Anna Randal for Art-Sheep

Ladyboys is a term to describe the transgendered women in Thailand, who occupy a unique and complex role in an erratic society. Photographer Soopakorn Srisakul, captures the everyday life of his girlfriend and four other ladyboys who work as bartenders and call girls in the Nana district in Bangkok.

Through his Mistress series, the photographer tries to explore his partner’s lifestyle, and creates a raw portrait of the ladyboy community. In this set of photos, one can notice the tenderness and affection with which Srisakul shoots his models. These women face serious employment problems, as very few jobs hire transgender people. Most of them are working in department stores, makeup counters and cabaret venues, while other are more lucky, working as bargirls, which is the profession with highest salary. The problem of acceptance and socialization is not only limited to employment, as a big number of these girls wish to get married, something illegal in their country.

Apart from their different sex, these women share a lot in common with every other woman in the world. Through the photographer’s camera, the viewer sees that their lives, their everyday troubles and dreams are the same as everybody else’s.

via featureshoot

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