While homosexuality is legal in Laos, it is very difficult to assess the current state of acceptance and violence that LGBTQ people face because of government interference.
Laos provides no anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, nor does it prohibit hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
[5] On 21 January 2020, at the 35th Session - Universal Periodic Review at UN Human Rights Council, there was the recommendation on The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE-LGBTI) From H.E Christopher Grima - Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations Office in Geneva to the delegation of Lao PDR to: "Continue taking steps to improve the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, particularly by identifying their needs, and consider involving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex representatives in decision-making processes.
"[6] In addition, there was a recommendation from H.E Harald Aspelund, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations in Geneva, to the delegation of Lao PDR to: "Adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that addresses direct and indirect discrimination and encompasses all the prohibited grounds of discrimination, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Government of Laos has also taken steps in recent years to include gay men and transgender people in its National Strategy And Action Plan for HIV/AIDS prevention.
Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, has said,[8] "The Laotian government has never really been very friendly towards NGOs, and has forced them as well as other development partners sent by the UN to cooperate with state-controlled organizations.
The first public LGBT Pride in Laos was held in June 2012 on the sports field of the U.S. embassy in Vientiane, with 100 participants; the guests of honor were U.S.
[14] Lattavanh Sengdala became the first transgender advocate to appear on national television speaking of her experience as a trans woman in Laos.
[9][15] In 2016, the European Union again supported the organising of the second IDAHOT celebration, where more diplomatic and civil society partners participated.
Chargé d'Affairs of the Canadian Embassy Lee-Anne Hermann said, "Today, let us unite in this global celebration of diversity and community.
[20] In August 2019, Anan Bouapha, Founder/President of Proud To Be Us Laos, was named as one of the Grand Marshals of the Montreal Pride along with: LGBTQ+ activist and athlete Val Desjardins, advocate and M. Cuir Montréal 2011 Dany Godbout, author and activist Ma-Nee Chacaby, creator of the trans flag Monica Helms, actor and advocate Wilson Cruz.
The Pride At Work ambassadors participated in a poster shooting and short video project with their personal messages to encourage Lao society "to open their heart and mind to ensure that employment in Laos focuses on people's abilities, competence and merits regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or race."