, as well as a more general increase in JKN’s public profile.
Jakrajutatip’s visibility and advocacy for Thailand’s transgender community is much-needed. While Thailand is seen as something of an LGBT+ oasis amongst Asian countries, it does not allow transgender people to change their gender on official documentation. The country also sees rampant discrimination against the transgender community, particularly in employment.
Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip advocates actively for transgender rights in employment, in her own company and beyond.
“Breaking the family and social barriers with gender transformation was the toughest decision in my life,” she said. “That provides me with decisiveness and determination in running the company.”
Read more at Bloomberg