‘The Girl Got Balls’ is a portrait series of Ladyboys (transgender men) in Thailand who come from all social classes and ages.
Their existence in total contrast to the often uptight and prude way we are taught in the western world, where being transgender is almost a taboo and is seen as amoral and unacceptable in society. The image of ladyboys in the western world is not always positive ; but I was intrigued in who these people really are behind the façade.
Their bodies tell of their physical and emotional struggle to change into a women, to become what they have always dreamt of: though born as boys, most of them desire to look like glamorous international supermodels or famous movie stars. These portraits try to capture the intense personal struggle in making their transformation. Behind the ladyboys’ dreams are fundamental human issues that touch upon identity, body, beauty, sexuality, race and the longing to be accepted.
3 years ago in Thailand I was so overwhelmed by the amount of ladyboys , the normality and acceptation the 3rd gender receives in the Thai culture due to religious beliefs and open mindedness of men and women. The ladyboys are widely excepted without any limitations by society,
This experience got me so curious that I had to return to Thailand on two self financed trips to start my project and shoot my 1st series of portraits. During these trips I have managed to dive into the world of the ladyboys and found an understanding of the difficulties each person struggles with, in order to become a women. In their beliefs and search for status and acceptance such as real women receive in their daily lives, I found out that they take a decision and go through almost all extremes of mental and physical pain in order to change from boy/men into a women’s body and sometimes are left in a unrecognizable shell.
I believe that collecting the small personal details and notes (such as dreams, pride, family, femininity, loneliness, regrets and so on) of each ladyboy to compliment each photo. Using the same framing and the same artificial light source to keep a continuous visual flow within the ever changing setting of the locations will give the viewer pleasure and understanding
I hope that these portraits can in some way contribute to better acceptance .
Marcus Koppen
German born photographer Marcus Koppen (1973) graduated with a BA (Hons) in Photography at the Southampton Institute of Art and Design (UK) in 2001. In 2003 he relocated to Amsterdam Netherlands and started out as a freelance photographer for the Dutch Print Media. Specializing in Portraiture and Travel Photography which took him from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Quickly his main focus became the Megacities and the cluster of Urban planing within. During a short assignment to Thailand in late 2008 he came across the lives of the ladyboy which stuck in his head and sparked the idea of creating a portrait study totally dedicated to the Thai Lady boy . He has since returned for longer periods to portray the third gender in different parts of the country.
EXHIBITION
The Girl Got Balls
Festival Les Boutographies
March 2 – 17, 2013
Pavillon Populaire
Rue Charles Amans
34000 Montpellier
France
