Thailand Transgender Pride -- USAGM
Metadata
- Thailand Transgender Pride -- USAGM
- June 27, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English THAILAND TRANSGENDER PRIDE HEADLINE: Thailand Hosts Transgender Pageant as Equality Drive Hits Parliament TEASER: Thailand has a reputation as an open society, but it is underpinned by a conservative culture which has resisted same-sex unions and other gender equality laws PUBLISHED AT: 06/27/2022 at 5:57 pm BYLINE: Vijitra Duangdee DATELINE: PATTAYA, BANGKOK, THAILAND VIDEOGRAPHER: Black Squirrel Productions PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: MPage, Mia Bush, VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO __ TRT: 3:53 VID APPROVED BY: mia TYPE: EDITOR NOTES: For questions and fila review, send the story back to Vijitra Duangdee, email: vduangdee@gmail.com )) ((INTRO)) [[Held for the first time since the pandemic, the world’s biggest transgender pageant pulled contestants from as far apart as Honduras and India to Thailand, a country where gender equality law is under the spotlight. For VOA, Vijitra Duangdee has this story from Pattaya, Thailand.]] ((VIDEO - Opening images from the talent show by contestants at the mall)) ((NARRATOR)) From Honduras to India, Japan to the United States, transwomen come from different countries but face similar challenges. ((VIDEO - Turn to Tiffany’s (Pattaya) entrance to changing room/build-up)) ((NARRATOR)) They are here in Thailand to compete in the world’s biggest transgender pageant, carrying messages of hope emerging from cultures that have tried to push them to the sidelines, they say, by denying them basic access to work, education and legal protection. ((Luciana Romero, Miss Honduras, (in Spanish)) “(In Honduras) You cannot be free because you are discriminated against, you are judged, you don’t have the right to have a job…to decent health, to study. I currently do not live in Honduras. I live in the United States… I am free there. I have so much to thank the United States because it has given me that space, it has given me love, it has given me understanding.” ((VIDEO - contestants in national costumes etc… in the lobby/ waiting in silhouette to go onstage)) ((Namitha Marimuthu, Miss India, (in English)) “After coming here and meeting all of the sisters from around the world, more than 23 of the girls that are here. I got in my mind that I can’t work only for India, I have to work for all the transwomen around the world because transwomen are facing different types of stigma and discrimination. I have to fight for them.” ((VIDEO - turn to Pattaya Pride Parade)) ((NARRATOR)) Miss International Queen is hosted by Tiffany’s, a near-50-year-old cabaret in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, a place for transgender performers to learn skills from dance to costume design that has employed, promoted and shaped the lives of thousands of transwomen. It is a prestigious venue for Thai transgender people, providing profile and status in a country where the community is often ostracized. Thailand has a reputation as an open society, but it is underpinned by a conservative culture which has resisted same-sex unions and other gender equality laws. After years of failed attempts, several bills by liberal and conservative factions are under discussion and some bills before parliament looking at legalizing same-sex marriages, which would make it only the second territory in Asia to do so, after Taiwan. But there are two additional bills being read in parliament before it becomes law. The parliament is currently dominated by conservatives. And activists are bracing for a late effort to soften the law. ((Alisa Phanthusak Kunpalin, Managing Director Tiffany’s Show Pattaya, (in Thai)) “The law is taking too long to pass due to the huge generational gap we have in Thailand. The majority of lawmakers are seniors, so any changes are difficult to make… they are the generation of change-resistors. Those who have made a name for themselves through our pageants here have contributed to the recognition of transgender people. I think little by little we all take part in this movement for change.” ((VIDEO - Pageant final images)) ((NARRATOR)) The contest itself was won by Miss Philippines — but the longer battles ahead are ones of culture, law and politics. Although Thailand has its same-sex bills, globally, the question over participation of transgender people in sports competitions has sparked debate. But advocates say they still hold out hope for equal treatment. ((Catalina Cabella, Miss USA, (in English)) “This is it. We’re here. We’re all getting spotlighted for our voice, and we have a chance to actually say some really big messages that could possibly change the perspective of our peers and overall common knowledge of what it means to be transgender.” ((Vijitra Duangdee, for VOA News, Pattaya, Thailand))
- Transcript/Script THAILAND TRANSGENDER PRIDE HEADLINE: Thailand Hosts Transgender Pageant as Equality Drive Hits Parliament TEASER: Thailand has a reputation as an open society, but it is underpinned by a conservative culture which has resisted same-sex unions and other gender equality laws PUBLISHED AT: 06/27/2022 at 5:57 pm BYLINE: Vijitra Duangdee DATELINE: PATTAYA, BANGKOK, THAILAND VIDEOGRAPHER: Black Squirrel Productions PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: MPage, Mia Bush, VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO __ TRT: 3:53 VID APPROVED BY: mia TYPE: EDITOR NOTES: For questions and fila review, send the story back to Vijitra Duangdee, email: vduangdee@gmail.com )) ((INTRO)) [[Held for the first time since the pandemic, the world’s biggest transgender pageant pulled contestants from as far apart as Honduras and India to Thailand, a country where gender equality law is under the spotlight. For VOA, Vijitra Duangdee has this story from Pattaya, Thailand.]] ((VIDEO - Opening images from the talent show by contestants at the mall)) ((NARRATOR)) From Honduras to India, Japan to the United States, transwomen come from different countries but face similar challenges. ((VIDEO - Turn to Tiffany’s (Pattaya) entrance to changing room/build-up)) ((NARRATOR)) They are here in Thailand to compete in the world’s biggest transgender pageant, carrying messages of hope emerging from cultures that have tried to push them to the sidelines, they say, by denying them basic access to work, education and legal protection. ((Luciana Romero, Miss Honduras, (in Spanish)) “(In Honduras) You cannot be free because you are discriminated against, you are judged, you don’t have the right to have a job…to decent health, to study. I currently do not live in Honduras. I live in the United States… I am free there. I have so much to thank the United States because it has given me that space, it has given me love, it has given me understanding.” ((VIDEO - contestants in national costumes etc… in the lobby/ waiting in silhouette to go onstage)) ((Namitha Marimuthu, Miss India, (in English)) “After coming here and meeting all of the sisters from around the world, more than 23 of the girls that are here. I got in my mind that I can’t work only for India, I have to work for all the transwomen around the world because transwomen are facing different types of stigma and discrimination. I have to fight for them.” ((VIDEO - turn to Pattaya Pride Parade)) ((NARRATOR)) Miss International Queen is hosted by Tiffany’s, a near-50-year-old cabaret in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, a place for transgender performers to learn skills from dance to costume design that has employed, promoted and shaped the lives of thousands of transwomen. It is a prestigious venue for Thai transgender people, providing profile and status in a country where the community is often ostracized. Thailand has a reputation as an open society, but it is underpinned by a conservative culture which has resisted same-sex unions and other gender equality laws. After years of failed attempts, several bills by liberal and conservative factions are under discussion and some bills before parliament looking at legalizing same-sex marriages, which would make it only the second territory in Asia to do so, after Taiwan. But there are two additional bills being read in parliament before it becomes law. The parliament is currently dominated by conservatives. And activists are bracing for a late effort to soften the law. ((Alisa Phanthusak Kunpalin, Managing Director Tiffany’s Show Pattaya, (in Thai)) “The law is taking too long to pass due to the huge generational gap we have in Thailand. The majority of lawmakers are seniors, so any changes are difficult to make… they are the generation of change-resistors. Those who have made a name for themselves through our pageants here have contributed to the recognition of transgender people. I think little by little we all take part in this movement for change.” ((VIDEO - Pageant final images)) ((NARRATOR)) The contest itself was won by Miss Philippines — but the longer battles ahead are ones of culture, law and politics. Although Thailand has its same-sex bills, globally, the question over participation of transgender people in sports competitions has sparked debate. But advocates say they still hold out hope for equal treatment. ((Catalina Cabella, Miss USA, (in English)) “This is it. We’re here. We’re all getting spotlighted for our voice, and we have a chance to actually say some really big messages that could possibly change the perspective of our peers and overall common knowledge of what it means to be transgender.” ((Vijitra Duangdee, for VOA News, Pattaya, Thailand))
- NewsML Media Topics Politics, Lifestyle and Leisure, Human Interest
- Topic Tags Transgender
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date June 27, 2022 18:26 EDT
- Description English Held for the first time since the pandemic, the world’s biggest transgender pageant pulled contestants from as far apart as Honduras and India to Thailand, a country where gender equality law is under the spotlight. For VOA, Vijitra Duangdee has this story from Pattaya, Thailand.
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English