‘She’s a she’: Chai Fonacier defends transwoman Iyah Minah’s best actress win

Image: Facebook/@chaifonacier

“Patay na si Hesus” actress Chai Fonacier recently took to social media where she unleashed her ire over the way fellow actress transwoman Iyah Mina was depicted, after winning the best actress award in the 2018 Cinema One Original Awards Night last Oct. 21.

Fonacier was not happy when a tabloid called “dating beki” Mina’s win “controversial”. Fonacier maintained that Mina is a woman — a she.

“Why should it be a ‘controversy’ if a transwoman won the Best Actress award?” she wrote on Twitter last Oct. 22. “F*ck it, it’s 2018. Get with the program. She’s a she. She won fair and square. F*ck you.”

Fonacier continued to say that people should instead celebrate the fact that a transwoman won a best actress award — a first in Philippine history. 

“Dapat, we should celebrate that a transwoman won a Best Actress Award. Pero in a positive light,” she said. “Napaka walang hiya naman yung headline na ‘Dating Beki’ plus yung [lead] in na may controversy daw. Napaka Nega and counterproductive sa laban ng LBTQ+.”

https://twitter.com/rrrabidcat/status/1054401765418778624

(We should celebrate that a transwoman won a Best Actress Award, but in a positive light. The headline saying “Dating Beki” [formerly gay] is shameless, including the lead that says there is a controversy. It is too negative and counterproductive.)

She also vented her frustration over the tabloid press in general, saying that they have a lot of members in the LGBTQ community. 

“Pero halos wala kayong inaambag. Di ko maintindihan kung ba’t kayo counterproductive. Where the hell do you really stand?” she asked.

https://twitter.com/rrrabidcat/status/1054402876158574592

(But you almost have no contribution. I do not understand why you are counterproductive. Where the hell do you really stand?)

Fonacier had similar sentiments back in August, when she expressed her disappointment over the way some entertainment reporters ask actors about their sexuality. An example is how reporters ask actors playing gay characters if they themselves are gay in real life. Fonacier noted the irony that a lot of media members are gay, too, but still ask such problematic questions.

The year, after all, is 2018. And as per Fonacier, “May Google na, kung di nyo pa alam yan. May communities that you can ask. Wala pa rin kayong progress? Intriga pa rin ang motivation ninyo? What, to sell papers? Diyos ko lang ha.”

https://twitter.com/rrrabidcat/status/1054403909517639680

“May Google na, kung di nyo pa alam yan. May communities that you can ask. Wala pa rin kayong progress? Intriga pa rin ang motivation ninyo? What, to sell papers? Diyos ko lang ha.”

(There is already Google, if you still do not know. There are communities you can ask. You still have not progressed? Intrigue is still your motivation? What, to sell papers? My God.)

It was the film “Mamu; And a Mother Too”, directed by Rod Singh, that paved the way for Mina’s historical win. Mina played the role of a trans sex worker, a role that, at first, saw her uncertain and doubtful because she had to give up other engagements.

Mina’s best actress win is definitely not just a triumph for herself, but also to the trans community whom she dedicated her award during her speech. JB

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