BB GANDANGHARI says the physical transformation is just as arduous as the emotional struggles. photo: Facebook
I came out ahead of her,” said BB Gandang-hari in jest, when the Inquirer asked her thoughts on the recent unveiling of Caitlyn Jenner, or the athlete formerly known as Bruce Jenner, on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine.
Seriously now, BB quipped: “I know that Caitlyn is going through a tough time.”
When she saw the news on TV, BB asked herself: Just what is the significance of Caitlyn’s big reveal to the transgender community?
“It made me realize that I am not alone,” she told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Tuesday. “More than anything, I hope it would raise awareness and start discussions … that transgenders are not out-of-this-world. We’ve always been here.”
She considers herself fortunate that she was born in this century. “If I lived in the 1800s, I would have gone crazy. It’s a confusing life.”
It’s been six years since she turned her back on the actor formerly known as Rustom Padilla and chose to live life as BB Gandanghari.
Ongoing journey
Until now, BB explained, she still encounters a few speed bumps on the road in her continuing journey as a transgender woman. “It’s an ongoing process. But I am getting there. I’m 75 percent there. At least now, I can say I know myself more. I can balance my masculine and feminine sides.”
Apart from psychological and emotional struggles, the “physical transformation” was a mighty challenge, BB admitted.
“I have to keep working out. I had to lose 50 pounds of pure muscle. Imagine, what Caitlyn had to do … she was a former Olympian.”
CAITLYN, or the Olympian formerly known as Bruce Jenner, on the cover of Vanity Fair, as photographed by Annie Leibovitz. AP
When it comes to her family life, things are going swimmingly these days.
BB and brothers Robin and Rommel Padilla are currently starring in the TV5 sit-com “2 1/2 Daddies,” which will wrap up this month.
Last time they shared the screen was the 1994 war film “Mistah.”
Epiphany
“I had an epiphany recently,” she remarked. “We click when we work together because of our rapport … which we’ve had since we were kids.”
Things that they don’t get to discuss in private, Robin related, they would get to tackle in front of the camera.
“That happens often. Our sitcom has turned into a reality show,” BB agreed with her action star-brother.
Their original plan was to produce an indie movie. Will “2 1/2 Daddies the Movie” follow suit soon? “Why not? That would be fun,” BB said.
If you ask BB, however, a more urgent goal is to produce a film on murdered transgender Jennifer Laude.
“It’s sad that people are now forgetting about Jennifer’s case,” she said. “It’s an eye-opener. Discrimination is still prevalent. Now, she is being blamed for her death, as if it was her fault.”
With the film, she hopes to tackle the struggles of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community. “My position as a celebrity allows me to espouse certain causes, to shed light on important issues.”
Same-sex marriage is another hot topic she would never tire of discussing. She expressed support for singer Aiza Seguerra, who identifies as a transgender man, and actress Liza Diño who got married twice in California (where same-sex unions are legal) and Batangas (where the rite was ceremonial).
“I am so happy for them,” she said. “When you look at their wedding photos, you see a bride and a groom. It’s beyond gender. It transcends the physical. What you see is the union of two hearts that love each other deeply. How I wish we were close friends so that I could’ve been invited to their wedding!”
As for the state of her own heart?
His pet Labrador Ihman, she quipped, “is the only constant man in my life.”
But is she ready to fall in love?
“It’s hard enough for women, what more for us. I cannot assume that all the men who befriend me are interested in me romantically.”
Someone special
She conceded, however, that there are some male friends hovering in the vicinity.
“I am getting there, too. I am ready to meet people. I’ve reached the stage where I’ve become more comfortable with myself. I do hope to meet someone special soon,” BB said.
(bayanisandiegojr@gmail.com)