The Thank You Girls

"You'll feel more at home here than in any previous drag-queen movie. If you don't, you'll laugh, you'll gasp, you may even hurl. But you'll come out a better person." - Vancouver International Film Festival

SYNOPSIS:


"The 'Thank You' Girls" is a Visayan film with a gay lingo twist. (with subtitles)


Tired of losing in all the beauty competitions in Davao City, six dysfunctional gay beauty pageant veterans decide to travel north to Cagayan de Oro City, in the island of Mindanao, with a mission to conquer the grandest competition of beauty, personality and brains in the province. They believe that being city dwellers, gays in the province will never stand a chance against them.

Passing through the breathtaking landscapes and cultural vignettes of the Mindanao provinces, each queer need not only struggle to win a single title but also battles against his individual internal demon raring its ugly head behind their pink masks.

During their travel, the ultimate gay adventure of the characters brings them to back to the basics of themselves and of each other.

While they are blinded by their belief in the power of their so-called beauty, they still have to prove that whether on or off stage, beauty doesn't just come in packages wrapped in foundation, mascara, eyeliners and witty beauty pageant answers. What they will discover about themselves could be fitting and that being a run-away loser is not at all ugly.

Because what is essential is VISIBLE to the naked eye.

Directed by: Charliebebs Gohetia

Produced by: Brooklyn Park Pictures in cooperation with Bicycle Pictures and Alchemy of Vision and Light

Starring:
Gie Salonga
July Jimenez
EJ Pantujan
Pidot Villocino
Kit Poliquit
Kim Vergara
Ari Bancale
Joan Soco

REGULAR SCREENING: January 21-27, 2009 ROBINSONS INDIESINE

Forwarded Email: They are so Gorgeous but...

This e-mail was forwarded to me by my officemate. Lahat sila namangha kasi Transgender lahat ng mga nag-gagandahang contestants ng isang beauty pageant sa Thailand. Grabeh, Thailand never ceases to amaze me... Enjoy the picture series below...

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

America's Next Top Model features its first Transgender Contestant

"Now this is Transgender Empowerment!"

ISIS
Age:

22

Hometown:

Prince George's County, Maryland (currently New York, New York)

Occupation:

Program Assistant at a non profit organization.

SHE'S A HE???

From Yahoo TV:

By TV Guide News
Thu Aug 14, 9:48 AM PDT

The new season of America's Next Top Model will include Isis, the show's first transgender contestant.

"My cards were dealt differently," Isis, 22, told Us. The aspiring model is from Prince George's County, Maryland, and describes herself as "a woman born physically male."

Her historic turn as the show's first transgender contestant, though, isn't why she's getting on the Top Model runway. "I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she said.

Yet, GLAAD leadership is still applauding her addition to this year's group of models wannabes. "We applaud Tyra Banks and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible," president Neil Giuliano said.

Will the addition of Isis change the game for transgender models on " and off the show? " Anna Dimond


Related Articles:
http://www.cwtv.com/shows/americas-next-top-model11/cast/isis
http://tv.yahoo.com/americas-next-top-model/show/35130
http://showhype.com/story/america_s_next_top_model_transsexual_contestant_isis/

Thai school offers transsexual toilet

Article from: BBC News Website

With its spacious, tree-lined grounds and slightly threadbare classrooms, there is nothing obviously unusual about the Kampang Secondary School.

It is situated in Thailand's impoverished north-east, and most of the pupils are the children of farmers.

Every morning at 0800 they all gather outside to sing the national anthem and watch the flag being raised.

Then they have a chance to use the toilets, before heading off the first classes of the day.

Kampang is proud of its toilets. Spotless, and surrounded by flowering tropical plants, they have won national awards for cleanliness.

But there is something else about them too. Between the girls' toilet and the boys', there is one signposted with a half-man, half-woman figure in blue and red.

This is the transsexual toilet, and outside, in front of the mirrors, some decidedly girly-looking teenage boys preen their hair and apply face cream.

Read the complete article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7529227.stm

Mae & Rio: Two Stories of Discrimination

From Ang LadLad YahooGroups

Posted by Ate Pau ( Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:40 pm):

To most of us, this weekend would have been spent having fun, taking a rest and relaxing. Not to Mae and Rio, two women of transgender experience, who had to spend this weekend worrying about the coming week. Mae, who is just a week in training for a call center job, is afraid she might lose her recently acquired employment while Rio, who is on her third year in Nursing school, is agonizing about not being able to graduate despite doing well in school and just having a year to go. Both women are nervous about what the new week will bring. Both women are being punished for their transgender status.

MAE

When Mae attended her pre-employment orientation, she was informed that she could dress female as long as she followed the company’s dress code. So that’s exactly what she did. From Monday to Thursday last week, she dressed in business casual. On Friday, she wore a blouse over black pants and sneakers. Needing to use the bathroom upon arrival at work Friday afternoon, she rushed to the women’s bathroom as was her wont.

Five minutes later while powdering her face in front of the bathroom mirror, Mae heard the voice of a security guard ordering her to get out. The guard stood by the bathroom door barking reasons at Mae why she did not belong to the women’s bathroom. Shocked, Mae tried to explain to the guard that she was female. The guard was belligerent, however, and threatened her if she did not step out.

Humiliated and scandalized by the growing number of onlookers, Mae thought she had no choice. She left the bathroom in tears. Later, Mae’s trainer told her that the company had an unspoken rule that bakla employees were not allowed to use the women’s bathroom. Mae said that she understood that if by bakla the trainer meant men who identified as male and presented as such and were attracted to other males. Mae tried to explain that she did not identify as one and that her gender identity was female as evinced by how she presented in public. Moreover, Mae pointed out the company’s core values which included belief in diversity. Mae thought this explained the company’s allowance for employees to wear the clothing of the gender they identify as. If the company lets her dress as female because that’s how she sees herself and is seen by others, then why can’t she use the corresponding bathroom?

The trainer could not give Mae clear answers but promised Mae that she would do something about it. Mae decided to raise her concerns with the Human Resources (HR) department. Today, July 29, 2008, Tuesday, Mae is set to meet with HR. Mae is apprehensive about this impending meeting. This weekend it’s all that she could think about.

RIO

For five semesters, Rio attended Nursing school wearing the women’s uniform. All her classmates and teachers referred to her as Miss Rio and she looked forward to finishing her studies and becoming a nurse. Rio has spent the last five semesters happy in the university which her boyfriend also attends.

Sometime in July, after one of the security guards saw that Rio’s name on her ID was male, Rio was asked to go into the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). There the OSA Head discussed the next steps to take regarding Rio’s “true” identity. The OSA Head decided that from then on Rio should be addressed as male and required to wear the men’s uniform.

Rio protested and made it clear to the school official that she did not identify as male, which is why she did not once come to school as one. The OSA head argued that until Rio’s gender in her official documents remains unchanged, the school is officially treating her as a man.

Rio decided that her best recourse was to meet immediately with the President of the university to discuss her case. The President’s secretary scheduled a meeting for July 28, 2008, Monday. In the mean time, last Thursday, Rio showed up in school dressed as she had always been the last three years. The security guard, who let her in, in the past, now refused her entry. According to him, the OSA head left instructions to make sure that Rio came in wearing the prescribed uniform for male students. Feeling shamed and helpless, Rio just went back home. Already, she has missed two days of classes. This weekend, nothing else but her imminent meeting with the university President has been on her mind. Rio spent the last two days, restless, anxious and afraid. Like Mae, she fears for her future.

Education and employment remain the two crucial areas where Filipino transgender people struggle for full participation. Despite comprising a big chunk of the total population and being acknowledged as part of a culture that dates back to pre-colonial times, transgender citizens of this country continue to face hurdles in trying to finish school and being gainfully employed. It’s time to put a stop to this oppression. It’s time to open the doors to full transgender inclusion.

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Aim High TransPinay...

I have a lot of transgender friends. Yes, they dress, act, and speak like a real woman does. Most of them are even prettier than REAL girls, with emphasis on the word REAL. Defining what a transgender is, they are people people who are biologically born as males but emotionally and psychologically thinks that they are females, and vice versa. When they surgically changed their genitals, they are now called transexuals. Also, Gays and lesbians are different from transgenders. So many terms and but the bottom line is they are girls or boys trapped in an opposite genders' body. For more enlightenment, click on this link: LGBT Terms & Definitions.

How do we deal and be friends with them? Here are some of my personal tips based on my experiences with my transgender friends. We should acknowledge them by using the right pronouns in any conversation. Use SHE and HER and not HE, HIS, or HIM when referring to a male transgender. Also, call them by their preferred names and not with what is written in their birth certificates. If Paulo wants you to call HER Paula, don't dare call HER Paulo, otherwise, you'll receive a slap on your face. Never mention that SHE has male attributes. Please do not tell HER that SHE has an Adam's apple or she doesn't have any boobies, this might lessen HER self confidence. Maker HER realize that SHE is beautiful. We should treat them like real women with proper courtesy. Finally, when you are with transgender people, you should have deeper understanding and acceptance of who they are. I enjoy being with my transgender friends. Although they differ in identities. Some of them are very sophisticated and have deep personalities. But there are also those who keeps me laughing and I have no dull moments when they are around.

Dinugo ako dun, English... Hehehehe.

Presenting Dhel, obviously she's the one in the picture. Super kulit and she's one of my closest friend sa organization namin. Sobrang dami niyang insights about being a transgender. There are times na kapag nag-uusap kami eh bigla na lang niyang sasabihin na "ang ganda ganda ko noh". Hehehe. She definitely is. Isa sa mga natutunan ko sa kanya is "if you want to be respected, show them that you should be respected". Well, ang gusto niyang sabihin eh kung transgender ka, wag mong ipakita sa mundo na kabastos bastos ka. Bakla ka na nga eh. Siya kasi, kapag nanamit, sobrang simple. Hindi yung naka mini-skirt and kita pati kaluluwa. No matter how beautiful you are, if you won't act accordingly, pagiging tampulan ka talaga ng discrimination.

Some of the transgenders are actively fighting for LGBT rights in our country. Just like Ate Pau and Ate Sass who are both members of Ang Ladlad LGBT Party. Kapag nagsama ang dalawang ate ko na yan, super kwela ng tandem. There is also an organization which focuses on the needs of the Filipina transgenders and that is STRAP or the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines. Click on the links for more information about Ang Ladlad and STRAP.

One of the most obvious scenario in the LGBT community is the war between Transgenders and Discreet Gays/ Bisexuals. Kapag nakakakita ang mga discreet kuno ng mga transgender, ang reaction kaagad eh "Yuck EFFEM", however, kapag nakakita naman ang mga transgender ng mga padiscreet, bigla silang babahing ng malakas sabay sabi ng "PAMINTA!". Hopefully, mahinto na sana ang mga ganitong bangayan. Iisang komunidad lang po tayo, whether you're discreet, transgender, or kahit kalahating paminta at binabae, lahat tayo'y kapwa nakakaramdam ng hindi wastong pagtanggap ng lipunan...