Forum Views () 
Forum Replies ()  
 
 
Read more with google mobile :
Thailand bans film about transgender father  
 
 
 
 
 
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
 
 
 
World
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thailand bans film about transgender father
 
 
  
 
 By JOCELYN GECKER,Associated Press -
 Friday, December 24
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BANGKOK – Thailand's film board has banned a movie about a transgender father struggling to raise two children, a move the director says highlights the conservative side of Thai society despite its freewheeling reputation.
 
The National Film Board ruled earlier this week that the film, "Insects in the Backyard," cannot be shown in Thailand because it contains scenes that are immoral and pornographic.
 
Authorities have not yet published a public explanation of the ban issued Wednesday, but culture and film officials said the board objected to several scenes, including at least one that showed an explicit depiction of two men having sex.
 
Director Tanwarin Sukkhapisit said the scenes were crucial to the story line and could not be cut. She plans to appeal the ban.
 
"The problem with my film wasn't that it was a gay-themed movie _ because there are many gay comedies allowed in Thailand," Tanwarin said in a telephone interview Friday. "My movie was banned because it was a serious movie. It showed there can be real problems when society cannot accept sexual differences."
 
Thailand is known to outsiders for its tolerance of a very visible transgender community, just one aspect of the country's look-the-other-way permissiveness that sometimes runs afoul of the government's efforts to maintain traditional Buddhist values.
 
Transgenders are regularly seen on TV soap operas and throughout Bangkok, working at department store cosmetics counters, popular restaurants and walking the runways in numerous transgender beauty pageants. The term describes a wide range of identities, including cross-dressers, transvestites, transsexuals and those born with the physical characteristics of both sexes.
 
"Our society tries to show it accepts differences _ but actually it doesn't," Tanwarin said. "Thailand is still a conservative society. This is a case of the government using its power to suppress people with different opinions."
 
"Insects in the Backyard" is a drama about a transvestite and single father, played by Tanwarin, whose teenage son and daughter are torn by feelings of love and shame and eventually run away from home and turn to the sex trade.
 
Tanwarin, 37, says the movie was loosely based on her own life. Born as a boy, Tanwarin began crossdressing as a teenager.
 
The film, which was screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October, was previously rejected by Thailand's Censorship Board. Tanwarin was appealing the earlier decision to seek a limited theater run in Bangkok for audiences aged 20 and over.
 
Among the scenes deemed immoral by the film board were clips showing children in their school uniforms working in the sex industry, a dream sequence in which a son kills his father and the male sex scene that the board found too graphic, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak before the ministry's official explanation is released.
 
"The movie was banned because it is deeply immoral," said one of the officials, a member of the Culture Ministry's Film and Video Screening Office, which is under the Department of Cultural Promotion and advised the Film Board to ban the film. He said it was "unnecessary" to show child sex workers and dreams of patricide that could be copied by young viewers.
 
The 21-member National Film Board is chaired by the prime minister and includes members of government agencies, academics and filmmakers. A majority voted to ban the movie.
 
"Members of the public might take a negative view of our ban," the official said. "But if they have an opportunity to watch the movie, they would understand why it was banned."
 
___
 
Panyapat Piyathamsawat contributed reporting.
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recommend
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
Related Articles
 
 
1 - Dita Von Teese anxious about giving gifts CoverMedia - Friday, December 24
 
1 - Dannii Minogue in need of sunshine CoverMedia - Friday, December 24
 
1 - Gary Barlow’s son is Robbie fan CoverMedia - Friday, December 24
 
Dita Von Teese anxious about giving gifts CoverMedia - Friday, December 24
 
Dannii Minogue in need of sunshine CoverMedia - Friday, December 24
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
News Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Top Stories
 
 
 
 
London tops 6,000 in Santa rally
S.Africa formally invited to join BRIC: .minister
Naked Aphrodite on Cyprus passport causes stir
Pope hails God's 'surprises' in Christmas message
Hollywood stars Johansson, Reynolds divorce
 
 
 
 More Top Stories »
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Most Popular
 
 
 
 
Most Viewed
 
Most Recommended
 
 
 
 
Antarctic IceCube observatory to hunt dark matter
 
Bomb blasts hit Swiss, Chilean embassies in Rome
 
Hollywood stars Johansson, Reynolds divorce
 
Indonesia's dragons draw tourists to 'Jurassic' islands
 
Revived Obama celebrates year-end wins
 
 
 More Most Viewed »
 
 
 
 
 
Defiant Obama defends tax cuts, eyes 2012
 
 
 More Most Recommended »
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
 
 
 
 
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
 
 
Stars and latest movies
 
 
Best travel destinations
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
More on Yahoo! News
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
 
Also on Yahoo!
 
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
 
Site Highlights
 
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network 
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
 
 
    
  
   
 
 
    
   
 
Other News on Friday, 24 December 2010 Foreign troop deaths in Afghan war top 700 in 2010  
Skype recovering after major outage  
UN demands halt to Ivory Coast killings  
Israel, Hamas want to reduce Gaza Strip tension  
 News  
US economy hobbles toward brighter 2011  
Samsung to make system chips for Toshiba: source  
Women press for more jobs in new Iraqi cabinet  
Viacom sells developer of Rock Band video games  
Egypt court reduces militant's sentence to 50 years  
 News  
US regulator sets conditions for NBC-Comcast deal  
NATO strike on local convoy kills 2, say officials  
Venezuela security forces break up student protest
|  
 News  
Samsung eyes $43 billion in 2020 sales from new areas  
Israel, Hamas want to reduce Gaza Strip tension: U.N.
|  
Iraqi general gunned down in Baghdad  
Verigy gets $908 million sweetened Advantest bid  
 News  
Italy approves hotly contested university reform
|  
'Suicide bomber' kills policeman in Afghanistan  
Five million Britons to shop online on Xmas Day  
 News  
Flu kills 27 in Britain, spreading in Europe
|  
Rovi to buy Sonic for $720 million, widens digital  
Afghan officials claim 2 killed in NATO strike  
Santa is at home in Hong Kong  
Samsung to make system chips for Toshiba: report  
Asia's baby shortage sets demographic timebomb ticking  
India police hunt men said to plan Mumbai attack  
Prime minister of Laos resigns  
 News  
War rhetoric rises between North and South Korea  
U.N. rights body unites, condemns Ivory Coast violence  
German Christmas market brings festive cheer  
Jakarta beefs up security with 7,200 policemen  
EU, US threaten to review ties with Belarus  
Finger bone genome reveals new human ancestor  
 News  
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary  
Skype recovering but still down for 20 percent of users
|  
A Minute With: Nicole Kidman working on "Rabbit Hole"  
Viacom sells developer of Rock Band video games
|  
Iceland's "scary" troll Santas herald Christmas fear  
Expedia makes American Air fares harder to find
|  
Spice hunter: the second life of a Breton chef  
Samsung to make system chips for Toshiba: source
|  
 News  
Christmas: an ordinary day for Zimbabwe's poor  
Verigy gets $908 million sweetened Advantest bid
|  
Spansion loses U.S. chip patent fight with Samsung
|  
Michelle Williams still asks why Heath Ledger died
|  
A Minute With: Nicole Kidman working on Rabbit Hole
|  
Christmas cheer, Afghan-style, for US troops  
Russia to approve nuclear treaty with US  
North Korea may have new atom test to boost heir: South
|  
TomTom to increase staff, expects more car deals: paper  
Pope talks of God's 'surprises' in Christmas message  
Hollywood stars Johansson, Reynolds divorce  
U.S. defends permits for deals in sanctioned nations  
Online holiday sales up 15.4 percent: SpendingPulse  
WikiLeaks boss says 'high chance' of US jail killing  
Bomb blasts hit Swiss, Chilean embassies in Rome  
Viacom sells 'Rock Band' creator Harmonix  
Iranian leader urges 'cooperation' at Istanbul nuclear talks  
Ex-Google exec's venture firm to raise $100 million: source  
Obama to regulate carbon from power plants  
Sudan, Darfur rebels clash during ceasefire talks  
Irish government nationalises Allied Irish Banks  
Haiti urged to halt cholera anti-voodoo lynchings
|  
Skype recovering, still down for 20 percent  
US economy hobbles toward brighter 2011  
Cuba to free two more political prisoners: church
|  
Ratification of START nuclear treaty hailed  
IBM offers glimpse into the future  
Spansion loses U.S. chip patent fight with Samsung  
US jobless claims fall near year lows  
Bomb explodes at Chilean embassy in Rome  
Expedia makes American Air fares harder to find  
Bomb wounds Swiss embassy worker in Rome  
Spansion loses U.S. chip patent fight with Samsung  
Merkel party fined 1.2 mln  
Samsung to make system chips for Toshiba: source  
Obama, Medvedev discuss START in Thursday call  
Samsung eyes $43 billion in 2020 sales from new areas  
N.Korea may stage atom test to boost heir: think-tank  
Want Kate's engagement ring? Just three bucks in China  
Three soldiers, 24 militants killed in NW Pakistan  
Ex-Google exec's venture firm to raise $100 million: source
|  
Beijing traffic official resigns amid gridlock woes  
Stephen Baldwin sues Kevin Costner in BP Oil drama  
Online holiday sales up 15.4 percent: SpendingPulse
|  
China pledges regular patrols near disputed islands  
Wal-Mart invests in Chinese e-commerce firm
|  
"Gulliver's Travels" tests Jack Black's appeal  
Epic disaster or blockbuster? "Spider-Man" hangs on  
Japan, Turkey sign memorandum on nuclear cooperation  
Film producer sues over "Black Swan"  
Onions push inflation up in India  
New Justin Bieber song "Ride" is for another artist  
Samsung says in contract chip deal with Toshiba
|  
"Little Fockers" tops Wednesday box office  
Hangover remedies, Korean style  
China investment abroad to top 50 bn dlrs in 2010  
TomTom to increase staff, expects more car deals: paper
|  
Led Zeppelin drummer's son plays to similar beat  
Thai property developer Amari wins contract for Maldives resort  
China minister warns EU debt crisis could turn 'chronic'  
Rapper Nelly moves forward in life by giving back  
Michelle Williams still asks why Heath Ledger died  
Seoul shares fall 0.4 pct as autos, airlines weigh  
Pakistan to sell T-bills in 6-day repo  
Vietnam shipbuilder Vinashin defaults on loan: report  
Taiwan c.bank says has not tightened forex mkt rules  
Suzuki to supply small cars for Mitsubishi Motors  
Seoul shares fall 0.4 pct as autos, airlines weigh  
Crude oil mixed in Asian trade  
Japan to approve record budget: reports  
Epic disaster or blockbuster? Spider-Man hangs on
|  
Gulliver's Travels tests Jack Black's appeal
|  
Little Fockers tops Wednesday box office
|  
Stephen Baldwin sues Kevin Costner in BP Oil drama
|  
New Justin Bieber song Ride is for another artist
|  
Rapper Nelly moves forward in life by giving back
|  
Led Zeppelin drummer's son plays to similar beat
|  
Film producer sues over Black Swan
|  
Iranian officer captured in Afghanistan: NATO  
Heavy snow strands Christmas travelers in Europe
|  
Naked Aphrodite on Cyprus passport causes stir  
Fujitsu to lift cloud computing investment next year  
Pope hails God's 'surprises' in Christmas message  
Russia pushes toward approval of nuclear arms pact
|  
Iraqi kills daughter who wanted to be suicide bomber
|  
Toshiba overhauls chip operations with Samsung and Sony deals  
Hamas says committed to mutual truce with Israel
|  
West African leaders meet on Ivory Coast crisis
|  
US pays Pakistan more than 600 mln dlrs for support  
Pakistan clashes kill 11 troops, 24 militants
|  
Delhi Games chief defiant after police raids  
Suspected Afghan weapons smuggler not Iranian guard
|  
Laos' ex-PM 'lacked strong support'  
Ukraine's Tymoshenko faces second criminal probe
|  
Pakistan clashes kill 11 troops  
Kenyans believe ICC suspects will be convicted: poll
|  
China bars political dissident access to lawyers  
Indian doctor gets life for aiding Maoists  
St. Petersburg icicle patrol fights winter hazards  
Holiday boyfriend put up for auction in China  
Thailand bans film about transgender father  
Indonesia set to release Vietnamese fishermen  
Philippine Airlines loses wage row with union  
Thailand bans 'immoral' transgender film  
Ex-Google exec's venture firm to raise $100 million: source
|  
Fujitsu to lift cloud computing investment next year
|  
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro  
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found  
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever  
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production  
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time  
AMD to Start Production of piledriver  
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs  
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia  
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air  
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch  
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent  
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up  
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform  
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis  
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets  
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights