# Stereotypes hide the real story

> A Navy ship's port visit to Thailand exposes how prejudice shapes what we think we know.
- Title: Stereotypes hide the real story · Newsweek | Shortify
- Summary: A Navy ship's port visit to Thailand exposes how prejudice shapes what we think we know. Countries don't fit neat categories. Thailand and Iran both allow…
- Keywords: uss abraham lincoln, pattaya thailand, navy sailors, stereotypes, transgender rights, iran, gender-affirming surgery, lgbtq+ policy, cultural bias, shore leave, hide, real
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/sex-sailors-stereotypes-aircraft-carriers-journey-reveals-prejudice-12441536
- Published: 2026-09-16T09:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: uss abraham lincoln, pattaya thailand, navy sailors, stereotypes, transgender rights, iran, gender-affirming surgery, lgbtq+ policy, cultural bias, shore leave
## Navy ship arrives in Thailand
The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in Pattaya after 286 days at sea, including operations near Iran. The Navy warned sailors against paying for sex before shore leave.
## Reality didn't match expectations
Sailors drank and danced without incident. Only two Americans got into a scuffle. Yet 24 percent of readers judged the coverage as right-leaning, likely projecting their views about the war itself.
## Pattaya's reputation comes from history
During the Vietnam War, U.S. servicemen on leave transformed Pattaya into a destination for sex work. Transgender sex workers became a cultural symbol of the city's permissiveness.
## Thailand's transgender visibility
Medical transition is common in Thailand. A 2020 survey found 37 percent of 401 transgender people had undergone gender-affirming surgery, making it visible in society.
## Iran's contradictory policy
Iran criminalizes same-sex activity with death penalties, yet permits and may subsidize gender-reassignment surgery. A study found 17 percent of 200 transgender people completed surgery, close to Thailand's rate.
## Thailand lacks legal recognition
Despite marriage equality becoming law, Thailand still has no mechanism for transgender citizens to change sex on official documents. Gender-recognition legislation remains unfinished.
## Key takeaway

Countries don't fit neat categories. Thailand and Iran both allow gender-affirming surgery, but only Iran criminalizes being gay, yet Thailand lacks legal gender recognition.