Transgender Girls

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

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Jose

Posted 107 days ago

Good for you! You have the same rights like the rest of us!! Even god can't judge you! He was the one who created you, that means he loves you!! BEST OF LUCK

Mark

Posted 108 days ago

I so much agree

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American Beauties is an award-winning documentary on Asian transgender immigrants. We enter the secretive, often misunderstood world of immigrant male to female transgenders. In a series of illuminating interviews, Amanda, Imani, Kimberly and Kosal give revealing insights on the issues closest to their hearts: discrimination, prostitution, and sex reassignment surgery as well as their former lives, and their dreams for the future.

Interview Transcript (Part 2)

Imani: When I first came out here, I had a lot of problems, because a lot people was, you know, was talking about me and teasing me. But, you know, I get down and dirty.

They get intimidated. And, a lot of people say that I'm a big girl, and, a lot of people, they stare at me, but I don't care. Because, you know, I make some of them look stupid, you know.

So, I kind of feel uncomfortable sometimes when I don't have no makeup on or when I'm in a rush, and I go to supermarket, and everyone's just staring at me, "Girl, what happened to your hair, what happened to your makeup?" "Nothing". So...

Kosal: People try really hard to separate themselves. And, I think, they're kinda like, it's almost like self-discrimination.

Kimberly: People judge me, or call me like a faggot or drag queen or shemale or something like that. My concern there is I don't care what people think. Because I can say that I'm very happy with myself, and I look good.

I'm not trying to be conceited, but you know, whatever, whatever it is, if they find out, I'm happy to tell them. I don't have to pretend like, yeah, I'm a girl or whatever like that, you know. But some people, you have to choose the person to tell them. But, I just wanna be myself.

Kosal: I was walking through the mall, and I was somewhat being harassed, but, you know, he started calling names, by all means...and, I, you know, I didn't care, you know, I was like, okay whatever, you know...But I walked by him and he tried to trip me, so I...so my reaction was to fight back, so I did. So, I got arrested, and they dropped charges, and he dropped charges, and I dropped charges too for his harassment.

Amanda: I've never let anybody...you know, I never...I'm not affected by what they say...because they don't pay my rent, they don't, you know, they don't, they don't feed me, they don't have anything for my life. All they can do is, you know, say, you know, say something to me, which does not affect me because I know what I am, who I am and, you know, and if they only knew who I am, you know, they loved me, too.

Imani: I really don't care what anybody thinks, that's....I think that's what makes me more stronger because when I hear a lot of negativity, it's the negativity that builds my self-esteem and makes me more stronger.

Amanda: They'll say something stupid, I mean, and in most of cases, they'll look at you funny and, you know, they'll gossip and they don't, they don't think that, you know, that you can hear and you can feel, you know, what they're saying. I mean, it's like they don't know what much it hurts.

I mean, let's say, you know, we're sitting here and somebody is like, you know, there like just talking about you, this thing. "Oh, she looks a man so whatever" or "that's a man" and they don't know how much...I mean, that's why in most cases, people who are transgendered come out defensive, you know. I mean...In more cases, they'll start a fight or, you know, make a big scene and stuff.

Kosal: You know, some people look, some people, I mean, stare, some people think that you're woman or some people think you're transgender or man in drag, whatever the case may be, it doesn't really matter to me, you know, 'cause I'm who I am. And, seriously they don't pay my bills. You know. I'm saying, you know, "give me 10,000 dollars and I'll care what you say", you know.

Imani: You know, a lot of guys that you think are straight like the transgenders. I mean, California is the gay capital. So, I don't see why a lot of people out here has a problem with the lot of transgenders and gays, lesbian.

Amanda: I'll tell them, I say "look", I said "you don't even know me, and, you know, you're judging me". I said, "you have no right to judge me, only God has that right and you're not God" and I said, "you wanna go to hell, judge me", you know. I mean, nobody's perfect. I'm sure your life is not perfect, you know.