Male-to-Male Sex in Myanmar: A Curse Engendered by Poverty

Shadows in the night-time glow of Yangon’s magnificent, gold leaf-encrusted Sule Pagoda, several men stroll the Sule Bridge. One is Kyaw Zayar Swe, dressed in jeans with two shining studs in his right ear rather than the traditional longyi. He makes small talk with an old customer.

A tourist next to the two, taking photos of the graceful spire of the pag…