This thesis analyzes the journey of Ladlad, a political party in the Philippines specifically representing the country's LGBT citizens, within the context of a broader historical-anthropological perspective on same-sex sexualities and gender diversity in the Philippine Archipelago, the historical colonial implantation and contemporary persistence of heterosexism and homophobia in the country, and the current struggle for gender and sexual equality being articulated through both local Philippine and globalized discourses and traditions. For several years, Ladlad has sought to win seats in the Philippine Congress in order to fight for the equal rights, equal protection under the law, and state-sponsored support for the advancement and wellbeing of all LGBT Filipinos. By seeking to advance LGBT rights specifically as an LGBT political party within the Philippines' unique party-list system, Ladlad represents novel realities and future possibilities for both Filipino and global LGBT movements, electoral politics, and human rights advocacy.

Apologies and reparations for comfort women, or sex slaves for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, are a contentious issue between the survivors, their supporters, and the Japanese government. After decades of silence, many surviving comfort women have publicly come forward to demand justice—yet the Japanese government has continued to deny responsibility. In response, comfort women supporters and activists have created public memorials throughout the world, particularly in the US. These memorials have caused Japanese diplomatic intervention and demands for removal, sparking a battle for recognition in the public sphere. In this thesis I explore the comfort women movement and the controversy surrounding the memorials, reexamining these memorials as a form of recognition, reparations and reconciliation.