At the conclusion of our first set of exams I visited Cambodia. I would strongly recommend the temples of Siem Reap as one of the more amazing sites I've visited, but also wanted to relay a story I heard along the way.
I had just finished a visit to S-21, or the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum, and needless to say, was in a somewhat reflective mood. We went out to dinner, where I sat near a classmate's boyfriend who currently works in Phnomh Penh. I was still somewhat confused regarding the timeline of the Khmer Rouge rule and he provided a thorough explanation of how events unfolded over the years. It made the idea that this city and nation were fully operational and alive even having been absolutely ravaged during my lifetime. What was even more fascinating was learning about the transition in Cambodian leadership over the years.
Even after the Khmer Rouge was officially was defeated by an alliance of Vietnamese forces and disaffected former members in 1979, they maintained a share of power until 1993 when after years of negotations, King Sihanouk returned to power (he had originally ruled form 1941 to 1970). King Sihanouk ruled until he suddenly abdicated his throne in 2004, citing health reasons and leaving for Pyongyang and Beijing to receive treatment. I found it somewhat odd that someone would leave their own country to fly to North Korea for medical treatment, but I won't judge.
Which leaves us with Cambodia's current ruler: King Sihamoni. His Italian mother was one of King Sihanouk's "companions" when he met her at a beauty contest sponsored by UNESCO. I question the shadiness of a 1950s UNESCO beauty contest that leads to a Cambodian King impregnating an Italian woman, but again, I won't judge. Sihamoni lived outside of Cambodia most of his childhood but did return to Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge rule, thinking the regime would be friendly to the former royal family. He was however placed under house arrest and remained in Cambodia until 1981, where he moved to France to pursue a 20 year career as a ballet teacher.
Yes, the Crown Prince of Cambodia became a ballet teacher in France. This is certainly where the randomness of the story was taken to the next level. Apparently, throughout Cambodia it's an unspoken fact that their current King is gay. I was amazed that this nation that less than 30 years ago was being destroyed by an authoritarian regime was tolerant and reverent of a gay King. Perhaps it's my frame of reference with US values, but against the backdrop of what I had just seen at the Genocide Museum, this liberal attitude was simply unreal.
The former King Sihanouk has shown a tremendous progressiveness himself, declaring in 2004 after watching gay marriages take place in San Francisco, that he fully backed gay marriage. When commenting on his son Sihamoni's bachelor status, he said that Sihamoni, "loves women likes he loves his sisters." I'm not sure exactly where the King was going with that, but once again, I won't judge.
