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In other countries, women usually take the lead in cabaret. But here in Thailand, many feel they are just not the right gender for the job.
In Thai society, women are usually very friendly and proper, this profession requires them to be outgoing, cheeky and bracing which is not proper for Thai women.
Every night, in cabarets across Thailand, performers transformed themselves in the most profound way imaginable—from men into women.
In Thailand, lady boys were dancers and entertainers long before cabaret caught on in the 1970s’.But its enormous success has given them a special niche, and allowed them to become more openly expressing themselves.
One has even turned stared on a cabaret stage into a national celebrity. The artist's simply known as “Dae”. Dae is the author of 2 books, and though she’s never had sex change operation, she lives her life entirely as woman—on stage and off. It’s been a radical transformation from a young boy who yearned to entertain
“I always loved to perform as a child singing or acting whenever there was a chance”
At 17,Dae had to quit school to help support her family, working as a hairdresser she got in on ground floor the blossoming-filled cabaret
“I had to slowly inject more and more of my personality and myself into the act so that I could stand out and be different. Soon some too much of myself might also turned people off but there is a balance”
Dae’s stardom has given her the latitude to live the life she wants and even adopt 2 sons. In the west virtually everything about this man/woman would be taboo. So why is she accepted in Thailand?
“Transexualism isn’t bound up to sinful as the way it is in the west” Andrew Matoler is a lecturer at Holand’s University.” According to Christianity, homosexuality, crossdressing, those are considered to be sinful, whereas according to Buddhism, generally, transgender is bound up to be Karma. A person is born transgendered because of something they did wrong in a prior life”
As a result, over harassment is rare here. But that doesn’t mean that most Thais approves transgenderism. Even a celebrity like Dae, often feel that many are uncomfortable with her life style.
“It is not that words that bother me but looks, as if people are looking down on us.”
But concerns like this tend to disappear for cabaret. For Thailand’s lady boys, it’s a rough ridge.
“Once we are on the cabaret stage, people learned all and they are not laughing or feel disgusted like they may in other circumstances. Cabaret is not just profession force; it is not just the livelihood. It is something that sustains us. It is like the air that we breathe”